Mayor Cherelle Parker appoints officials for 10 key roles, including leadership positions for diversity, equity, inclusion, immigrant affairs, and behavioral health.

In a recent effort to solidify her administration, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker unveiled a series of appointments to ten key positions within her office on Wednesday. This move follows a period of vacancies that ranged from just one week to as long as 16 months. Notably, the city is particularly focused on enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives following the dismissal of key officials in these areas just last week.

Among the notable appointments was Kehinde “Kenny” Solanke, chosen to lead the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services (DBHIDS). This department plays a critical role in managing essential services for Philadelphians facing mental health challenges and substance abuse, receiving a substantial portion of federal funding allocated to the city. Solanke’s role had been vacant since March 2024, shortly after Parker assumed office. She previously held a senior operations director position in Community Behavioral Health, a nonprofit responsible for coordinating Medicaid coverage for behavioral health services in Philadelphia. Solanke’s tenure with the city is set to begin on September 2, with an annual salary of 6,000.

In the meantime, Donna Jackson Stephans has been appointed as the interim chief diversity, equity, and inclusion officer, with an annual salary of 0,000. She takes over from Brandee Anderson, who was ousted along with Tyrell Brown, the city’s director of LGBTQ affairs, following an investigation into inappropriate conduct within the administration.

Parker asserted her commitment to diversity by highlighting her administration’s leadership structure, particularly noting that her top aides are all Black women. The Mayor is urging the public to assess her commitment based on the diversity present within her team.

Additionally, Parker appointed Charlie Ellison as the new director of the Philadelphia Office of Immigrant Affairs, a role that had remained vacant since the resignation of Amy Eusebio during the administration of former Mayor Jim Kenney. Ellison, a South Philadelphia native, recently transitioned from a role at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and is committed to upholding the city’s immigrant-friendly policies amid a climate of federal scrutiny on immigration.

While the appointments indicate a proactive approach to filling key roles within the administration, the search for a director of the labor department continues, as former appointee Christopher Godfrey departed due to personal reasons. The Mayor’s office is currently conducting a national search for this critical position, which helps enforce worker protection laws in Philadelphia.

This series of appointments underscores Mayor Parker’s strategic priorities as she moves forward with her agenda to address pressing issues such as mental health, equity, and the rights of immigrant communities in Philadelphia.

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