Forum for Black Male Achievement: Closing Remarks

Shawn Dove

Shawn Dove joined the Open Society Foundations US Programs staff in May 2008 to launch and lead the Campaign for Black Male Achievement, a national philanthropic initiative that builds on OSF’s existing grantmaking strategies to improve the life outcomes of black men and boys in the areas of education, work and family. Dove has over two decades of leadership experience as a youth development professional, community-builder and advocate for children and families, designing and leading initiatives locally and nationally. He began his professional career in the field at the age of 24 when he was appointed to the position of Executive Director of The DOME Project, a NYC-based youth development organization he joined as a youth participant at the age of 13.

Before joining OSF, Dove served as Director of Youth Ministries for First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens in Somerset, NJ, where he was responsible for the management of the 7,000-member institution’s youth development strategies, strategic partnerships and cross-ministry collaborations. Dove has also served as the New York Vice President for MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership between 2003 and 2006, where he was responsible for the leadership and management of The Mentoring Partnership of New York (MPNY), the flagship local affiliate of MENTOR. During his tenure he doubled the organization’s membership of mentoring programs and created The Male Mentoring Project, a city-wide public awareness and recruitment strategy responding to the need for more African American and Latino male mentors for New York City's boys and young men.

Dove holds an undergraduate degree in English from Wesleyan University. He is a graduate of Columbia University Business School's Institute for Not-for-Profit Management and a 1994 recipient of the Charles H. Revson Fellowship at Columbia University. He has earned numerous awards for his service to youth, families and communities and currently lives in New Jersey with his wonderful wife and four amazing children.