Mary Archer, MSW

As Program Director, Mary oversees the programmatic and administrative operations of the GRI, as well as opportunities for collaboration and expansion. Mary received her Master of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania where she completed her field placement as a GRI student caseworker. Mary previously worked as a social worker at the Defender Association of Philadelphia where she provided support and advocacy to clients with ongoing criminal court matters. Prior to her time at SP2, Mary graduated with her Bachelor of Social Work from Temple University. Before her career in social work, Mary taught middle school English Language Arts in Hawaii’s public school system.

Mary is passionate about supporting meaningful reform efforts that are responsive to the needs of the community. She is a member of the South Philly Participatory Defense Hub and is an organizer for the Digital Defense Project, a grassroots filmmaking collective that uses the power of storytelling and amplified community voices to advocate for more just outcomes and policies within the criminal legal system. She serves as the board chair of Central Division Victim Services where she hopes to explore opportunities for community-centered, collaborative solutions to support healing within Philadelphia. Mary is also a member of Philadelphia’s Safety and Justice Challenge Community Advisory Committee. Mary has pursued additional training in grant writing, advocacy filmmaking, and the participatory defense organizing model.