The regularly-scheduled meetings of the PHA Board of Commissioners, as approved by the Board as its annual meeting on May 20, 2022, will be on the dates shown below, at 3 p.m., at 2013 Ridge Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19121, unless otherwise indicated on the PHA website.
Board meeting agendas are available on the PHA website at least 24 hours in advance and any schedule changes will be posted there, in advance, as well: www.pha.phila.gov
Brown-Sow is a life-long Philadelphian who has dedicated her career to the organization, development, and wellness of communities, as a strategic consultant, change agent, and connector. She founded L.M. Brown Management Group in 1980, served as Vice President of Marketing and Government Relations at the Community College of Philadelphia for over 22 years, held government positions, and served with health organizations and on numerous boards. Brown-Sow is a board member for organizations including YAP (Youth Advocates Program) Inc., a global juvenile justice organization; the Philadelphia Tribune Co. Inc.; Hahnemann University Hospital; NHS Enterprises, Inc.; and The Board of City Trusts, serving Girard College via her committee assignment. She is a member of the Forum of Executive Women and convener of the Forum for a Better Pennsylvania; has served as the Chair of the Board of Directors of The Consortium, a behavioral health-care organization that named its service center the Lynette M. Brown Center of Hope in recognition of her years of service; founded and chairs the Hardy Williams Education Fund, providing scholarships and support in law and social justice; and is a founder and Chair of Women of Destiny, developing pipelines of talent to the corporate and non-profit sectors by providing mentorship to professional women of color. Brown-Sow’s political/civic positions include: managing Philadelphia Mayor Rendell’s transition team in 1991 and then being appointed as Deputy Mayor of Administration; co-chairing Philadelphia Mayor Nutter’s transition team in 2007; serving as Vice Chair and Chair of the Philadelphia Zoning Board of Adjustment for 3 years during a city-wide code change; and serving as Chair on PHA’s Board since 2013.
Herbert Wetzel is the Executive Director of Housing and Community Development for the Philadelphia City Council. He is also a founding member of the board of directors and former executive director of the Greater Germantown Housing Development Corporation. Mr. Wetzel has a long history of community development activities. During the past 20 years he established a small business in the Germantown section of Philadelphia to create neighborhood-based economic development; served as Director, Deputy Executive Director and, upon appointment by former Mayor John Street, Executive Director of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority; and has served as Vice-Chair on PHA’s Board since 2013.
Leslie D. Callahan, Ph.D. serves as pastor of St. Paul’s Baptist Church in North Philadelphia. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Harvard/Radcliffe, her Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York and her Ph.D. in Religion from Princeton University. Her research interests include religious history in the United States, particularly independent African American Christianity, and Pentecostal studies.
Rev. Bonnie Camarda has served as the Director of Partnerships for The Salvation Army in Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware since 1999, where she is at the heart of its initiatives to form fruitful partnerships with area business leaders, government leaders, prospective donors, fellow social service organizations, and most importantly, individuals seeking spiritual guidance and hope. Her professional accomplishments and community involvement are truly one and the same, and she has been recognized for her rare ability to reach across socioeconomic , gender, age, and cultural lines. Commissioner Camarda accompanied Governor Tom Wolf with a host of delegates from the Philadelphia area and Unidos Pa’PR to visit The Salvation Army in Puerto Rico to learn more about the long-term recovery of the island in the wake of Hurricane Maria. Upon her return, she received a Citation from the Philadelphia City Council as Honorary Puerto Rico Citizen of the Year in 2018, selected for her outstanding work for all Puerto Rican citizens recovering from Hurricane Maria, especially those transitioning to Philadelphia. Along with serving on the PHA Board, Commissioner Camarda is also a Board member of Esperanza, Philadelphia School Partnership, and Einstein Hospital.
