Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today that Paula Gavin will retire from City service, stepping down from her role as NYC Chief Service Officer.
She will be succeeded by Patricia Eng, who will assume the role effective October 1, 2018.
Under her leadership, the agency has focused on promoting civic engagement through the expansion of volunteer and national service opportunities for New Yorkers in support of critical City priorities, such as education, economic opportunity, emergency preparedness and response, and the environment.
Gavin will retire at the end of September, after serving nearly five years at NYC Service. Under her leadership, the agency has focused on promoting civic engagement through the expansion of volunteer and national service opportunities for New Yorkers in support of critical City priorities, such as education, economic opportunity, emergency preparedness and response, and the environment. Over the last four years, NYC Service launched three additional NYC Service AmeriCorps programs that focus on community impact, workforce development, and civic leadership. It also expanded youth volunteer programming through more than 170 citywide Youth Leadership Councils and increased volunteer capacity by building support for nonprofit organizations across the city. Additionally, NYC Service cultivated partnerships with more than 200 businesses to increase employee volunteer engagement in NYC.
Gavin’s career spans 50 years of leadership and executive management within the public and private sector, including leadership positions at organizations including the YMCA of Greater New York, National Urban Fellows, the NYC Center for Charter School Excellence, the Fund for Public Advocacy, and AT&T.
“Anyone who’s worked with Paula knows she’s a warm and spirited force of nature, who has gone above and beyond to serve the City honorably,” said Mayor de Blasio. “As New York City Chief Service Officer, Paula used her creative vision, strong leadership, and passion for public service to build a mission-driven office, and I wish her a blissful retirement. I am also excited to welcome Patricia Eng as our incoming NYC Chief Service Officer, and I’m confident her background and experience will help us continue to build on the success of NYC Service and strengthen our City.”
A native New Yorker, Eng brings extensive leadership, management, and programmatic experience to NYC Service. She most recently served as Vice President of Strategic Partnerships/Programs at the New York Women’s Foundation. She was also Founder and Executive Director of the New York Asian Women’s Center, the first organization on the East Coast to address violence against immigrant Asian women. Eng is a graduate of Princeton University and the Hunter College School of Social Work.
“There is nothing more satisfying than being a public servant in the city you love and call home, so I want to thank Mayor de Blasio for giving me this great honor and opportunity to serve as Chief Service Officer for almost five years,” said NYC Chief Service Officer Paula Gavin. “I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve done to grow civic engagement through volunteerism and national service by building strong and productive partnerships with nonprofits, businesses, and City agencies, and I wish to thank our exceptional and committed NYC Service team for that. I look forward to continuing my service to the City in other ways and I want to congratulate Patricia Eng, who will be an excellent leader and bring a new perspective to NYC Service’s work.”
“I want to thank Mayor de Blasio for giving me this wonderful opportunity and privilege to serve as New York City’s next Chief Service Officer,” said incoming NYC Chief Service Officer Patricia Eng. “I’m a native New Yorker who believes service is an important component of democracy, so I’m very excited to serve my city in this role, build on the great work of the NYC Service team, and focus on how New Yorkers can actively contribute to a vibrant, diverse, and inclusive city. Finally, it is an honor to fill the shoes of Paula Gavin, and I want to thank her for her service and wish her a happy retirement.”
“Paula Gavin is the ultimate professional, whose service to our city both in the Mayor’s Office and leading the YMCA has been extraordinary. Paula knows youth development policy better than almost anyone, she can raise money for programs like no one else, and she can juggle ten things at once with savvy, calm, and good humor,” said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer. “Congratulations to Paula, who has earned her retirement with a career of truly exemplary service.”
“Paula Gavin has been a dedicated public servant for five decades, and our city will miss her zeal for the job and her commitment to the well-being and betterment of the five boroughs. I wish her well in her retirement, and I look forward to working with Ms. Eng in her new role,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.
“Pat brings with her vast knowledge and experience, both from community-based work, as well as from philanthropy, and has proven herself to be a champion of social justice and commitment to equality. We wish her the best.”
“Congratulations to Paula Gavin on incredible work and leadership as New York City’s Chief Service Officer. We thank her for her leadership and dedication in engaging everyday New Yorkers to address our city’s greatest needs. We also welcome Patricia Eng to the role,” said Ana Oliveira, President, and CEO, The New York Women’s Foundation. “Pat brings with her vast knowledge and experience, both from community-based work, as well as from philanthropy, and has proven herself to be a champion of social justice and commitment to equality. We wish her the best.”
Pat’s leadership and collaboration with organizations across the city to launch the Fund for Girls of Color through the New York City Young Women’s Initiative has been a testament to her dedication to the people of New York,” said Joanne Smith, Founder & Executive Director of Girls for Gender Equity.
“We thank Paula Gavin for her years of dedication to our city. We are thrilled that Patricia Eng will lead NYC Service – Pat’s leadership and collaboration with organizations across the city to launch the Fund for Girls of Color through the New York City Young Women’s Initiative has been a testament to her dedication to the people of New York,” said Joanne Smith, Founder & Executive Director of Girls for Gender Equity. “We are thrilled that she is joining the Administration at this critical time when the need to give back to our neighborhoods could not be more urgent. We look forward to working with her to continue to drive the Mayor’s commitment to racial and gender equity.”
To learn more about NYC Service and connect to volunteer and national service opportunities across the five boroughs, visit nyc.gov/service.
Photo credit: via Makers.com.
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