Jeanne B. Mullgrav’s quest was to make New York City a better place to live. After being appointed as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD), Ms. Mullgrav has done just what she set out to do.
As Commissioner for New York City’s lead agency for administering youth and community programs, she has steered the organization through a tremendous period of growth and capacity building, initiating several innovative programs, such as the Out-of-School Time Program. The nation’s largest program of its kind, Out-of-School Time provides social, emotional, and academic enrichment to 60,000 youth after school, on weekends, during vacations and in the summertime. In conjunction with the Mayor’s Center for Economic Opportunity (CEO), she also implemented Teen ACTION (Achieving Change Together in our Neighborhoods), a service learning program that encourages civic engagement among young people living in disadvantaged communities.
On the youth employment front, Ms. Mullgrav created the Young Adult Internship Program, which gives disconnected youth the opportunity to gain employment experience and reconnect with educational and vocational opportunities. Under her leadership, the Summer Youth Employment Program was enhanced by enriching the work experience with a series of educational training and leadership sessions.
Throughout her tenure, Ms. Mullgrav has led an e‑ ort to engage youth during a crucial moment in their development. The adolescent literacy program she pioneered supplements classroom reading with innovative literacy activities in the afterschool setting. Ms. Mullgrav also shaped the DYCD Fatherhood Initiative. Additionally, under her direction, DYCD launched the Cornerstone Initiative, offering year-round services for youth and adults in 25 New York City Housing Authority Community Centers.
Ms. Mullgrav’s unstinting e‑ orts have distinguished her as a dynamic advocate for the needs of New York City’s youth and have earned her the respect and admiration of her community.
