Archdiocese of Philadelphia Announces the Appointment of Mr. Paul DiLorenzo as the Next Director of the Office for Child and Youth Protection
Today the Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced that Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez has appointed Mr. Paul DiLorenzo as the new Director of the Office for Child and Youth Protection. His appointment takes effect on August 3, 2026. He succeeds Ms. Leslie J. Davila, who led the office since its inception.
For more than 40 years, Mr. DiLorenzo has served in an executive capacity with numerous state, local, and private organizations advocating for child welfare and prevention of child abuse in all of its forms. A nationally recognized expert in this field, he most recently served as Executive Director of the Salem Health and Wellness Foundation. Prior to that time, he held senior leadership roles with the Child Welfare League of America, the Philadelphia Children’s Alliance, Casey Family Programs, the Support Center for Child Advocates, the City of Philadelphia, and the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare.
Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez said, “I am delighted to appoint Paul DiLorenzo to lead the vital work of our Office for Child and Youth Protection. He has worked at a consistently high level to advocate for the needs of vulnerable children and young people for decades in high profile positions. I am grateful for his commitment to help the Archdiocese build upon its services to victims, survivors, and their families as well as our efforts to create and maintain safe environments for children, young people, and vulnerable adults.”
As Director of the Office for Child and Youth Protection, Mr. DiLorenzo will lead efforts to support the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s commitment to create and maintain safe environments for the children who attend its churches, schools, and programs and to provide compassionate and supportive assistance to victims/survivors of child sexual abuse and their family members.
Reflecting on his new role, Mr. DiLorenzo said, “What a wonderful opportunity to come alongside this group of dedicated professionals and clergy who are committed to the safety and well-being of children they serve. I am grateful to Archbishop Pérez and his team for their trust in me, and I’m looking forward to building on the good work of my predecessor.”
For more than 30 years Mr. DiLorenzo has served as a consultant for family support programs and an expert witness on child-welfare litigation cases. He has taught courses on child welfare as an adjunct faculty member at Temple University’s Graduate School of Social Administration. He has earned four professional certifications, received multiple awards recognizing his work, and served on the Board of Directors for 13 different child welfare and community-serving organizations. He has also written and/or contributed articles to dozens of academic publications and lectured extensively on the topic of child welfare in his nearly half-century career.
Mr. DiLorenzo holds a Master’s Degree in Law and Social Policy from Bryn Mawr College; a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Temple University; certification from the graduate program in the Dynamics of Organization from the University of Pennsylvania; and a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Latin American Studies from Saint Joseph’s University.
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Editor’s Note: A photograph of Paul DiLorenzo is attached for broadcast, print, and digital publication with credit to the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
For more information about the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s Office for Child and Youth Protection, please visit https://childyouthprotection.org/
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Contact: Kenneth A. Gavin
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