FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, February 1, 2018
“My long-standing commitment to service stems from my parents attending Spelman and Morehouse colleges, my mother working in the public library system in Detroit for over 20 years, and the challenges and mental incarceration I faced during my father’s life in and out of prison. This dedication to service, combined with my devotion to increasing opportunity for young people — both in and out of the classroom — has been the focus of my career for decades. I am eager to continue this important work at Service Year Alliance where, together with the service year sector, we can empower the next generation of young Americans to come together in service to our communities and country,” said Robert Simmons III, President of Service Year Alliance. “With deep cultural differences currently threatening to divide us, the need for a bold solution is urgent. Fortunately, a service year can bind diverse young Americans together in common purpose. I look forward to continuing to explore the transformational impact that service year experiences have on young people and our society in my new role.”
As President, Dr. Simmons will spearhead fundraising, business development, and public relations efforts at Service Year Alliance, while also bringing his passion and expertise in youth empowerment, race, and equity to the service year field.
“We are delighted to welcome Robert to Service Year Alliance where his experience, passion, and dedication to our mission comes at a pivotal moment for our organization,” said Shirley Sagawa, CEO of Service Year Alliance. “Never before has national service had the potential to play such a vital role in overcoming serious challenges facing our country. Robert’s leadership and unique perspective on overcoming cultural divides has the potential to propel our mission to expand opportunities to serve into the national spotlight.”
Simmons’ addition to the team comes just after Richard Stengel, former Managing Editor of TIME Magazine; Dorothy McAuliffe, former First Lady of Virginia; and Reginald Brown, Chair of the Financial Institutions Group at WilmerHale joined the board of Service Year Alliance — which is chaired by Gen. (Ret.) Stan McChrystal — at the end of 2017. Additionally, seven influential leaders have joined the growing Leadership Council of Service Year Alliance, agreeing to aid and endorse the organization’s mission. New Leadership Council members include:
- Seth Goldman, Executive Chairman, Beyond Meat; Co-Founder & TeaEO Emeritus, Honest Tea
- The Honorable Jack Lew, Former Secretary of the Treasury
- Dr. Vanessa Kerry, Chief Executive Officer, Seed Global Health
- Brad Meltzer, Author
- Steven Olikara, Founder and President, Millennial Action Project
- David E. Shaw, Managing Partner, Black Point Group
- Kristen Soltis Anderson, Author; Pollster and co-Founder, Echelon Insights
- Lisette Nieves, Clinical Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, NYU Steinhardt
Please contact Aly Ferguson at [email protected] with any media inquiries. More information about Dr. Robert Simmons is available here.
