Kenney makes three more appointments
Mayor-elect Jim Kenney announced three more appointments to his administration Friday. Samantha Phillips will continue to serve as director of the Office of Emergency Management; Christine Knapp, currently a deputy chief of staff at the Water Department, will serve as director of the Office of Sustainability; and Eva Gladstein, currently director of the Mayor's Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity, will serve as deputy managing director for children and families.
Mayor-elect Jim Kenney announced three more appointments to his administration Friday.
Samantha Phillips will continue to serve as director of the Office of Emergency Management; Christine Knapp, currently a deputy chief of staff at the Water Department, will serve as director of the Office of Sustainability; and Eva Gladstein, currently director of the Mayor's Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity, will serve as deputy managing director for children and families.
Phillips started at the Office of Emergency Management in 2007 as a planner and rose through the ranks, serving as program manager, deputy director for planning, and deputy director before becoming director in 2012.
She was in charge of the city's response to several emergencies, including Hurricanes Sandy and Irene, Tropical Storm Lee, and the fatal Amtrak derailment.
"When it comes to emergency management, nothing is more important than experience, and Samantha Phillips is a proven leader," Kenney said in a statement.
Knapp is currently the main liaison to City Council and other agencies in the work of the water utility. Before working for the Water Department, Knapp founded the Next Great City initiative, which worked to enact a sustainability policy agenda for Philadelphia.
"Building a stronger bridge between the advocates who fight every day for Philadelphia's natural resources and the city is a key priority of mine, and I have every confidence that Christine will be able to accomplish it," Kenney said in a statement.
Gladstein's position, which is new, will report to the managing director, and will have oversight of the Department of Human Services, the Office of Supportive Housing, and the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services. Gladstein is currently responsible for the city's efforts to battle poverty and increase opportunities for low-income individuals and families.
215-854-5520 @InqCVargas