Bio
The Fund for the City of New York Names Rev. Dr. Alfonso Wyatt as Distinguished Practitioner in Residence
The Fund for the City of New York is proud to announce that Rev. Dr. Alfonso Wyatt has been named Distinguished Practitioner in Residence, marking a deeply meaningful and fitting homecoming for one of New York City’s most revered leaders in nonprofit innovation, youth development, and transformational mentorship. This appointment both honors Dr. Wyatt’s extraordinary legacy and reaffirms his vital, ongoing role in shaping the future of the city’s civic and social landscape.
A trusted advisor, thought leader, and public theologian, Dr. Wyatt has guided institutions across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors—from government agencies and universities to grassroots organizations and national foundations. During his more than two-decade tenure as Vice President of the Fund, he mentored generations of leaders, strengthened the city’s youth-serving infrastructure, and championed equity, justice, and empowerment as foundational values to the nonprofit sector and public life.
Dr. Wyatt is the founder of Strategic Destiny: Designing Futures Through Faith and Facts, a visionary initiative bridging evidence-based practice and faith-driven engagement to address urgent societal needs. His work spans three generations of mentoring youth in foster care and juvenile detention, adults impacted by incarceration, doctoral students, nonprofit executive leaders, and professionals across philanthropy, education, and government.
In this new role, Dr. Wyatt will serve to amplify the Fund’s legacy and work in youth development and capacity building—advising program teams, mentoring emerging leaders, and contributing to the Fund’s broader mission of strengthening the city’s nonprofit and public service ecosystem. His return reflects not only a celebration of past contributions, but also the ongoing centrality of his voice, insight, and spirit in shaping the future of social innovation around youth development and mentorship.
In 2023, Dr. Wyatt was honored with the Richard Murphy Leadership Award by the Partnership for After School Education—a testament to his enduring legacy of nurturing leaders, lifting communities, and reshaping narratives around youth and justice.
He is a founding board member of the Harlem Children’s Zone Promise Academy, serves on the boards of the Osborne Association and The Interfaith Center of New York, and helped establish the Institute for Transformative Mentoring at The New School and the Credible Messenger Institute at CUNY. An ordained Elder at The Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of New York, Dr. Wyatt is also the author of Mentoring From the Inside Out: Healing Boys, Transforming Men, Madd Truth: Lasting Lessons for Students of Life, Beware The Mind Hustler: Identifying Self-Destructive Thoughts And Distractions, and co-author of Soul Be Free: Poems, Prose, Prayers.
“This is a wonderful and timely moment to welcome back Rev. Dr. Wyatt and his tremendous legacy,” said Dr. Lisette Nieves, President of the Fund for the City of New York. “As we deepen our commitment to civic innovation and youth development—including the launch of the Center for Youth and the Future of Work—his leadership, grounded mentorship, and commitment to equity will help shape the work of uplifting young people, strengthening families, and building resilient communities.”
