Patrick Corvington sworn in as new head of the Corporation for National and Community Service

While Washington, DC, and much of the east coast came to a standstill under the snow and ice that blanketed the area last week, the Corporation for National and Community Service braved the elements to announce the confirmation of their new Chief Executive Officer, Patrick Corvington. On February 11, the US Senate unanimously confirmed Corvington’s nomination and on February 18 was officially sworn in to lead the national service agency.

The Corporation’s statement on the appointment reflects Corvington’s wide breadth of knowledge and experience that he will bring to his new position at CNCS. With more than 20 years of leadership experience in the non-profit sector, Corvington has the skill set needed to achieve the triumphs and tackle the challenges that face the Corporation. Voices for National Service commented that “Patrick brings a unique set of skills and expertise that are right for these times. His expertise in nonprofit leadership and capacity-building, evaluation and performance measurement, and systems reform will be helpful to a field poised for major growth with high expectations for results. Patrick's relationships with grassroots organizations, national nonprofits and foundations, social entrepreneurs and systems reformers will bring many new partners to national service and expand service and innovation as solutions to community needs.”

In his most recent position as a Senior Associate at the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Corvington worked with grantees on capacity and leadership building. He has co-authored research publications such as “Ready to Lead: Next Generation Leaders Speak Out” and “Next Shift: Beyond the Non-Profit Leadership Crisis,” and has served as Executive Director of Innovation Network, a non-profit agency that builds the evaluation capacity of the non-profit sector. Stephen Goldsmith, the Chair of the Corporation for National and Community Services Board of Directors conveys CNCS’s excitement for Corvington’s appointment: “Patrick's years on the frontline of the service movement give him a unique understanding of the obstacles facing communities and the transformative power of service. The Corporation's ability to respond to human needs, rebuild our cities and inspire more Americans to serve is more critical today than ever before. There is no doubt that Patrick's varied experience and dynamic leadership will be an asset to the Corporation. He is the right CEO at the right time.”

Born in Haiti and raised in Africa, Corvington has a personal understanding of the importance of service and civic engagement. He graduated with a B.A. in Sociology from the University of Maryland, College Park, and later received his M.A. in Public Policy from Johns Hopkins University, receiving the National Minority Leadership Fellowship from the Kellogg Foundation.

Following his education, Corvington began his life mission of successfully engaging and bettering communities that would eventually lead him to CNCS. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, described Corvington as having “devoted his career to finding solutions that address communities' unmet needs and is an expert on volunteerism, philanthropy and nonprofit capacity building. He is well qualified to lead the Administration's agenda on community service, including the implementation of the bipartisan Serve America Act.” According to his biography on the Corporation’s website, Corvington has worked as a case manager for migrant workers, a director of a youth group shelter home, a homeless shelter volunteer, and a patient advocate in an HIV/AIDS clinic. With his wide range of experience, as Paul Schmitz, chief executive of Public Allies states in an article released by The Chronicle of Philanthropy, “He’s one of the smartest people in the country about leadership and the capacity needs of nonprofits.”

We congratulate Patrick Corvington on his appointment and look forward to his leadership in the Corporation for National and Community Service.

To read the full press release from the Corporation for National and Community Service and to read Corvington’s full biography, please click here and here.