header01.jpg
volunteer as a mentor image
John Palinski

Executive Director

John Palinski

John has spent the majority of his career in the youth development field, beginning with his AmeriCorps service in 2002, where he served at the National Runaway Switchboard, working through the Public Allies Chicago program.  After his term of service, John was hired as the DC Program Director of Youth Service Opportunities Project (YSOP), a community-based organization committed to introducing youth to volunteer service through work with hungry and homeless people.  At YSOP, John helped build a sustainable Washington program for this New York-based nonprofit.  John left YSOP to pursue his Masters degree in 2006, when he was chosen as the John Ben Snow Fellow in Nonprofit Management at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.  As a Snow Fellow, John was responsible for coordinating four grant programs at the Central New York Community Foundation alongside his studies.   

Upon graduation, John joined Common Ground Consulting LLC, a management consulting firm specializing in managing change for domestic and international NGOs.  In this capacity, John traveled extensively, engaging clients in organizational assessments and board and staff trainings.   This hectic travel schedule prepared him well for his next calling, as a Field Organizer for Barack Obama’s Presidential Campaign.  John’s work on the campaign began in Iowa and took him to South Carolina, Minnesota, Washington, D.C., Indiana, and Pennsylvania.   

Back to Main View