President & CEO of the Forum for Youth Investment
Mishaela Durán is the President & CEO of the Forum for Youth Investment. Previously, Mishaela was Director of the Office of Regional Operations at the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families (ACF), where she served as the principal advisor to the Assistant Secretary on state relations, cross-cutting strategic initiatives and public-private partnerships.
Mishaela has led national non-profits as the Executive Director of the National Parent Teacher Association, the largest child-advocacy organization in the country with over 5 million members, and as the Chief of Staff at the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation. She led the public policy departments at the National PTA and the National Network for Youth, working with Congress and Administrations on a wide range of child policy issues, including child welfare, youth homelessness, education, workforce development, welfare, child nutrition, and juvenile justice. Mishaela has held positions in local and state government agencies, including the District of Columbia Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services, the Connecticut Department of Children and Families, and the Arizona Governor’s Community Policy Office, where she assisted in the implementation of major reform initiatives.
Mishaela approaches this work with lived experiences, having spent several years in the foster care system, Title I schools, and as a beneficiary of human services programs, such as SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, energy assistance, etc. Mishaela graduated cum laude from Yale University with a Bachelor’s in English Literature and earned a Master’s in Administration, Planning, and Social Policy at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.