Progress, Potential, and Possibilities Podcast / Show Atalaya Sergi - Director, AmeriCorps Seniors - Improving Lives And Strengthening Communities
Atalaya Sergi (https://americorps.gov/leadership/director-americorps-seniors) is Director, AmeriCorps Seniors, AmeriCorps (officially the U.S. Corporation for National and Community Service or CNCS) which is an independent agency of the United States government that engages more than five million Americans in service through it's various programs including AmeriCorps VISTA, AmeriCorps NCCC, AmeriCorps State and National, AmeriCorps Seniors, the Volunteer Generation Fund, and other national service initiatives. The agency's mission is "to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering." While a government agency, AmeriCorps acts much like a foundation and is the nation's largest annual grant maker supporting service and volunteering. It was created by the National and Community Service Trust Act of 1993. Ms. Sergi brings 20 years of experience in service, community engagement, and education to this role. She has worked in public school districts and the nonprofit sector, bringing private and public organizations together to ensure citizens of all ages, and those in under-served communities, thrive. Ms. Sergi most recently served as the vice president of strategic partnerships & programming at Jumpstart for Young Children, Inc. There she managed AmeriCorps State and National and AmeriCorps Seniors programs from the grantee level, launching her former organization’s only Foster Grandparent program. Ms. Sergi has been a member of several advisory committees, councils, and coalitions, including as a founder of Los Angeles Generation to Generation, which focused on engaging older adults to support young children across Los Angeles County. She was also selected as an Encore Fellow, using her time to write about the positive impact seniors can have in educational settings. Ms. Sergi earned a master’s degree in social work from Virginia Commonwealth University and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Virginia.