Local educators, business leaders and politicians work to settle the city s new mayor into office.
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
