Lillian DeBaptiste

DeBaptiste graduated from both Henderson High School and West Chester University in psychology.[1][2]

DeBaptiste has been a funeral director at her family's funeral home, DeBaptiste Funeral Homes, since 1973. The business has a location in West Chester and another in Bryn Mawr.[3][4] She runs a banquet hall as well. Called Milestone Events, it is located next door to their West Chester funeral home.[2][5][6]

On February 7, 2021, DeBaptiste announced her candidacy for Mayor of West Chester.[7] She won the Democratic primary, defeating the incumbent interim mayor Jordan Norley and a third candidate, Kyle Hudson.[8] DeBaptiste went on to win the general election in November and became the borough's first black female mayor on January 3, 2022.[9][10]

DeBaptiste endorsed Malcolm Kenyatta for the 2022 Pennsylvania Senate race.[11][12]

DeBaptiste announced that she would co-sponsor West Chester's first annual Porchfest, along with the West Chester Green Team. It was held on May 21, 2022.[13][14][15]

She also continued the Police Department Diversity Task Force, a borough committee started by her predecessor that hopes to raise trust in the West Chester Police Department by making it more ethnically diverse.[16]

Mayor of West Chester, PA, 2021[8][17]

DeBaptiste is married to Thomas D. Lambert Sr. The couple lives in West Chester. They have five children and four grandchildren together.[1] DeBaptiste is the daughter of former mayor Clifford DeBaptiste, who served as the borough's first black mayor from 1994 to 2002 as a Republican.[18][19] Active in her community, DeBaptiste has worked with the Charles A. Melton Arts & Education Center, the Chester County Community Foundation, and her local Planned Parenthood branch.[20][2]