James O. Gibson

Jim Gibson "is a Senior Fellow at the Center for the Study of Social Policy where his work focuses on urban revitalization, community development, community building and race relations. Mr. Gibson also works with PolicyLink, a national research, advocacy and communications institution devoted to strengthening communities. He founded and served as President of D.C. Agenda, a 10-year community assistance initiative that organized and supported projects to address fiscal and governance problems facing the District of Columbia.

"Mr. Gibson has been active in urban affairs, community development, race relations and economic development for more than three decades. He was a Senior Associate at the Urban Institute between 1993 and 2000 focusing on civil rights policies, community development, urban governance, economic and social opportunities, and antipoverty strategies. Between 1986 and 1992, Mr. Gibson was Director of the Equal Opportunity Program at The Rockefeller Foundation.

"Before joining Rockefeller, Mr. Gibson served as President of the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation in Washington, D.C., Administrator for Planning and Development for the District of Columbia government, Executive Associate of The Potomac Institute, a national civil rights think tank in Washington, D.C., and Executive Secretary of the Atlanta Chapter of the NAACP. He has been a consultant to many federal, municipal and private sector agencies. Presidential appointments include the President’s National Commission on Rural Poverty, the National Capital Planning Commission, and Official U.S. Delegate, United States – Great Britain Community Development Policy Exchanges. He also serves on the boards of several national and local nonprofit organizations.

"In 2006, Mr. Gibson was honored with the Livable Communities Leadership Award for lifetime achievement in helping to create livable communities for the Washington, D.C. region."


 * Chair, Equal Rights Center
 * Director, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities