The District of Columbia
Government
Executive Office of the Mayor
Office of the Public Advocate
The mission of the Mayor’s Office of the Public Advocate (OPA) is to serve as a
critical link between the citizens and the service delivery mechanisms of the District of
Columbia government.
Major Functions of the Office of the Public Advocate
- Respond to constituent concerns voiced to the Mayor’s office
- Respond to requests placed to the Mayor’s office for information or assistance in
obtaining necessary services from agencies of the District Government and other sources - Act as a liaison between the Mayor’s office and Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners
(ANCs) and other community organizations to hear and respond to community concerns - Coordinate community projects with ANC commissioners and offices of the D.C. City
Council members - Plan, prepare and staff community meetings for the Mayor’s office
- Provide regular reports to the Mayor’s office on the type and frequency of complaints
received by the Office of the Public Advocate as they relate to specific agencies - Maintain records and provide regular reports to the Mayor’s office on constituent
concerns within specific communities in the District of Columbia
The Office of the Public Advocate will provide:
- opportunity for D.C. residents to express their concerns about individuals and/or
agencies that have not responded to inquiries and/or concerns - assistance to Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners (ANCs) in regards to information and
assistance in addressing constituency needs in their single member districts - assistance with agency quality control through identifying service delivery issues for
their resolution - assistance to D.C. residents who find themselves in emergency situations (i.e., housing,
food stamps, public assistance, burial assistance, etc.) - referral and general information to both government and private non-profit social
service agencies - organizational support for community meetings for the Mayor
- support to community groups working on special community projects
OPA Staff List
Lawrence Hemphill, director
Michael Bonds, community service representative, Wards 2 and 5
Greg Chen, director, Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs
Ellen Yung-Fatah, interim director, Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs
Eric K. Foster, deputy director
Ronald M. Friday, community service representative, Wards 1 and 7
Adrianne Gillette, executive assistant to the director
Lendia Sue Johnson, community service representative, Ward 8
Philip Pannell, special assistant for gay, lesbian, and bisexual affairs
Shirley H. Poole, receptionist
Reverend Donald Robinson, director, religious affairs
William Wright, Jr., community service representative, Wards 4 and 6