Phil Mendelson is the Chairman of the Council of the District of Columbia, a citywide position he has held since 2012. Born Philip Heath Mendelson on November 8, 1952, in Cleveland, Ohio, he moved to Washington, D.C., in 1970 and has dedicated his career to public service in the District.

Education and Political Experience

• Education: Earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from American University.
• Early Career: Began as a Ward 3 activist, helping preserve McLean Gardens; elected Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner in 1978; served as aide to Ward 3 Councilmember Jim Nathanson and DC Council Chairman David Clarke.
• Council Service: First elected as At-Large Councilmember in 1998; chaired the Committee on the Judiciary , overseeing criminal laws and public safety agencies; selected by colleagues as Chairman in June 2012 following Kwame R. Brown's resignation; elected by voters in special election and full terms .
• Current Roles: Chairs the Committee of the Whole, handling budget, federal relations, planning, zoning, statehood, buildings, and public education.

Notable Achievements

• Authored hundreds of laws, including establishing an elected Attorney General, independent Department of Forensic Science, Budget Autonomy, post-Heller gun control, marriage equality, Universal Paid Leave, and tree canopy protection.
• Overhauled plans for DC General homeless shelter closure and smaller shelters; recrafted DC United Soccer Stadium development; coordinated regional minimum wage increase; introduced NEAR Act for mental health in public safety and REACH Act for racial equity assessments.
• Regional leadership: Twice Chairman and three-time President of Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments ; chaired National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board four times; Past President of Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations .