City Year Detroit Welcomes Sherisse M. Butler as Vice President and Executive Director

In June 2022, City Year announced the beginning of our Senior Vice President and Executive Director search to identify the next leader of City Year Detroit. After an extensive search process led by members of the Advisory Board, we are pleased to announce that Sherisse M. Butler had been selected, beginning October 3, 2022.  

Our search process reflected the energy and enthusiasm of the site itself, garnering a large, diverse candidate pool. Over the past few months, we conducted a rigorous and thorough process of reviewing applications and holding multiple stages of interviews with numerous well-qualified candidates. City Year Detroit staff, board members and equity council also participated and provided feedback during various stages of this process.

With significant consideration given to the skills, experiences and expertise needed to successfully guide City Year Detroit in its next phase of growth, we have selected Sherisse to serve in this important leadership role. In her previous position as the Senior Director of Government and Community Affairs with the Detroit Public Schools Community District she demonstrated a unique school expertise, leadership skills, commitment to racial and social equity, and experience with City Year Detroit’s partner schools. Furthermore, her experience has allowed her to develop and execute the district’s legislative priorities and provide strategic direction, with representation and messaging in consultation with Superintendent Dr. Vitti—a unique lens as City Year Detroit works towards its mission of educational equity.

We are thrilled to have such an incredible, strong woman taking the lead at City Year Detroit. Her expertise and vision will drive our organization to new heights, and I am personally excited to see where Sherisse can lead us. – Jessica Stowers, Managing Director of Impact at City Year Detroit

Sherisse has dedicated her career to her belief in the power of young people. Prior to joining Detroit Public Schools Community District, she made outstanding contributions to support children and their families, establishing herself as a dedicated advocate in the communities we support and serve. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the Barnard College at Columbia University, Sherisse went on to work with the Bank Street School for Children in New York as lead after-school teacher, concurrently working as a graduate assistant at Barnard College with a focus in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.   

Sherisse would later be awarded her a Master of Divinity in Social Ethics from the Union Theological Seminary in NYC, and is a Master of Science candidate in, Health and Behavior Studies at Teachers College, Columbia University. Upon her return to Detroit, she managed middle school initiatives and youth program evaluation for Teen HYPE Youth Development in Detroit. Today, she continues to support Teen Hype as vice-chair of their board of directors, leading their governance, finance, and policy committee, in addition to her leadership role within Detroit Public Schools Community District. If these accomplishments weren’t impressive enough, she was named a Top 40 Under 40 honoree by the Michigan Chronicle this past May as well as one of the Top 50 Women Leaders of Michigan for 2022 by The Women We Admire. We are thrilled to welcome her to the team and know that she will continue to honor the spirit of the Detroit site, rooted in unity, excellence, and service to others.

“I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community, and it is my privilege to serve.” Those are the words of George Bernard Shaw, but I adopted them as my own as a teenager. To stand here today as the servant leader of an organization whose platform is rooted in service, is truly a dream come true. – Sherisse M. Butler, Senior Vice President and Executive Director of City Year Detroit

Please join us in welcoming Sherisse as Vice President and Executive Director. You can also send your congratulations to Sherisse by posting on the City Year Detroit’s, Facebook or Instagram.