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Honoring, commending, and congratulating Marni Gangel on the occasion of her retirement from the Defender Association of Philadelphia, celebrating her extraordinary career and enduring commitment to justice, reproductive rights, and the children and families of our City.
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WHEREAS, Marni Gangel has dedicated more than 37 years of exemplary public service to the Defender Association of Philadelphia, her clients, and the City of Philadelphia, providing fierce, compassionate, and unwavering advocacy for vulnerable populations across the city; and
WHEREAS, Marni Gangel began her distinguished legal career with the Defender Association on September 11, 1989, initially serving as a line-level criminal defense attorney before transitioning to the Child Advocacy Unit, where she represented children navigating the dependency system; and
WHEREAS, During her tenure in the Child Advocacy Unit, Marni Gangel rose to leadership, serving as Assistant Chief of the Child Advocacy Unit, supervising and mentoring countless attorneys and social workers while maintaining a specialized caseload focused on older youth transitioning out of care, children with complex medical needs, and pregnant and parenting teens; and
WHEREAS, Marni Gangel has been a steadfast champion for reproductive justice and self-determination, serving as the designated attorney representing young women and girls seeking judicial authorization to make critical reproductive health choices for themselves; and
WHEREAS, Recognizing her systemic vision and deep policy expertise, the Defender Association appointed Marni Gangel as its first Director of Policy in Child Advocacy specializing in the needs of dependent youth, where she established policy committees dedicated to addressing LGBTQ+ needs, kinship care, reproductive health, and educational stability; and served as a dedicated supporter and facilitator of the Defender Youth Action Board, an initiative for older youth to create youth leaders and...
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