Leonard Burton has been tapped to lead the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) as its next president, succeeding Judith Meltzer. He’ll step into the role on April 10.
Burton comes to the role with more than three decades of experience in social justice work in the philanthropic, faith-based and public social service sectors.
“CSSP has always been committed to racial, social, and economic justice,” Burton stated in a press release. “I could not be more honored to continue and to build upon that legacy, and to lead the organization to be bold, values-driven, unapologetically anti-racist, and intersectional.”
Burton’s most recent position was as a senior fellow at the center, where he worked on the systems change and public policy teams and co-developed the organization’s partnership with the child welfare abolitionist group upEND. He spent nearly a decade as the chief operations officer for the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative and before that served as assistant commissioner for Tennessee’s child welfare agency.
“His clear commitment to both anti-racist intersectional work and collaborative leadership ensures that Leonard will be a strong advocate for those who have been historically marginalized by public policies and institutional practices,” stated Carol Wilson Spigner, chair of CSSP’s board of directors.
In addition to his lengthy resume in the child welfare realm, Burton serves on the board of Building Bridges Initiative and the research firm WestED.
Meltzer has worked with the center for four decades and announced last year that she would step down as president and shift into the role of senior fellow as part of her transition toward retirement. She’s well known throughout the country for serving as a court monitor for child welfare systems embroiled in federal lawsuits.
As senior fellow at the center, she will continue to work with states toward improving outcomes for families engaged in the child welfare system.
