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Office of Economic Opportunity

Supporting minority, women, and disabled-owned businesses.

Office of Economic Opportunity

What we do

The Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) in the Department of Commerce ensures that the City is working with diverse businesses to fulfill its needs for goods and services. Each year, the City aims to reach 35 percent participation from minority, women, and disabled-owned enterprises (M/W/DSBEs) on its contracts.

OEO does this through:

  • Registering minority, women, and disabled-owned businesses.
  • Reviewing and monitoring contracts.
  • Supporting capacity-building efforts.
  • Promoting anti-discriminatory practices.
  • Providing advisory support and education to M/W/DSBE businesses.
  • Helping M/W/DSBEs become prime City contractors.
  • Creating alliances within the City government and beyond.

Our partners include:

  • City of Philadelphia departments.
  • Quasi-public agencies.
  • Private industries.
  • Nonprofit sector.

Connect

Address
1515 Arch St.
12th floor
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Email oeo.phila@phila.gov

Join the OEO registry

To apply for or renew certification as a minority, woman, or disabled-owned business, join the online registry.

Leadership

Lynn T. Newsome
Deputy Commerce Director

Lynn Newsome became Deputy Commerce Director for the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) in April 2022. In her role, Newsome ensures that the City works with diverse businesses to fulfill its needs for goods and services. OEO aims to reach 35 percent participation from minority-, women-, and disabled-owned enterprises (M/W/DSBEs) on its contracts. Newsome joined the City in 2009, serving as Director of Compliance at the Division of Housing and Community Development (DHDC). In addition to her 13 years in city government, Newsome worked for 10 years in state government in the Department of Labor and Industry, the Governor’s Office of Administration, Pennsylvania State Civil Service Commission, Department of Public Welfare, and the Department of Health.

Staff

Name Job title Phone #
Deborah Booker Minority Business Enterprise Specialist II
Office of Economic Opportunity
(215) 683-2079
Mario Crestani Minority Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Specialist II
Office of Economic Opportunity
(215) 683-2068
Stephanie Cunningham Contract Clerk
Office of Economic Opportunity
Ariana Forde Executive Assistant
Office of Economic Opportunity
(215) 683-2057
Margaret Gotora Informational Management Analyst II
Office of Economic Opportunity
(215) 683-2037
A. Michelle Gumbs Senior Director for Capacity Building
Office of Economic Opportunity
(215) 683-2152
Nasia Hill Director for Special Projects
Office of Economic Opportunity
(215) 683-4775
Harsh Mehta Administrative Technical Trainee
Office of Economic Opportunity
(215) 683-2080
Ekpenyong Oji Minority/Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Coordinator
Office of Economic Opportunity
(215) 683-2078
Jennifer Ricciardi-Wise Registry Manager
Office of Economic Opportunity
(215) 683-2071
Melissa Wright Senior Director of OEO Data and Policy
Office of Economic Opportunity
(215) 686-2035
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