Kenney Appoints Director of Infrastructure Program Coordination Liz Lankenau as new Interim Director

PHILADELPHIA – Mayor Jim Kenney today announced that Philadelphia’s Director of the Office of Sustainability (OOS) and Chief Resilience Officer (CRO) Saleem Chapman will leave City government. Chapman has served as Director since 2022 and CRO since 2020, leading the City’s sustainability, environmental justice, and climate resilience work.

“Saleem has been an extraordinary leader in the City’s integration of environmental justice and resilience into our sustainability and climate mitigation strategies. Under his direction, Philadelphia has taken on a variety of new programs and policies aimed at centering equity and justice in our mission to create a healthier and more resilient city for current and future generations of Philadelphians,” said Mayor Kenney. “I am thankful for his vision, passion, and dedication in moving this critical work forward.”

In 2020, Chapman was appointed as the City’s first Chief Resilience Officer. During this period, he led the development of the City’s first Environmental Justice Advisory Commission (EJAC) and launched initiatives to strengthen climate risk considerations in planning and capital investment processes. Under his leadership as Director, OOS expanded its partnerships with community-based organizations and stakeholders across the city to collaboratively address environmental issues including flooding, heat resilience, sustainable infrastructure, energy burden, municipal energy management, and more.

“It has been an honor to serve as the Director of Sustainability and Chief Resilience Officer for Philadelphia. I’m incredibly proud of our team’s accomplishments and mission-driven approach,” said Saleem Chapman. The climate crisis is already having very real impacts in the everyday lives of Philadelphians, and through continued community involvement and collaboration, I know the City and is well-positioned to further equitable, just solutions.” 

The Mayor appointed Director of Infrastructure Program Coordination Liz Lankenau to serve as the next Interim Director of the Office of Sustainability effective on Monday, March 20, 2023. 

“As this administration enters its final months, I embrace the charge as interim Director to support OOS staff and our partners to carry through on Mayor Kenney’s agenda to build and invest in inclusive, thriving, and resilient neighborhoods,” said Liz Lankenau. “The climate crisis has no political or geographic boundaries so I, with the OOS team, will be preparing for the next administration, particularly as federal funding through the Inflation Reduction Act becomes increasingly available.”

Lankenau, a Philadelphia native, offers 25 years of public and private sector planning experience. She began her career at the Philadelphia Historical Commission preparing nominations for the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. As a private sector planner, she performed major land development reviews and worked closely with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation to communicate transportation project objectives to the public. After serving as a contractor with the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD), Lankenau moved to the Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, & Sustainability (OTIS) where she developed strategic, collaborative relationships among City agencies and external partners.

Lankenau is a graduate of the 248th class of Central High School of Philadelphia. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Urban Studies from the University of Pittsburgh in 1993 and a Master of Science in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania in 1997. Lankenau maintains accreditation with the American Institute of Certified Planners.