Bill Chong

Bill Chong served as Commissioner of the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) from 2014 to 2022. Under his leadership, the DYCD’s budget grew to more than $1 billion, with unprecedented investment in nearly every program area. As Commissioner, Mr. Chong also secured funding for pivotal programs such as Beacon Community Centers, the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), and he spearheaded enhanced program integration efforts to better connect New Yorkers to a wide array of services that address poverty and human development needs.

During a previous eight-year tenure at DYCD, Mr. Chong was Deputy Commissioner for Youth Services and Assistant Commissioner for Capacity Building and was a leader in implementing the Out-of-School-Time (OST) Initiative, which today serves young people in all five boroughs as the Comprehensive After School System of New York City (COMPASS). While Deputy Commissioner for Program Operations at the Department for the Aging, Mr.Chong oversaw a nearly $200M service portfolio of nearly $200M and fostered a more streamlined and inclusive process for nonprofit service providers.

Dr. Bret Halverson is a strategic advisor to JobsFirst NYC. Since 1996, he has consulted for workforce development organizations, corporations, and foundations in the areas of program development and executive coaching, including serving as the staff consultant to the New York City Workforce Funders between 2003 and 2019.

His prior positions include senior vice president of United Way of New York City, where he managed fundraising activities and a series of public-private partnerships, and director and associate dean of the Research, Demonstration and Policy Division at the Bank Street College of Education, where he developed and directed innovative employment and education projects. Prior to that, Dr. Halverson was a high school teacher and coach at Taupo-nui-a-tia College in New Zealand. He currently serves as the board chair of New Ways to Work in Sonoma County, California. He has also served on the boards of the Community Service Society of New York, Literacy Inc., and the National Youth Employment Coalition and was a Rotary Foundation Fellow.

Dr. Halverson holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, and a master’s degree and PhD from the Graduate School of Geography, Clark University.