Announcements today focused on community engagement and empowerment, labor and employee relations in the Parker Administration
PHILADELPHIA – Today, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker announced the latest in a series of significant personnel announcements, as the Parker Administration continues to grow, filling roles essential to the mayor’s vision of a Safer, Cleaner, Greener Philadelphia, with Economic Opportunity for All. With these latest appointments today, the mayor has named over five dozen new and reappointed cabinet members, department heads and senior officials.
“Today we announced new appointments and several reappointments in important areas for our administration, including leadership overseeing community empowerment and opportunity, Latino engagement, youth engagement, community and behavioral health as well as more appointments to Labor, employee relations and the Managing Director’s Office,” said Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. “Everyone of these individuals, whether they be a new City employee or leader, or a longtime veteran City employee — have one thing in common: they all love the city, and they all seek to serve its residents.”
New Positions & Appointments
Valerie Gay will serve as the City’s Executive Director of the Office of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy (OACCE). Valerie Gay is the first executive director of OACCE to serve in the Mayor’s Cabinet in Philadelphia, and Mayor Parker fulfilled a campaign promise with Gay’s appointment.
Orlando Rendón will serve as the City’s Executive Director of the Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity (CEO). In this role, Rendón will work to promote a more equitable Philadelphia for all residents by focusing on racial equity, financial stability and self-sufficiency for the city’s most vulnerable populations. Previously, Rendón served as the Commissioner of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation and Deputy Managing Director responsible for the Community Services cluster in the Managing Director’s Office.
William Garcia will serve as the City’s first-ever Director of Latino Engagement supporting Philadelphia’s Hispanic community, enhancing community outreach and empowering residents to connect with available opportunities and services. The son of Puerto Rican immigrants, Garcia has engaged with the Hispanic community for over two decades.
Shania Bennett will serve as the City’s Director of Youth Engagement. Shania Bennett is the Director of Youth Engagement supporting Philadelphia youth in developing leadership skills as she bridges the gap between generations. During the pandemic, Bennett served as a Neighborhood Advisory Coordinator with the Office of Housing and Community Development where she led a neighborhood advisory subcommittee in South Philadelphia that increased the efficiency of residents’ access to benefits. Bennett founded Reach4Peace, a non-violence initiative that mentored at-risk youth through basketball programming. The Director of Youth Engagement will report directly to the Director of Neighborhood and Community Engagement, Hassan Freeman.
Cara Leheny will serve as the First Deputy Director for the City’s Offices of Labor Relations and Employee Relations in the Department of Labor. Leheny will oversee negotiations of collective bargaining agreements and handle dispute resolutions between the City and labor unions. She will also address and resolve workplace issues while delivering programs and services related to employee protections and benefits.
Pamela Robinson will serve as the Deputy Director of the City’s Office of Labor Relations in the Department of Labor. Robinson will help oversee the negotiation and administration of collective bargaining agreements with the City’s municipal labor unions. She has a bachelor’s degree in administration of justice and a Master of Social Services.
Rose Smith-DiFrancesco will serve as the Deputy Director of the City’s Office of Employee Relations in the Department of Labor as a resource for all employees and strategic partner to supervisors, managers, and leaders. She will help uphold the City’s commitment to Equal Employment Opportunities, developing and administering policies a large, diverse workforce. Previously, Smith-DiFrancesco served as the Program Administrator of the Office of Employee Relations within the Department of Labor.
Andre Bragg will serve as the Director of the City’s Office of Labor Standards in the Department of Labor. As Director, Bragg will monitor City contracts for compliance with Prevailing Wage and Workforce Diversity Standards. Bragg brings over a decade of experience in wage compliance and workforce diversity to his new role. Bragg looks to leverage his expertise to advance the office’s mission of ensuring contractors on city and federally-funded construction projects comply with regulations and aims to move the needle on improving workforce demographics.
Curtis Bronson will serve as the Chief of Staff of the Department of Labor. He will support leadership in building partnerships between management and the labor organizations representing City employees. With almost a decade of experience in the Office of Labor Standards, Curtis was instrumental in ensuring fair wages for construction workers and promoting diversity within the industry. He will use his expertise from the Office of Labor standards to support the Department of Labor in totality.
Tara Mohr will serve as the First Deputy Managing Director in the Managing Director’s Office. Under Managing Director Adam Thiel, Mohr will assist in oversight of the City’s operating departments. Mohr will work with the Managing Director and with departments to create and enact new policies. deliver efficient, effective, and responsive public services, and implementing the mayor’s vision. Mohr previously worked under Thiel in the Philadelphia Fire Department.
Crystal Yates-Gale will serve as the City’s Deputy Managing Director for Health and Human Services in the Managing Director’s Office.
Brian Clinton will serve as Chief of Staff to Managing Director, Adam Thiel in the Managing Director’s Office.
Kimberly Ali will continue to serve as the Commissioner of the Department of Human Services.
Kelly Richards will continue to serve as President and Director of the Free Library of Philadelphia.
Donna Bailey will serve as Chief Executive Officer for Community Behavioral Health.
Vanessa Garrett-Harley will serve as the Chief Deputy Managing Director for the City’s Office of Children and Families.
Aubrey Powers will serve as the Deputy Managing Director for Community Services in the Managing Director’s Office.
Michael A. Carroll will continue to serve as the Deputy Managing Director for Transportation and Infrastructure in the Office of Transportation and Infrastructure in the Managing Director’s Office.
David G. Wilson will continue as the Deputy Managing Director for General Services in the Managing Director’s Office.
“With these new announcements, we are excited for new opportunities to engage with our city’s diverse communities, while also being able to bring everyone to the table in order to make Philadelphia the safest, cleanest, greenest big city in America, with access to economic opportunity for all,” Mayor Parker said.
