NEWS RELEASE
FareStart Media Contact: Stephanie Schoo, stephanie.schoo@farestart.org or 503.260.1105
FareStart Appoints Patrick D’Amelio as CEO
D’Amelio brings nearly 30 years of nonprofit executive leadership to help expand opportunity and impact for FareStart, both locally and nationally
May 16, 2023 (SEATTLE)—Today, FareStart announced longtime nonprofit leader Patrick D’Amelio as chief executive officer.
“Patrick understands our mission and how to create pathways that enable people to achieve stability and economic mobility,” said FareStart Board Chair Janice Javier. “His leadership experience will be an incredible asset as we recover from pandemic impacts to transform more lives and disrupt poverty locally and across the country. He has proven expertise in strategy development and execution, fiscal management, community building and organizational equity transformation.”
D’Amelio has nearly 30 years of nonprofit executive leadership experience advancing equity by expanding access and opportunity at education and human services organizations. Most recently, D’Amelio was president of the Washington State Charter Schools Association where he helped grow and strengthen the public charter school system in Washington. He previously also led Washington STEM, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound and The Alliance for Education. He has successfully fundraised over $150 million; managed multi-million-dollar annual operating budgets and net assets of more than $100 million while ensuring strong fiscal management and sustainability for organizations. He has experience with social enterprise and fee-for-service models that generate revenue for mission-based organizations. He is also a respected leader in the policy and advocacy space.
“Cooking has been a lifelong passion. As a young adult, my earliest jobs were in kitchens. Not only did I develop culinary skills, I developed important and lasting life skills,” said D’Amelio. “I’m thrilled to join FareStart in its mission to support people as they find and develop their own career pathways while feeding our communities. I look forward to working with the staff, students, the board and partners to build upon FareStart’s 30-year history and deepen its impact.”
Like FareStart’s vision, a through-line across D’Amelio’s career is expanding opportunities for people to grow and thrive. He has set strategies that increased equity for students and community members. He led antiracist organizational transformation, resulting in team member diversity and a growing culture of antiracism. D’Amelio has been involved in numerous national and local boards, including the national organizations the Public Education Network, STEMx, and The American Camp Association. He was the founding board chair for Youth Development Executives of King County.
“Patrick doesn’t just talk about it, he is about it,” said Wayne Johnson, FareStart’s Senior Advisor of Culinary & Community Engagement and member of the CEO Search Committee. “Over the course of his career, he has continually demonstrated his commitment to advancing social justice and building a positive culture for staff and program participants alike, enabling people to show up as their best, authentic selves. And he has a passion for food. This is a great match.”
D’Amelio will officially start Monday, May 22, 2023, and succeeds Angela Dunleavy who stepped down as FareStart’s CEO in January after leading the organization for nearly five years. Nicole Trimble will continue to serve as interim CEO until D’Amelio’s start date.
About FareStart
FareStart is a social enterprise nonprofit that transforms lives, disrupts poverty and nourishes communities through food, life skills and job training so that people furthest from opportunity can realize their full potential. FareStart provides hands-on training to students through its food-based social enterprise businesses including a café and a contract meals program. Their consulting program provides training, resources and support to nonprofits and employers across the United States that share a commitment to reducing poverty and hunger. Since 1992, FareStart has provided opportunities for over 7,000 adults and youth, while serving over 18 million meals to Seattle area schools and nonprofit organizations. They have provided consulting support to 280 organizations in 46 states. For more information, visit farestart.org.
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