Palencia Mobley

Palencia Mobley, P.E.

Senior Director

Location: Detroit, MI

Email: palencia@polihire.com

Palencia Mobley, P.E. is an established authority on storm water, drinking water, and wastewater infrastructure. In 2006, she became one of the youngest women of color ever to attain licensure as a Professional Engineer in the State of Michigan. In 2016, she was appointed Deputy Director and Chief Engineer of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD). Palencia also led negotiations on behalf of the city to establish the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA).

In her 20 years of planning, designing, and constructing water and wastewater infrastructure, Palencia has worked to change the way stormwater is managed and improve water and sewer infrastructure across the country. She co-authored a budget proposal to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that resulted in $8.9 million in discretionary funds for the City of Detroit in 2015. In 2018, Palencia was appointed by the governor to the Michigan Infrastructure Council.

Palencia earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan and an M.S. in Civil Engineering from Wayne State University. She is a graduate of the 2020 Water Environment Federation Water Leadership Institute; Vice Chair of the Sinai Grace Guild Community Development Corporation; Co-Chair of the Water Infrastructure Task Force (2022) for the Southeast Council of Michigan Governments; Board Member of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters (2022); and Duke University Water Innovation and Leadership Fellow (2022). She is also an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Alpha Rho Omega Chapter.

Meet the Team

The POLIHIRE team is a group of talented and dedicated professionals who are committed to excellence, accountability, and diversity. With their expertise and passion for identifying top leadership in public-serving agencies and organizations, they have achieved unparalleled success.

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Kenyatta Uzzell

Founder & Chief Executive Officer

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Nana Perry

Managing Director

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James Banks

Senior Director and General Counsel

De’Shawn Wright

Brenda Donald

Senior Client Partner

De’Shawn Wright

De’Shawn Wright

Senior Director & Advisor

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Melanie Bell

Senior Director

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Dr. Kamala Uzzell Jones

Director of Search Assessment

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Angie Viar

Director

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Marcia Thompson

Senior Advisor

Palencia Mobley

Senior Director

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Monique Stevens

Senior Consultant

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KJ Ward

Director

Sharon Banks

Executive Coach

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Leanne Okabayashi

Recruitment and Operations Manager

Advisory Board

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Gen. Kip Ward (R)

Advisory Board Member

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Stephanie D. Nellons-Paige

Advisory Board Member

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Freddie Fuller

Advisory Board Member

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Cindy Kupski

Advisory Board Member

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Dr. Marc A. Love

Advisory Board Member

TESTIMONIALS

What Our Clients Have to Say

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Finding eminently-qualified leaders who defy the stereotypes of industries not known for their diversity can be a tall order. PoliHire proves time and time again that a slate of candidates for executive positions can be both highly-qualified and diverse!

5
Kishia Powell
CEO at WSSC Water
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PoliHire provided exceptional service from start to finish as our recruitment partner for a senior leadership role at DPA. Before initiating the search process, they were committed to understanding our organizational needs and priorities to help us identify ideal candidates.

5
Mashea Ashton
CEO and Founder at Digital Pioneers Academy
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I’ve had the opportunity to work with POLIHIRE several times on a variety of recruitment processes.  I would highly recommend POLIHIRE as it is a premiere executive recruiting firm and always yields fantastic results.”

5
Carla D. Thompson Payton
Vice President, Program Strategy
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
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Kenyatta Uzzell and POLIHIRE have become a trusted partner that I’ve used in multiple communities ranging from 100,000 to 500,000 residents, successfully leading searches for Fire Chief, Police Chief, and Labor Commissioner. POLIHIRE came equipped with a deep understanding of the intricacies of identifying leadership for local government. I highly recommend them to any public agency or organization.

5
Odie Donald II
Chief of Staff to the Mayor of Atlanta