Jack Kavanaugh is an experienced nonprofit executive and social worker focused on youth advocacy and community development. As Executive Director of GLYS: Growing LGBTQ+ Youth Support, he has grown the organization’s budget from $250,000 to over $1 million and expanded staff and programming, including millions in grant funding, built new community partnerships, and advocated for policy changes to support LGBTQ+ youth in Western New York.
In addition to his leadership at GLYS, Jack serves as a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Nonprofit Practice, mentoring local nonprofit leaders, and as faculty in Field Education at the University at Buffalo School of Social Work, where he guides future social workers.
Previously, Jack led program development and training at MENTOR New York and held roles at BestSelf Behavioral Health, Buffalo Prep and spent a year of service as an AmeriCorps VISTA. He is deeply committed to the community and has served on numerous boards and committees, including the Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo, UB School of Social Work Field Education Advisory Board, the Erie County Youth Board, with the Alumni Association of Goucher College and the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Buffalo.
Jack holds a Master of Social Work from the University at Buffalo, a graduate certificate in Public Management from SUNY Buffalo State, and a Bachelor of Arts from Goucher College. Additionally, he is a graduate of Leadership Buffalo and the Core Certificate Program from the Institute for Nonprofit Practice.