About the Writer

Monsignor Kevin Sullivan is the Emeritus Executive Director of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York, a federation of more than 90 human service agencies providing help and creating hope for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers in need, Catholic and non-Catholic alike, throughout the 10 counties of the Archdiocese of New York.

Appointed Executive Director in 2001 after serving as Chief Operating Officer for five years and in other leadership positions for more than 17 years, Monsignor Sullivan represented Catholic Charities agencies in critical public policy discussions on issues such as immigration, welfare reform, job development, and foster care. He served on the New York City Council Speaker’s Commission on Homelessness, the Public Policy Committee of the New York State Catholic Conference, and testified before Congressional committees on human service issues. Following the 9/11 attacks, Monsignor Sullivan chaired the 9/11 United Services Group, coordinating charitable assistance for victims. He later chaired the Disaster Preparedness Division of the NY Human Services Council, where he also served as Vice-Chair.

Earlier in his ministry, during the 1970s and 1980s as a parish priest at St. Elizabeth’s Church in Washington Heights, Monsignor Sullivan co-founded the Washington Heights-Inwood Coalition and the Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation. Both are community development organizations that continue to thrive. He has served on the boards of multiple healthcare organizations, including St. Vincent’s Hospital and Medical Center, Terence Cardinal Cooke Health Care Center, Carmel Richmond Housing Corporation, and the St. Vincent de Paul Residence. In the 1990s, he was Co-Chair of the Partnership for the Homeless.

Monsignor Sullivan earned a Master’s in Public Administration from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and a Doctorate in Public Administration from New York University. He graduated cum laude from Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception and has taught in graduate programs at the Mendoza College of Business at the University of Notre Dame, New York University, and the New School’s Milano Graduate School of Management and Urban Policy. He has remained deeply committed to the evaluation and performance measurement of non-profit organizations.

Born in the Bronx and raised in Yonkers, Monsignor Sullivan studied for the priesthood at St. Joseph’s Seminary and was ordained in 1976 by Terence Cardinal Cooke. He was named Monsignor by John Cardinal O’Connor in 1999. Today, as Emeritus Executive Director, he continues to be a respected voice in the field of human services. He carries forward his legacy of compassion, leadership, and advocacy for New Yorkers in need.