Vanessa Garrett Harley is deputy mayor for the City of Philadelphia Office of Children and Families. She oversees the Philadelphia Department of Human Services, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, and the Free Library of Philadelphia. In addition, she administers several key education and prevention services programs. These include: PHLpreK, Out-of-School Time, Community Schools, and Adult Education. Prior to her appointment as deputy mayor, she was acting managing director for the City of Philadelphia.

She has also served as first deputy to the managing director and deputy managing director of Criminal Justice and Public Safety for the City of Philadelphia. A lifelong Philadelphian and dedicated public servant, Garrett Harley’s other roles in city government include chair of the Social Services Law Group at the Philadelphia Law Department and commissioner of the Philadelphia Department of Human Services (DHS), the largest child welfare agency in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Garrett Harley’s role as deputy mayor is the culmination of a career of advocacy on behalf of children and families. She is committed to supporting children, youth, and families through access to equitable services.