Sylvester Allen, Jr.

Dr. Sylvester Allen, Jr., affectionately known as Sly by his friends and colleagues, is a senior human resources leader with more than 15 years of experience helping organizations build high-performing teams, develop leaders, and successfully navigate organizational change. Throughout his career, he has held HR leadership roles with several Fortune 500 companies, partnering with executive leaders to drive workforce strategy, employee engagement, organizational effectiveness, and talent development across complex business operations. His expertise includes labor and employee relations, strategic workforce planning, leadership development, and organizational transformation.

Sly is passionate about education, leadership development, and creating opportunities for others to succeed. In addition to his corporate career, he serves as an adjunct faculty member, teaching undergraduate and graduate business courses while mentoring the next generation of leaders. As a member of the New Haven Reads Board of Directors, Sly is committed to advancing the organization’s mission of empowering children through literacy. He brings expertise in organizational strategy, governance, and human resources to support New Haven Reads’ continued growth and its vision of creating a community where every child has the opportunity to thrive through the power of reading.