On Monday, February 21, David J. Carroll was sworn in before the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors as the new director for the Los Angeles County Department of Youth Development (DYD).
In a previous statement, Carroll said he was honored by the appointment and appreciates the Board of Supervisors for selecting him among so many qualified candidates. He said he is looking forward to connecting with the community, programmatic partners, and the youth served by the department.
He hopes to build on the efforts already underway in DYD, further building networks of youth development in communities across L.A. County, equitably reducing the number of youths impacted by the criminal legal system and creating opportunities for the youth already affected by the system.
“I look forward to David’s leadership as we work to realize the vision of a rehabilitative and developmentally appropriate system of care. David’s passion for uplifting youth, his emphasis on the importance of proximity, and his commitment to building power in LA’s communities that have face historic injustices is needed as we work together to equitably reduce the number of youths involved in our justice system,” said Second District Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell.
Carroll brings to the county over 15 years of experience in youth development through his work with community- based organizations in Los Angeles and across the country. He recently served as the vice president of Public Policy and Government Relations for Southern California Grantmakers. Carroll holds a deep personal commitment to youth development and has dedicated his entire career to creating opportunities for youth to thrive.
Carroll explained that at an early age, he was part of the foster care and adoption system, and he was later impacted by the criminal legal system. As a young Black man growing up in a single parent home in St. Louis, Missouri, David and young people like him were considered more likely to drop out of school, become incarcerated, or become a victim of violent crime than to graduate from college. But with the help of caring teachers, committed mentors, and countless youth development programs and opportunities along the way, David graduated from college with honors and embarked on a corporate career.
Years later, following his experience with a violent crime committed by teenagers, he made the decision to leave the corporate sector and dedicate himself and his career to the service of young people. He has remained steadfast in his mission to provide high-quality developmental and learning opportunities for youth – the same types of opportunities that profoundly impacted his own life.
He has served thousands of children and families through the creation of award- winning non-profit programs and has worked tirelessly to improve resource access for nonprofits, particularly small, BIPOC-serving organizations. He has served in executive roles at organizations such as the Los Angeles Brotherhood Crusade, Crystal Stairs, and Unleashing Potential, with responsibility for management, programming, advocacy, and fiscal oversight.
Carroll is a member of the prestigious White-Riley-Peterson Fellowship on Public Policy, a two-time winner of the Washington University Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition, and was named a Distinguished Alumnus by Harris-Stowe State University. He holds a Master of Arts in Nonprofit Management from Washington University in St. Louis and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration/Accounting from Harris-Stowe State University.
In his spare time, David is a volunteer board member and officer for his fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi, and coaches youth basketball and flag football. David lives in South Los Angeles with his wife, children, and two dogs.
