Dawn M. Pinnock

Dawn M. Pinnock has spent nearly 30 years in public service driving change and opening doors of opportunity for New Yorkers. As President and CEO of the Center for Urban Community Services (CUCS), she leads one of the city’s most effective social service organizations, supporting over 50,000 people each year on their path to housing stability, better health, and long-term well-being. Under her leadership, CUCS has grown from being known as one of New York’s “best kept secrets” to serving as a national model, achieving a 98% housing retention rate across 3,500 units, and providing health care to more than 5,400 people annually.

Before joining CUCS, Pinnock built a distinguished public service career across several of New York City’s largest municipal agencies, culminating in her appointment as Commissioner of the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS). In this role, she created the city’s first community-based hiring model, advanced family-forward policies for more than 320,000 employees, managed 22 million square feet of city-owned and leased office space, and made New York greener through fleet electrification and large-scale energy efficiency upgrades. During the COVID-19 crisis, she introduced the City’s first telework policy, allowing the government to keep running while protecting public health.

Outside of her role at DCAS, she built a reputation across city government for modernizing operations, fixing long-standing compliance gaps, and pushing forward equity initiatives that changed how agencies serve New Yorkers. Pinnock launched the City’s first professional development conference series for HR and EEO professionals, brought New York into legal compliance with civil service law, and pioneered hiring halls that restored staffing levels post-pandemic. She also co-chaired the City’s first Pay Equity Cabinet, helped lead the City’s Task Force on Racial Inclusion and Equity, and oversaw initiatives that reduced carbon emissions and created safer, more sustainable city operations.

Beyond her executive leadership, Pinnock serves on the Board of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, the NYC Public Schools’ Pathways Industry Commission, and was recently appointed as a Board Trustee for Metropolitan College of New York.

She has shared her perspective in outlets like Gotham Gazette and SHRM HR News, writing on issues ranging from racial equity to veteran employment to modernizing HR in government. In 2023, City & State New York recognized her influence by including her in its “Power of Diversity: Women 100” and “Black 100” lists, as well as its “Above & Beyond: Gen X” honor. She was also honored with a proclamation from the New York City Council’s Black, Latino, and Asian Caucus for her service and commitment to equity.

A graduate of Baruch College and The New School’s Milano Graduate School, Pinnock also completed Harvard University’s Senior Executives in State and Local Government program. She is a certified human resources professional and an active member of the Association for Talent Development.

As a people-centered leader, Pinnock often says her work is more than a job; it’s her life’s mission. She is driven by the belief that public service is her calling, and she takes joy in turning barriers into opportunities so that every New Yorker has the chance to live with dignity, stability, and hope.