David McKinney

David leads all aspects of YouthTruth’s work to help schools and districts systematically listen to young people and strategically apply data to improve the outcomes and experiences of their students.

He brings more than twenty-five years of experience working in education and social sector organizations to advance equity and opportunity for young people, families, and communities. Prior to joining CEP, David was the executive director of youth leadership programming at the Aspen Institute, where he led initiatives designed to invest in young people as social impact leaders in their communities. David served as executive vice president of public affairs with TNTP, where he oversaw philanthropy, communications, and business development, and led broad public engagement efforts to implement better experiences for students in K-12 schools.

Prior to his work in K-12 education, David served as the first director of the Center for Engagement and Neighborhood Building at the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities in Washington, D.C., and supported a network of nearly 500 direct service nonprofits to authentically engage with the neighborhoods and communities they served. He previously worked at Public Allies, a national service and leadership development organization, where he held numerous positions including vice president of programs and vice president of strategy and development. 

Originally from Milwaukee, David began his career as a community organizer and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a B.S. in Education Policy. When not working, David can be found on a bicycle, swimming, or bragging about his daughter and family.