Philly Mayor Parker names new city officials — including new head of Parks and Rec. – NBC10 Philadelphia

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker made several key appointments on Thursday, naming longtime municipal official Susan Slawson as the head of the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation.

Parker also named new leadership at other departments, including a new head of the Department of Labor and a leader for the newly created role of Director of Black Male Engagement.

At an event held at City Hall on Thursday, Parker said that the new appointees will all continue her ongoing efforts to make Philadelphia the “safest, cleanest, greenest big city in the nation with access to economic opportunity for all.”

“I will sound like a broken record,” she said. “But, we will keep on reaffirming that message and we are not going to be moved.”

In her first appointment of the day, Parker said she wanted to ensure she named someone capable to run the city’s Department of Parks and Recreation, as this arm of city services is incredibly important in “the crisis that our city is facing at this moment” in terms of youth violence.

In introducing Slawson, Parker joked that the longtime municipal employee — Slawson has spent nearly three decades serving the city, including eight years where she worked at the Department of Parks and Recreation — told her ‘no’ before reconsidering and deciding to join the mayor’s administration.

“I have no doubt that she is going to fit perfectly into our team,” said Parker.

For her part, Slawson — who retired from city service in 2018 and became the executive director of Philadelphia’s Police Athletic League — said she was excited to get back to work with a department she had been a part of in the past.

And, she said, she was excited to re-introduce herself to the city she loves.

“Mayor Parker, thank you for not accepting no” she joked.

Parker then named Perritti Di Virgilio as the new head of the city’s Department of Labor.

It was an appointment that gave Di Virgilio pause, as he tearfully thanked the mayor and others for their support.

“I’m humbled by your trust and thrilled to have the opportunity to work for our great city,” he said.

Joining Di Virgilio and Slawson, Parker made the following appointments:

• Director of Faith and Interfaith — Bishop Wilfred Speakes
• Director of Muslim Engagement — Imam Quaiser Abdullah
• Director of Black Male Engagement — Abu Edwards
• Director of Women Engagement — Keiwana Mckinney-Forde
• Deputy Director of Neighborhood and Community Engagement — Will Mega
• Commissioner of the city’s Department of Records — James Leonard (staying on from last administration.)
• Commissioner of the city’s Water Department — Randy Hayman (staying on from last administration.)

Also, during the day’s events, Parker was asked if she would consider bringing the National Guard into the city, following recent instances of violence concerning the city’s youth.

Parker differed, saying that Thursday was only her 66th day in office and she still plans to deliver a safety plan on her 100th day in office.

“I will not take any legal and constitutional tool away from law enforcement to make our public health and safety our number one priority,” she said. “I will not run away from the commitment that I made to you a few months ago when I asked you to give me the opportunity to lead this city.”