Join Fels Distinguished Fellow Joseph Pierce for an Executive Leadership Dialogue with special guest Dr. Monica Taylor, Chair of Delaware County Council.
About Dr. Monica Taylor:
Dr. Monica Taylor was sworn into office for her first term on January 6, 2020. She is the first African American elected to Delaware County Council. During her first few days in office, she worked with the county team to implement monumental and historic changes in Delaware County. Dr. Taylor spearheaded the effort to create a county health department from the ground up. The Delaware County Health Department was launched in April of 2022 with a mission to build healthy and thriving communities. Safe and affordable housing is also a priority of Dr. Taylor’s. She collaborated with community partners to create the County’s Housing Continuum Coalition in January 2023. The coalition includes over 85 stakeholders focused on helping unhoused residents, improving our rental housing infrastructure, and affordable home ownership.
As a mother to three daughters, Dr. Taylor understands the critical importance of maternal and child health. She worked to form the Delaware County Maternal Health Coalition, managed through the county health department, which focuses on health disparities and reducing the morbidity and mortality rates for birthing people in Delaware County. Providing mental and behavioral supports and programming are a priority for Dr. Taylor. She has worked to form an interdepartmental and interdisciplinary task force to provide recommendations to county council for short-term and immediate uses of the opioid settlement funds, as well as long-term programming that can be supported by the new funding to reduce the number of people suffering with addiction and treats those battling addictions.
Dr. Taylor is a professor and graduate program director at Temple University. In addition to her teaching, research, and administrative duties, Dr. Taylor has worked on several community outreach projects to educate high school students about potential future careers in the health care industry.
Dr. Taylor received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Maine. She was a standout on the women’s basketball team, which led to her having the opportunity to play professionally in Ireland. Dr. Taylor served as a graduate assistant basketball coach at East Stroudsburg University while earning her master’s degree. She went on to work at the United States Military Academy at West Point before earning her PhD from the University of Pittsburgh. Prior to serving on county council, Dr. Taylor served on the Upper Darby School Board and Delaware County Intermediate Unit Board of Directors.
About the Series: Executive Leadership Dialogue, a lunch series hosted by Fels Distinguished Fellow Joseph Pierce, introduces students to public sector leaders who will share their perspectives on leadership, mentorship, and executive management. The lunches are small by design and include both MPA and EMPA students, allowing them to gain insight and learn valuable lessons on public sector leadership.
