In January 2014, Marita Garrett was sworn in as a Councilwoman for Wilkinsburg Borough. As a member and Vice-President of Council, Marita was instrumental in seeking and receiving over $2 million in grant revenue for the Borough; additionally, led the charge to increase capacity in Borough Department. Recognizing a need to increase community engagement, she started “Wilkinsburg Community Conversations” to connect and empower residents to work together for neighborhood improvement. From there, she co-founded Free Store Wilkinsburg to assist community members to address emergent needs.
During her term as Mayor, she reinstated the Public Safety Forums to highlight updates in the Wilkinsburg Police Department and provides an opportunity for community members to express their safety concerns. In 2017 she was named “Young Democrat of the Year” from the Allegheny County Democratic Committee; and, selected to attend the NextCity Vanguard conference held in Newcastle, Australia.
Outside of her political career, Marita is Founder/President of CIVICALLY, INC, as an umbrella nonprofit organization that focuses on community development by promoting civic and socially literacy to instill self-reliance. In addition to Free Store Wilkinsburg, Community Conversations, she has established Fresh Market and initiatives for health education, urban farming, and others. In 2019, Civically, Inc. acquired the Hunter Building – the largest commercial building in downtown Wilkinsburg to stabilize an anchor building and catalyze economic development in the Borough. Largely influential for the renewed interested in Wilkinsburg’s revitalization, she was awarded the Governor’s Award for Local Government Excellence for Promoting Community & Economic Revitalization in 2020.
She has been recognized for her diligence in civic and community engagement by numerous organizations and media outlets. Currently, she serves on the advisory boards for Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Allegheny Regional Asset District (RAD), Phipps Conservatory, among other organizations. Additionally, Ms. Garrett has served on panels at the Brookings Institution and United Nation’s World Urban Forum 9.
Ms. Garrett has a Bachelor’s in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh, where she now serves as an adjunct professor; and a Master’s in Psychology from Chatham University, where she also received an Honorary Doctorate for Public Service.
Courses Taught at Pitt
- Introduction to Public Service
- Ethics & Accountability
Education & Training
- MS, Psychology - Chatham University
- BS, Psychology - University of Pittsburgh
Representative Publications
Framework for creating storytelling materials to promote African American/Black adult enrollment in research on Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. Alzheimer s & Dementia Translational Research & Clinical Interventions 6(1), e12076. Robinson, R.A.S., Williams, I.C., Cameron, J.L., Knox, M.,Terry, M., Tamres, L., Mbawuike, U., Garrett, M., and Lingler, J.H. (2020).