Jaime Ernesto Uzeta Is Named CEO Of Public Allies

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Aug 10, 2018, 15:16 ET

MILWAUKEE, Aug. 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Public Allies, the nonprofit organization founded in 1992 to engage diverse young people and propel them toward civic leadership, has named Jaime Ernesto Uzeta as its new CEO.

Uzeta will draw upon his public and private sector experience over the past 20 years, including roles at MTV, the White House, Participant Media and IDEO, as he takes on the leadership role of the organization.

Jaime Ernesto Uzeta, Public Allies' new CEO

Uzeta, a longtime member of Public Allies' national Board of Directors, becomes the organization's 5th national CEO. He succeeds Adren Wilson, who recently joined the Louisiana Governor's administration.

Public Allies is one of the country's oldest national service organizations and currently counts more than 7,500 alumni.

"As someone whose own life was transformed through a similar apprenticeship program, I'm honored and excited to have been selected as Public Allies' next CEO," says Uzeta, a Texas native now residing in California. "Today, more than ever, the challenges facing our country require the diverse, nimble-minded leaders that Public Allies produces. I can't wait to work with our partners to grow the reach and depth of our impact."

Uzeta comes to Public Allies with a unique background of working across sectors and empowering young people through media, technology, education, design and public service. Most recently, Uzeta worked as Vice President of Innovation and Partnerships at BUILD, a national nonprofit organization that uses entrepreneurship to teach Innovation Era skills to underserved students. There he led efforts to redesign and expand their program, resulting in a significant cost reduction in strategic regions, as well as new revenue streams for the organization. Uzeta's other roles in education have included heading up growth strategy and development for GreatSchools, the digital media group that helps parents unlock education opportunities for their children, and serving as portfolio director for the design firm IDEO.

In the media space, Uzeta built Participant Media's digital and TV social action teams, which informed and mobilized audiences around critical social issues. He played a similar role for MTV, where he co-developed the Emmy Award-winning Choose or Lose and Fight for Your Rights initiatives. Beyond the media and education domains, Uzeta's experience includes political appointments within the White House and the Departments of Treasury and Commerce and various strategy and marketing roles for clients such as CNN and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He started his career as a field organizer at Rock the Vote.

"After a robust national search for our next CEO, we realized that the perfect candidate was right here at home," says Public Allies Board Chair Kanwar Singh. "In so many ways, Jaime's vision and his own leadership journey represent what we aim for with our Allies. We are confident that with his background, accomplishments and skills, Jaime will help Public Allies achieve new heights, while ensuring that we remain steadfast in our commitment to our core values and community."

Uzeta currently also serves on the Board of the LA Promise Fund. He graduated with honors from the University of Houston with a BA in political science and earned his MBA from Columbia University. Uzeta resides with his wife and two children in California.

Public Allies is a proud member of the AmeriCorps national service network, and its organizational mission is to create a just and equitable society and the diverse leadership to sustain it. Last year, Public Allies celebrated its 25th anniversary by opening its 25th site in New Orleans. Other Public Allies site locations include Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Miami, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, San Francisco, Detroit, Orlando, San Antonio, Twin Cities, Washington DC, Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, Arizona, North Carolina, Delaware, New Mexico, Maryland, Mississippi, Iowa, Connecticut, and Colorado.