Wilfred Rojas

Director, Office of Community Justice & Outreach

Wilfred "Wil" Rojas did what few other people have done--survive a brain aneurysm without skipping a beat in his advocacy work on behalf of the poor and disenfranchised.  Born in Puerto Rico, but raised in Philadelphia.  He has held positions with Community Legal Services, Inc., where he served as a paralegal, ACT II, a drug and alcohol program, and a number of Latino organizations, among them:  Centro Pedro Claver, Norris Square Civic Association, Police Barrio Relations Project, National Congress for Puerto Rican Rights and former Mayor Ed Rendell's Office of Puerto Rican/Latino Affairs.  For the rest of Philadelphia, he has been instrumental on promoting the civil rights of other groups, District Council 47, Operation Town-watch and both of Mayor John F. Street's administration transition team taskforces.

A product of both the parochial and public school systems, Rojas attended Community College of Philadelphia, and Antioch University, where he earned a Bachelors degree in Human Services and a Masters degree in Counselor Education, all while holding down full-time jobs. He has also completed post-graduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania, Penn State University, Gratz College and Temple University. 

He joined the Philadelphia Prison System in 1987, as a social worker and became the system's first male Latino social work supervisor in 1996.  He was appointed to his present position by Commissioner Leon A. King, Esq. As the Director of The Office of Community Justice and Outreach. 

Rojas is married to Carmen Marrero, a school psychologist and lives in the Fishtown section of Philadelphia.  He has two daughters, Enid Maria and Rebecca, a son, Alejandro, and grandchildren.