Asia Coney is one of two Resident Commissioners who were elected in April of 2014 by PHA residents, pursuant to a process created under the Pennsylvania Housing Authorities Law, Act 130. Commissioner Coney is the President of PHA’s Resident Advisory Board. A Philadelphia native, her dedicated community activism over the last thirty-six years has included: advocating for public and assisted housing safety, greater resident input into PHA decision-making, and improvement of existing public housing conditions; conducting local and national workshops; ensuring compliance with federal and state directives regarding the quality of resident life; and working closely with PHA in its creation and implementation of resident programs. She has served on numerous City Boards, including the Redevelopment Authority and the Malt and Beverage Board, and was the Director of Tenant Support Services, Inc., which terminated operations in 2012. Her community activism has included the following marches: being one of two Chairs for the 1997 historic Million Woman March; Chair of the “Sistahs of the Million Woman March” in 2007; and serving as a key organizer of the 1997 Grays Ferry March, to reduce violence and race riots.
Belinda Mayo is a seasoned housing and community development professional with over 36 years of experience, devoted to public service-oriented functions with an emphasis on research, planning, the coordination of programs and services, training and the direction of urban housing policy. Ms. Mayo served as the Director of Neighborhood Program Coordination and Community Development at the City of Philadelphia Office of Housing and Community Development from 1987 through 2016, responsible for the development and implementation of technical assistance programs for non-profit community-based development corporations, the review of nonprofit financial and organizational systems, project planning, feasibility and development, management of community-based service programs, and coordinating educational and job training programs for at risk youth and families transitioning from welfare-to-work. In 2016 Ms. Mayo retired from her position with the City of Philadelphia but has remained actively engaged in the field of housing and community development as a member of the Board of Directors of the National Low Income Housing Coalition Leadership Council and a member of Oversight Board of Rebuild Philadelphia, an Advisory Board responsible for reviewing and providing guidance and feedback on the implementation and programmatic direction of the multi-million dollar fund for revitalizing city parks, libraries, and recreation centers throughout the City of Philadelphia.
Frederick S. Purnell, Sr. is the former Deputy Director for Housing and Community Development for the City of Philadelphia and former Executive Director of Wilmington Housing Authority, where he served for 16 years. He was also a key executive and a long time employee within PHA for several years. He has been instrumental in several multimillion dollar mixed income and low income developments, and is a recognized leader in community development in this region. Mr. Purnell is a native of Philadelphia and a graduate of Central High School and Pennsylvania State University. He has received several certifications, commendations, and board appointments relevant to housing and community development, and is a proud life member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. He is also a licensed realtor in the state of Delaware and resides in the Overbrook section of Philadelphia.
Ismail A. Shahid brings a strong background in innovation and finance to the Philadelphia Housing Authority, as he has extensive experience in accounting, management, and business. He is a founding partner of SUPRA Office Solutions, Inc., a national supplier of business, school and janitorial products, which is a Philadelphia-based, 100% minority-owned business that is certified MBE, DBE and as a HUBZone business. Commissioner Shahid is the company’s Executive Vice President of Sales and Government Affairs, overseeing the company’s community relations and customer support efforts. Further, he holds the same position and supervisory responsibilities with EMSCO Scientific Enterprises, Inc., an affiliate that sells laboratory supplies, equipment, and chemicals. A Philadelphia resident, Mr. Shahid earned business law and accounting degrees from Pierce College. He serves on the boards of various non-profit organizations as well as that of the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, as appointed by Governor Tom Wolf.
Ethel Wise is one of two Resident Commissioners who were elected in April of 2014 by PHA residents, pursuant to a process created under the Pennsylvania Housing Authorities Law, Act 130. Commissioner Wise is President of the Wilson Park Family Resident Council, a native of Philadelphia and has a personal history of involvement, community engagement and commitment to bettering the lives of those in public housing for over 40 years. As President of the PHA housing development at Martin Luther King for approximately 32 years, Commissioner Wise developed an effective job bank, a food bank and a town watch program that was recognized as one of the best in the country, and, in 1993, she received the Mayor’s Community Service Award. Commissioner Wise also created and managed PHA’s Lobby Monitor Program, which promoted resident safety and resident employment with a well-defined career path. She has been a leader in providing national and local training for Resident Councils on HUD regulations and also has served as a Democratic Party Committeewoman for the last 25 years.
