Ernest McFadden
Westchester County Executive George Latimer has appointed Ernest McFadden as the new Executive Director of the Westchester County Youth Bureau (WCYB). He will succeed Dr. DaMia Harris-Madden who served in that capacity since 2018. McFadden who has been serving as the WCYB Program Administrator has been overseeing the organization’s youth development programming, fund development and impact evaluation – also since 2018. McFadden’s career includes an executive position with the local student and career development nonprofit, Today’s Student’s Tomorrow’s Teachers, and senior positions with the Fortune-500 ranked companies Alcoa, Inc, and PepsiCo, Inc., where he held the titles of Director of Workforce Equity and Inclusion and Director of Corporate Social Responsibility and Community Relations, respectively.
McFadden has also lead several youth programs throughout his career, including as Director of the Liberty Partnerships Program (LPP) at SUNY Purchase College, managing a team of educators and providing comprehensive year-round academic services as part of an effort to combat the rising dropout rate among New York’s youth.
Latimer said: “Ernest McFadden is an accomplished leader in both the nonprofit and corporate sectors that has demonstrated throughout his career a true passion for youth and community empowerment. Having worked at the intersections of government, education and nonprofits for over two decades, we believe he will serve the WCYB, Westchester’s vital network of nonprofit partners and the needs of our youth, well.”
McFadden said: “I am deeply honored and grateful to the County Executive for the opportunity to take on this new role at the WCYB. I look forward to working with all of our community partners to grow impact, look for new ways to drive innovation and to help meet the unique and changing needs of Westchester’s youth. I have seen throughout my career that when you invest in young people, you not only change lives but you strengthen communities and create future leaders. I am excited to get started.”
WCYB Youth Board Chair Dr. Alexandra Connally said: “On behalf of the Youth Board, I am thrilled to welcome Ernest McFadden as our new Executive Director. We are confident that his leadership and vision will deepen our community relationships, drive our mission forward and create a positive impact on Westchester’s youth.”
About Westchester County Youth Bureau
The Westchester County Youth Bureau is situated within the Office of the County Executive, George Latimer. Grounded in the Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework, the Youth Bureau is the County’s resource for children, youth, and families.
The Youth Bureau deploys financial, technical, and relevant resources that promote the social, emotional, physical, psychological, and educational well-being of young people throughout Westchester County. Using evidenced based strategies and evaluative tools, the Youth Bureau is responsible for increasing youth access to programs and initiatives that respond to the needs and problems of children and youth from birth to twenty-one, and their families. By partnering with local Youth Bureaus, educational institutions, non-profits, units of government, faith based organizations, and business, the Youth Bureau ensures that there is a cross-system approach to improving outcomes amongst young people, and in particular, special populations of youth who may be runaway or homeless, LGBTQIA, economically disadvantaged, at risk of placement, or in foster care.
With the allocation of resources through the New York State Office of Children and Family Services, the Westchester County Tax Levy, and the Department of Social Services, the Youth Bureau funds more than 115 programs annually that are offered through nonprofit organizations, municipalities, and government agencies. The Youth Bureau leverages its relationships between community stakeholders and staff to afford training on a wide range of topics including best practices concerning emergent youth matters, program evaluation, staff development, grant writing, and PYD.
Learn more by visiting https://youth.westchestergov.com/youth-bureau
