WHEREAS, Lynn Fields Harris, a native Philadelphian, now concludes her tenure as Executive Director of Center in the Park, a nationally accredited senior center in Northwest Philadelphia, focused on the needs of adults over 55 years of age, offering programs and services in lifelong learning, creative self-expression, health promotion, social services and housing and community connections; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Harris has also served as Deputy Director of Aviation, Marketing and Public Affairs for the Philadelphia International Airport, Director of Communications and Public Relations for the Philadelphia Gas Works, and Legislative Director for K. Leroy Irvis, Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, who was the first African American to serve as Speaker of any state legislature in the post-reconstruction age; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Harris has been closely involved with a number of professional associations, boards and commissions, including the Pennsylvania Association of Senior Centers, which she served as President; the National Council on Aging; the 2005 White House Conference on Aging, the Pennsylvania Council on Aging; the Pennsylvania Behavioral Health and Aging Coalition; Mayor’s Commission on Aging; and the Chestnut Hill Hospital Board of Trustees; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Harris holds degrees and certificates from many of our nation’s finest institutions of higher education, including Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, Saint Joseph’s University, Pennsylvania State University and Stanford University; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Harris is also an active member of the Philadelphia Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., a public service sorority, and she resides in Montgomery County with her husband, Thomas; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Harris was last recognized by this body at Senior Centers 2016, the National Institute of Senior Centers’ National Senior Center Conference, where administrators, practitioners, academics and other professionals gathered in Philadelphia to teach and learn. It was a fitting recognition, for she has certainly contributed much to the field and has been a tremendous asset to our City and region; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Council does hereby recognize and honor Lynn Fields Harris, on the occasion of her retirement as Executive Director of Center in the Park, for her decades of service to the City of Philadelphia and its senior citizens.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Lynn Fields Harris, evidencing the sincere admiration and respect of this legislative body.
End