Aysha E. Schomburg Appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children

Schomburg Joins from U.S. Health and Human Services Department, Where She Was Associate Commissioner of the Children's Bureau

NEW YORK, May 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NYSPCC) has named Aysha E. Schomburg, J.D., as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective May 13, 2024, the NYSPCC Board of Directors announced.

Schomburg's extensive background in child welfare policy and dedication to transforming the lives of children and families will serve to further the mission of the NYSPCC as it approaches its 150th anniversary, the NYSPCC Board said.

"We are delighted to welcome Aysha E. Schomburg as our new President and CEO," said Alison Hutchinson, NYSPCC Board Vice President. "After an extensive search, we are confident that Aysha's expertise, collaborative spirit and extraordinary leadership will take the Society to the next level. We are excited to bring in new energy to enhance our great work and look forward to Aysha forging the way forward."

"As a New York native, I'm thrilled to lead the NYSPCC as the nation's oldest child-serving agency and help chart the way ahead to create a larger footprint," said Schomburg.  "As an agent of change and staunch proponent of advancing equity, I am enthusiastic about the formidable work and future I hope to bring to the NYSPCC."

Schomburg most recently served as the Associate Commissioner at the helm of the United States Children's Bureau (CB) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In this role, she advised the Administration on matters related to child welfare, including child abuse and neglect, child protective services, family preservation and support, adoption, foster care, and concrete supports for families.

Under her leadership, CB approved more than 45 Family First Prevention Plans to keep families at risk of child welfare involvement together. She promoted better use of children's Social Security benefits and worked with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to increase access to housing support for former foster youth. She also served as co-chair of the Equity Advisory Group to ensure equity in ACF programing.

Schomburg previously served as the Senior Administrator for Program Oversight for New York City's Administration for Children's Services (ACS). There she worked collaboratively with agency leaders to develop and implement plans for the operational infrastructure of ACS. During the COVID-19 public health crisis, she worked closely with New York City's Department of Education (DOE) and Department of Social Services (DSS) to create and coordinate guidance for frontline staff. She also provided recommendations to ACS's Office of Equity Strategies regarding addressing inequities and racism in child welfare. In October of 2021, the Aspen Institute named Schomburg as an Ascend Fellow, joining a network of visionary leaders who are transforming the trajectory of children and families across the country.

At NYSPCC, Schomburg succeeds Interim Executive Director Muna Heaven, Esq., and Interim Director of Special Projects Dr. Jacqueline Holloway, who assumed co-leadership roles in October 2023 following the departure of Dr. Mary Pulido, who served as Executive Director for 20 years.

About The NYSPCC

Founded in 1875, the NYSPCC's mission is to respond to the complex needs of abused and neglected children, and those involved in their care, by developing and providing best-practice counseling, legal, and educational services. Specific initiatives and services include a high-demand crisis debriefing program; court-ordered therapeutic supervised visitation for parent-child interaction; a trauma recovery program that helps with the complex emotional and behavioral challenges that face children who experience abuse and neglect; and a training institute that educates thousands of parents, child welfare professionals, and school and community organizations on critical issues related to child protection. The NYSPCC has investigated more than 650,000 cases on behalf of over two million children and has educated over 53,000 professionals working with children on child abuse and neglect issues. Read more about the NYSPCC at http://www.nyspcc.org.

SOURCE New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children