About Open Wards
The majority of wards in Philadelphia are closed wards, but there is a strong and growing interest -- boosted by the election of hundreds of new committee people in May 2018 -- in moving towards a more transparent, accessible and democratic ward system.
The Open Wards Project is an effort by both newly elected and veteran committee people, and some of the ward leaders they helped elect, to create a better ward system across Philadelphia. To that end, we have developed a set of foundational principles that are rooted in democratic processes, direct representation, and the notion that committee people ought to be empowered in their efforts to support and represent their constituents.
The Open Wards Steering Committee is elected by members every two years and organized into three subcommittees:
Administration: Vanessa McGrath (05-05), Rebecca Poyourow (21-19), and John Scott (18-06)
Communications: Andrew Ross (05-30), Caroline Tiger (02-15), and Michael Swayze (22-03)
Membership: Steph Davis (39-10), Vanessa Fields (52-10), and Elizabeth Schlingmann (46-23)
Open Wards Philly Members (updated as of 6/28/22):
Claire Adler, Sarah Anton, Mara Blake-Ward, Karen Bojar, Leonard Bonarek, Luigi Borda, Laura Boyce, Chinita Bradshaw, Joyce Brooks, Katie Burns, Vanessa Cassidy, Sergio Cea, Patrick Christmas, Michael Coleman, Charmaine D. Congleton, Steph Davis, Fred Dedrick, Andre Del Valle, Ann Dixon, Hillary Do, Dustin Dove, Debby Dowlin, Sacha Downes, Joan Duckenfield, Tyra Duhan, Melissa Dunphy, Binta Edwards, Rachelle Faroul, Amanda Feifer O'Brien, Vanessa Fields, Beth Finn, Jeremy Friedman, Michael Galvan, Jon Geeting, Carl Gershenson, Craig Getting, Sarah Ghee, Matt Goldfine, Beth Goldstein-Huxen, Chuck Gondos, Maya Gutierrez, Virn Haines, Sarah Hansel, Kitty Heite, Carol Henning-Franczyk, Matthew Iannone, Kate Illes, Jack Inacker, Morgan Jamison, Lori Jardines, Kathleen Jauregui, Karen Javaruski, Gilda Johnson, Stephen T Johnson Sr , Kim Jordan, Alexandra Kelly, Allison Kelsey, Todd Kimmell, Michael Kleiner, Ilya Knizhnik, John Kromer, Jamie Kudera, Casey Kuklick, John Landreau, Don Leedy, Serita Lewis, Joni Lipson, Louise Lisi, Martin Maiorano, Rachel Malloy-Good, Ann Mary, Vanessa McGrath, Sequoia Medley, Lawrence Meehan, Rizz Mertz, Kerry Milch, Lenise Miller, Wayne Morris, Janeane Moses, Drew Murray, Leonard Nakamura, Margaret O'Donnell, Matt Olesh, Darlene Olsen, Melissa Ostroff, Kevin Parcell, Darisha Parker, Dana Pavlichko, Ali Perelman, Vince Perretti, Steve Petro, Amie Porcelli, Rhea Powell, Rebecca Poyourow, Adam Prince, Thomas Quinn, Adams Rackes, Kevin Rajan, Marc Reason , Timothy Reimer, Michele Rhett, Kevin Rigney, Lauren Rinadi, Kate Rivera, Antoine Robinson, Andrew Ross, Gary Ruane, David Runkle, Uhura Russ, Michael Russell Bey, Maurice Sampson, Elizabeth Schlingmann, Theodore Schmiechen, John Scott, Helen Seitz, Marisa Shaaban, Stan Shapiro, Michael Silverman, Michael Swayze, Julie Szymaszek, Evette Thompson, Caroline Tiger, Evockeea Wayenahan, David Weinstein, Jacqueline Wiggins, Peter Wolanin, Matthew Wolfe, Beckett Woodworth, Yvette Young, Diane Zilka, Kevin Zuber