Mayor Solomon Announces Jeffrey Dessources As Director Of Innovation For Youth Development
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Nathaniel Styer | Communications Director
[email protected]
MAYOR SOLOMON ANNOUNCES JEFFREY DESSOURCES AS DIRECTOR OF INNOVATION FOR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
Nationally recognized Jersey City educator and civic leader to lead youth opportunity portfolio under Deputy Mayor for Education Dr. Dia Bryant
JERSEY CITY, NJ (May 20, 2026) — Mayor James Solomon today announced the appointment of Jeffrey Dessources as Director of Innovation for Youth Development in the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education, where he will serve under Deputy Mayor Dr. Dia Bryant. In this role, Dessources will lead a portfolio of strategic initiatives spanning youth employment, workforce pathways, recreation innovation, and cross-sector partnerships designed to expand opportunity for Jersey City's young people.
"Jeff is exactly the kind of leader Jersey City needs in this role. He’s someone who has spent his career building real pathways for young people and has done that work right here in our city,"
said Mayor James Solomon. "His record at NJCU, his service on our Arts Council and at PS 34, and his vision for what equity-centered youth development can look like make him a tremendous addition to our team."
"Jeff brings a rare combination of policy depth, operational savvy, and an unwavering commitment to young people,"
said Deputy Mayor for Education Dr. Dia Bryant. "Real innovation in youth development requires systems that work, partnerships that hold, and outcomes that measurably improve lives. Jeff is the right person to help translate this administration's vision for our young people into action, and I'm proud to have him on the team."
"Jersey City is my home, and there is no work I'd rather be doing than this,"
said Jeffrey Dessources. "Every young person in this city deserves access to opportunity, mentorship, and the kind of pathways that turn ambition into achievement. I'm honored to join Dr. Bryant and Mayor Solomon's team, and to get to work alongside our schools, families, employers, and community partners to deliver for the next generation of Jersey City leaders."
In his new role, Dessources will manage a portfolio of citywide initiatives including the City's youth employment programs, recreation innovation efforts, and cross-agency partnerships aimed at expanding access to enrichment, workforce experience, and economic mobility for Jersey City youth. He will also lead engagement with private sector, nonprofit, and philanthropic partners to scale the administration's youth-focused priorities.
About Jeffrey Dessources
Jeffrey Dessources is a nationally recognized educator, speaker, and civic leader with two decades of experience in higher education and community engagement. He brings more than 13 years of service at New Jersey City University, most recently as Director of Community Engagement, where he helped launch a university food pantry serving 300+ community members monthly, managed over $500,000 in grant funding for underserved students, and led equity-centered initiatives that improved student retention by 6% among participants. In Jersey City, he serves on the Jersey City Arts Council Board, and on the PS 34 Barack Obama Community School Advisory Board. A three-time TEDx Speaker and the author of seven books, Dessources has trained more than 100,000 learners nationwide and holds a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Arts from St. John's University.
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Nathaniel Styer
Communications Director | City of Jersey City
[email protected]