Brown-Sow is a life-long Philadelphian who has dedicated her career to the organization, development, and wellness of communities, as a strategic consultant, change agent, and connector. She founded L.M. Brown Management Group in 1980, served as Vice President of Marketing and Government Relations at the Community College of Philadelphia for over 22 years, held government positions, and served with health organizations and on numerous boards. Brown-Sow is a board member for organizations including YAP (Youth Advocates Program) Inc., a global juvenile justice organization; the Philadelphia Tribune Co. Inc.; Hahnemann University Hospital; NHS Enterprises, Inc.; and The Board of City Trusts, serving Girard College via her committee assignment. She is a member of the Forum of Executive Women and convener of the Forum for a Better Pennsylvania; has served as the Chair of the Board of Directors of The Consortium, a behavioral health-care organization that named its service center the Lynette M. Brown Center of Hope in recognition of her years of service; founded and chairs the Hardy Williams Education Fund, providing scholarships and support in law and social justice; and is a founder and Chair of Women of Destiny, developing pipelines of talent to the corporate and non-profit sectors by providing mentorship to professional women of color. Brown-Sow’s political/civic positions include: managing Philadelphia Mayor Rendell’s transition team in 1991 and then being appointed as Deputy Mayor of Administration; co-chairing Philadelphia Mayor Nutter’s transition team in 2007; serving as Vice Chair and Chair of the Philadelphia Zoning Board of Adjustment for 3 years during a city-wide code change; and serving as Chair on PHA’s Board since 2013.
Herbert Wetzel is the Executive Director of Housing and Community Development for the Philadelphia City Council. He is also a founding member of the board of directors and former executive director of the Greater Germantown Housing Development Corporation. Mr. Wetzel has a long history of community development activities. During the past 20 years he established a small business in the Germantown section of Philadelphia to create neighborhood-based economic development; served as Director, Deputy Executive Director and, upon appointment by former Mayor John Street, Executive Director of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority; and has served as Vice-Chair on PHA’s Board since 2013.
Leslie D. Callahan, Ph.D. serves as pastor of St. Paul’s Baptist Church in North Philadelphia. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Harvard/Radcliffe, her Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York and her Ph.D. in Religion from Princeton University. Her research interests include religious history in the United States, particularly independent African American Christianity, and Pentecostal studies.
Rev. Bonnie Camarda has served as the Director of Partnerships for The Salvation Army in Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware since 1999, where she is at the heart of its initiatives to form fruitful partnerships with area business leaders, government leaders, prospective donors, fellow social service organizations, and most importantly, individuals seeking spiritual guidance and hope. Her professional accomplishments and community involvement are truly one and the same, and she has been recognized for her rare ability to reach across socioeconomic , gender, age, and cultural lines. Commissioner Camarda accompanied Governor Tom Wolf with a host of delegates from the Philadelphia area and Unidos Pa’PR to visit The Salvation Army in Puerto Rico to learn more about the long-term recovery of the island in the wake of Hurricane Maria. Upon her return, she received a Citation from the Philadelphia City Council as Honorary Puerto Rico Citizen of the Year in 2018, selected for her outstanding work for all Puerto Rican citizens recovering from Hurricane Maria, especially those transitioning to Philadelphia. Along with serving on the PHA Board, Commissioner Camarda is also a Board member of Esperanza, Philadelphia School Partnership, and Einstein Hospital.
