Deborah Smolover, Executive Director of America Forward, released the following statement in response to the announcement of Wendy Spencer as the new CEO for the Corporation for National and Community Service:

“America Forward is thrilled with President Obama’s announcement of intent to nominate Wendy Spencer as the Chief Executive Officer for the Corporation for National and Community Service.  Ms. Spencer has demonstrated a career-long dedication to providing solutions to local challenges in communities across the country through her work in the public, private and nonprofit sectors.  It is this broad base of experience that make Ms. Spencer uniquely qualified to lead the Corporation for National and Community Service.  Her work on President George W. Bush’s Council on Service and Civic Participation as well as her leadership of Volunteer Florida, the Governor’s Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, are proof positive that Ms. Spencer has the executive experience necessary to successfully champion the numerous bipartisan initiatives at the Corporation for National and Community Service, including the Social Innovation Fund.

“Ms. Spencer’s capable leadership is welcomed by the America Forward coalition as we continue to work to demonstrate the importance of investing in the proven solutions of results-driven nonprofit organizations across the country to more effectively and efficiently address local challenges.  We look forward to working with Ms. Spencer in her new role as the head of the Corporation for National and Community Service, Jonathan Greenblatt, the Director of the White House Office of Social Innovation, and the Administration to identify further opportunities to grow the impact of effective nonprofit organizations.”