Commissioners

Teaira Collins is a founder and food equity ambassador on the board of directors of the Pittsburgh Food Policy Council, the owner and founder of Lion of Judah Enterprises, an elected board member of Pittsburghers for Public Transit and since 2023, a Commissioner, too.

Genevieve Rosselot has been serving as a commissioner since 2023. She is a lifelong Pittsburgher who has lived on all sides of the city and currently resides in the North Side. We are the home of Mister Rogers neighborhood but we know from recent studies that not all of our neighbors are thriving. It's an honor to play a small part protecting human rights and advancing equity in the City.

Alberto Benzaquen is an economist with an MBA in international business. He is a PA State Auditor (Dep. Auditor General), a USA Citizen, and an immigrant. While passionate about equity and human rights, he is not afraid to forge his own path. Alberto is happily married to his wife Alexandra, with whom he enjoys traveling, cooking, and visiting his family in Spain.

Rabbi Jamie Gibson is the Emeritus Rabbi of Temple Sinai in Squirrel Hill where he served from 1988-2020. He is glad to participate in the work of the Commission because, in his words, “Justice for all Pittsburghers is our unique charge. We help people of all backgrounds deal with charges of discrimination. To me this is a religious obligation, as it says in Deuteronomy, 'Justice, justice, shall you pursue.'"

Carleen King, MBA, is graduate of Point Park University and the owner of Carmi Soul Food Restaurant since 2011. She joined the Commission in 2023.

Luz Blandon, a native of Colombia, is the Executive Vice President for Immigrant Children Services of the Holy Family Institute and was honored in 2020 as one of Pittsburgh Magazine's 40 Under 40 for her work helping minors who come to the United States and trying to foster a more welcoming Pittsburgh.

Namita Dwarakanath (she/her) joins the commission from a background in public health and law. She previously worked in anti-violence spaces, particularly those centered on gender-based violence, in Washington DC, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. I am grateful to be part of the Commission because I believe that our collective safety is tied to our collective equality, rights, and dignity.

Mary Jayne is the Founder and CEO of Global Wordsmiths and an Adjunct Faculty Lecturer of Translation Technologies and Applied Translation in the MA of Global Communication and Applied Translation program at Carnegie Mellon University. Mary Jayne also serves as an appointed Commissioner for the Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations, and sits on the Board of Directors of the Alliance for Refugee Youth Support and Education. She is an active member of several advisory boards and committees to share her broad expertise in the fields of language accessibility, applied translation, and business administration. Mary Jayne studied public service at the University of Pittsburgh and language translation & interpretation at the Universidad Autónoma Nacional de México in Mexico City, and brings twenty years of field experience as a translator, community interpreter, and language accessibility advocate & consultant to her roles. She is driven and passionate, and has dedicated her career to advancing a culture of language access.

Richard L. Morris has worked in housing for the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh and the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh. During his career he has been employed at the Pittsburgh Job Corp Center, PA Department of Corrections and the Pittsburgh Black Action Methadone Clinic. Mr. Morris is the principal consultant at R. Morris and Associates. R. Morris and Associates, provides consultation that focuses on housing, workforce, self-sufficiency and youth programs. He is active as a volunteer in numerous community efforts and retired from the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh on December 31, 2024.