Sandra Escamilla-Davies
NYC Department of Youth and Community Development
Sandra Escamilla Davies serves as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD). A visionary social worker, executive leader, and systems strategist with more than 25 years of experience, she has dedicated her career to strengthening the systems, institutions, and communities that support children, youth, and families.
As Commissioner, Escamilla Davies leads one of the nation's largest youth development agencies, advancing policies, programs, and partnerships that expand opportunity and strengthen communities across New York City.
Before joining DYCD, Escamilla Davies served as Executive Vice President at Children's Aid, where she oversaw a broad portfolio of community schools and center based programs. She led initiatives to reduce chronic absenteeism, expand college and career access, strengthen culturally responsive services, and advance strategy, operations, finance, and talent development.
Earlier in her career, Escamilla Davies served as Executive Director of the Youth Development Institute (YDI), where she led technical assistance, leadership development, and field building efforts across New York City and nationally. Working with community based organizations and agencies including New York City Public Schools (NYCPS), the Departments of Youth and Community Development, Probation, and Correction, as well as the Administration for Children's Services (ACS), she helped embed youth development principles into policy and practice, designed integrated approaches to support young people, strengthened organizational capacity, and advanced promising practices across systems.
She also partnered with New Visions for Public Schools to advance small schools reform and helped strengthen the New York City Office of Multiple Pathways to Graduation, supporting innovative school models that expanded pathways to success for overage and under credited students. In addition, she strengthened family school engagement through citywide training and support for Parent Coordinators.
Throughout her career, Escamilla Davies has advised leaders across the nonprofit, public, and private sectors on strategy, organizational development, and systems change.
Escamilla Davies holds a Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Hunter College, where she also taught a course on mentorship