Asia Coney is one of two Resident Commissioners who were elected in April of 2014 by PHA residents, pursuant to a process created under the Pennsylvania Housing Authorities Law, Act 130. Commissioner Coney is the President of PHA’s Resident Advisory Board. A Philadelphia native, her dedicated community activism over the last thirty-six years has included: advocating for public and assisted housing safety, greater resident input into PHA decision-making, and improvement of existing public housing conditions; conducting local and national workshops; ensuring compliance with federal and state directives regarding the quality of resident life; and working closely with PHA in its creation and implementation of resident programs. She has served on numerous City Boards, including the Redevelopment Authority and the Malt and Beverage Board, and was the Director of Tenant Support Services, Inc., which terminated operations in 2012. Her community activism has included the following marches: being one of two Chairs for the 1997 historic Million Woman March; Chair of the “Sistahs of the Million Woman March” in 2007; and serving as a key organizer of the 1997 Grays Ferry March, to reduce violence and race riots.
Belinda Mayo is a seasoned housing and community development professional with over 36 years of experience, devoted to public service-oriented functions with an emphasis on research, planning, the coordination of programs and services, training and the direction of urban housing policy. Ms. Mayo served as the Director of Neighborhood Program Coordination and Community Development at the City of Philadelphia Office of Housing and Community Development from 1987 through 2016, responsible for the development and implementation of technical assistance programs for non-profit community-based development corporations, the review of nonprofit financial and organizational systems, project planning, feasibility and development, management of community-based service programs, and coordinating educational and job training programs for at risk youth and families transitioning from welfare-to-work. In 2016 Ms. Mayo retired from her position with the City of Philadelphia but has remained actively engaged in the field of housing and community development as a member of the Board of Directors of the National Low Income Housing Coalition Leadership Council and a member of Oversight Board of Rebuild Philadelphia, an Advisory Board responsible for reviewing and providing guidance and feedback on the implementation and programmatic direction of the multi-million dollar fund for revitalizing city parks, libraries, and recreation centers throughout the City of Philadelphia.
Frederick S. Purnell, Sr. is the former Deputy Director for Housing and Community Development for the City of Philadelphia and former Executive Director of Wilmington Housing Authority, where he served for 16 years. He was also a key executive and a long time employee within PHA for several years. He has been instrumental in several multimillion dollar mixed income and low income developments, and is a recognized leader in community development in this region. Mr. Purnell is a native of Philadelphia and a graduate of Central High School and Pennsylvania State University. He has received several certifications, commendations, and board appointments relevant to housing and community development, and is a proud life member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. He is also a licensed realtor in the state of Delaware and resides in the Overbrook section of Philadelphia.
Ismail A. Shahid brings a strong background in innovation and finance to the Philadelphia Housing Authority, as he has extensive experience in accounting, management, and business. He is a founding partner of SUPRA Office Solutions, Inc., a national supplier of business, school and janitorial products, which is a Philadelphia-based, 100% minority-owned business that is certified MBE, DBE and as a HUBZone business. Commissioner Shahid is the company’s Executive Vice President of Sales and Government Affairs, overseeing the company’s community relations and customer support efforts. Further, he holds the same position and supervisory responsibilities with EMSCO Scientific Enterprises, Inc., an affiliate that sells laboratory supplies, equipment, and chemicals. A Philadelphia resident, Mr. Shahid earned business law and accounting degrees from Pierce College. He serves on the boards of various non-profit organizations as well as that of the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, as appointed by Governor Tom Wolf.
Ethel Wise is one of two Resident Commissioners who were elected in April of 2014 by PHA residents, pursuant to a process created under the Pennsylvania Housing Authorities Law, Act 130. Commissioner Wise is President of the Wilson Park Family Resident Council, a native of Philadelphia and has a personal history of involvement, community engagement and commitment to bettering the lives of those in public housing for over 40 years. As President of the PHA housing development at Martin Luther King for approximately 32 years, Commissioner Wise developed an effective job bank, a food bank and a town watch program that was recognized as one of the best in the country, and, in 1993, she received the Mayor’s Community Service Award. Commissioner Wise also created and managed PHA’s Lobby Monitor Program, which promoted resident safety and resident employment with a well-defined career path. She has been a leader in providing national and local training for Resident Councils on HUD regulations and also has served as a Democratic Party Committeewoman for the last 25 years.
