City Manager Announces New Director of Petersburg Department of Social Services

Petersburg, Virginia: Petersburg City Manager, Aretha R. Ferrell-Benavides, announces the hiring of Norris A. Stevenson, Sr.  as the new Director of Social Services for the City of Petersburg.

Mr. Stevenson, Sr. has served as the Deputy Administrator for Field Operations for the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services since February 2006.  His duties consisted of overseeing the Division’s 500+ staff responsible for processing child support cases throughout the State of Illinois. 

Mr. Stevenson, Sr. has held numerous positions during his more than 17-year career with the State of Illinois. These positions include serving as a Legislative Liaison for the Departments of Public Aid and Rehabilitation Services, Chief Operations Officer for Unity Health Maintenance Organization of Illinois, and Program Director for the Chicago Area Project’s Mentoring Training and Employment Program. 

“The Petersburg Department of Social Services has really undergone a positive turnaround in recent months,” said City Manager, Aretha R. Ferrell-Benavides. “The department will continue on this upward trajectory with the wealth of knowledge and expertise Mr. Stevenson, Sr. will bring.”

As Director, Mr. Stevenson, Sr. will be responsible for leading the Social Services Department to ensure program compliance for a wide variety and diverse mandated and non-mandated federal, state, and local programs. He will also establish procedures, policies and standards; monitor program operations and evaluate effectiveness and results of these programs.

Mr. Stevenson, Sr. is a member of numerous organizations and boards including the Illinois Family Support Enforcement Association (IFSEA), National Child Support Enforcement Association (NCSEA), and National Forum for Black Public Administrators (NFBPA).  He also serves as an appointed commissioner on the Illinois Council for Responsible Fatherhood and has served as an independent consultant concentrating on performance management and program development for human service agencies.

“Our Social Services team has put in a tremendous amount of work to stabilize the department,” said Deputy City Manager for Community Affairs, Darnetta Tyus. “Mr. Stevenson, Sr.’s leadership and management style is exactly what the department needs to continue to the next level.”

He has been a national speaker and presenter on a variety of subjects including Effective Fatherhood Programs, Organizational Development, Effective Leadership, Strategic Planning and Performance Management. 

Mr. Stevenson, Sr. earned a degree in Communications from Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois and has taken graduate studies in Community Economic Development at Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester, New Hampshire. Additionally, he holds graduate level certificates in Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution.

Mr. Stevenson, Sr. will begin with the City of Petersburg on November 5, 2018.