Posted November 30, 2015
Owls appointed to mayor-elect's transition team
Local educators, business leaders and politicians work to settle the city's new mayor into office.
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Temple alumni and employees are taking charge in Philadelphia through appointments to Mayor-elect Kenney's transition team and cabinet.
Temple University graduates have always played a role in shaping local, national and global politics. This year, on the local political front, a number of Temple alumni have been named to high-ranking positions in both the administrative cabinet and transition team of Mayor-elect Jim Kenney.
More than 40 Temple alumni will assist the new mayor-elect in navigating the day-to-day responibilities of making sure that Philadelphia continues to thirve.
Beverly Coleman, assistant vice president for community relations and economic development, has been appointed to the team responsible for transportation and infrastructure.
“We’ve already started to meet and the committee has submitted documents to Mayor-elect Kenney and the transition staff for review,” said Coleman. “I am finding that the process is inclusive and the work and recommendations of the sub-committee are being given serious consideration.”
Additionally, a number of Temple alumni have been selected to serve on Mayor-elect Kenney’s administrative team.
Other administration positions held by Temple graduates include:
Jim Engler, LAW ’13, deputy mayor for policy and legislation
Otis Hackney, EDU ’98, chief education officer
Sheila Hess, FOX ’91, city representative
Susan Kretsge, CLA ’74, deputy mayor
Ellen Mattleman Kaplan, LAW ’79, chief integrity officer
Philadelphia’s mayor-elect, a Democrat and former member of the City Council of Philadelphia, will be inaugurated January 4, 2016.
Owls taking charge
The Temple alumni and employees appointed to the transition team are:
Commerce and Economic Development
Tara Chupka, Co-chair, LAW ’12
Transition Leadership Committee
Dwight Evans, Co-chair, FOX ’78
Education
Susan Gobreski, CLA ’02
Otis Hackney, Co-chair, EDU ’98
Jurate Krokys, EDU ’79
Rhonda Lauer, EDU ’69
Public Safety
Bob Ballentine, FOX ’98
William T. Bergman, vice president for public affairs at Temple
Joanne Epps, Co-chair and dean of Temple’s Beasley School of Law
Sara Jacobson, LAW ’97
Ellen Kaplan, LAW ’79
Bryan Lentz, LAW ’93
Paul Messing, LAW ’73
City Administrative Services
Ida Chen, LAW ’76
Charles Gibbs, SMC ’06
Mike Marsico, CLA ’89
Joyce Wilkerson, special advisor to Temple President Neil D. Theobald
Stewart Weintraub, LAW ’71
Community, Culture and Recreation
Julie Hawkins, Co-chair, BYR ’99
Environment and Sustainability
Jamie Gauthier, FOX ’00
Housing, Planning and Development
Wadud Ahmad, CLA ’93
Gaetano Piccirilli, Esq., LAW ’04
Herb Wetzel, CLA ’78
Human Services
Richard Cohen, CLA ’71
Karin Annerhed-Harris, FOX ’08
Susan Kretsge, CLA ’74, deputy mayor
Natalie Levkovich, CLA ’70
Numa St. Louis, CLA ’10
Nilda Ruiz, FOX ’86
Sister Mary Scullion, CPH ’87
Jane Shull, CPH ’75
Roberta Trombetta, LAW ’97, Co-chair
Immigrant and Multicultural Affairs
Brad Baldia, CPH ’00
Judith Bernstein-Baker, LAW ’96
Sokmala Chy, CLA ’03
Christian Dunbar, CLA ’06, ’12
Peter Gonzales, Co-chair, LAW ’03
Voffee Jabateh, SSW ’05
Marwan Kreidie, Co-chair, CLA ’87
Infrastructure and Transportation
Beverly Coleman, Temple’s assistant vice president for community relations and economic development
Fran Kelly, CLA ’00