As part of a new series on citybiz, Repairing America’s Broken Democracy: Bridge Alliance Members Take Action, each month David H. Nevins, president & CEO of Nevins & Associates, will interview leaders from different Bridge Alliance member organizations doing work to support and protect our democracy around the country. The Bridge Alliance is a coalition of more than 100 organizations working together as active stewards of our democratic republic. Bridge Alliance member organizations span the ideological spectrum, but are unified to work efficiently, outside arbitrarily defined political lines. The Bridge Alliance supports the democracy ecosystem and advances the healthy self-governance movement. The Bridge Alliance nurtures consistent and open communications between its members, developing a foundation of trust to foster collaboration. For more information, visit www.bridgealliance.us.

David Eisner is the President & CEO of Convergence. The organization convenes people and groups with divergent views to build trust, identify solutions, and form alliances for action on critical national issues.

Founded in 2009, Convergence employs its proven methodology of dialogue-leading-to-action to find breakthrough solutions on critical national issues. Convergence engages an extraordinary network of people from business leaders, policy advocates, community practitioners, elected officials, think-tank experts, and community leaders. Convergence empowers unlikely alliances to create change at the local, state, and national levels.

As the second-ever President and CEO of Convergence, Eisner has served for 30 years as a senior executive in the business, government, and nonprofit arenas. As the former CEO of the Corporation for National & Community Service nominated by George W. Bush in 2002, Eisner righted the federal agency in the aftermath of a financial management crisis. Later, he oversaw the successful AmeriCorps response to Hurricane Katrina. Leaving the Administration after the election, David chaired All for Good, building the nonprofit that animated President Obama’s signature service initiative, Serve.gov. In 2009, David was appointed by former President Clinton, then Chair of the National Constitution Center, to be CEO of that civic museum in Philadelphia. Most recently, for more than six years, David served as President of Repair the World, the largest Jewish service organization. David began his career as a press secretary on Capitol Hill. In the 1990’s, he served as VP of Communications at America Online and then AOL Time Warner, where he led several government-industry coalitions and founded NetworkforGood.org.

Interview Questions:

Q1: You have an amazing career of 30 years in business, government and nonprofits. Tell us what inspired you to join Convergence as president and CEO.

Q2: Tell us more about Convergence and its mission to help create meaningful dialogue between organizations and individuals with differing views on political issues.

Q3: During these politically divisive times, Convergence’s work is more important now than ever. Tell us how your focus continues to evolve and grow.

Q4: Convergence helps to create intense dialogue that builds trust among participants. How did you achieve that as you had to pivot to virtual meetings?

Q5: One of your current projects focuses on economic recovery. Talk a bit about that.

Q6: Another project focuses on vital dialogue on guns and suicide prevention. As depression continues to rise during the pandemic, this issue is more important than ever. Tell us about your work in the space.

Q7: There is so much talk about bridging political divides in America. How do you see Convergence’s role as an important voice in the bridging movement and as a member of the Bridge Alliance?

Q8: Finally, how can individuals, organizations or businesses get involved with Convergence, donate or learn more?

Connect with David on LinkedIn

The Bridge Alliance is a coalition of over 90 organizations dedicated to rejuvenating America. With each organization focusing on a different sector of the movement, our members represent a combined three million supporters in the burgeoning field of civic reform and civil discourse. In addition, more than one billion dollars has been invested towards improving government effectiveness nationwide.

The Bridge Alliance acts as a hub of information and connectivity for over 90 civic action organizations.

We provide the infrastructure for our members to expand individually, collaborate on shared goals, and inform others that are invested in democracy revitalization. This generates a collective impact for greater than any one group could make alone.

David Nevins is president & CEO of Nevins & Associates, a highly regarded strategic communications company and proactive public relations partner. The firm’s regional and national client base is a unique mix of organizations across a variety of industries including: healthcare, professional service firms, finance, not-for-profits, distributors, state agencies, national media companies, technology, political and grassroots campaigns, real estate development, sporting events, and more.

With more than 30 years of experience in marketing, public relations, and community and government relations, David is a talented and seasoned executive. Prior to founding Nevins & Associates in 1983, David served as the Director of Marketing for both Towson University and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. In 2001, he was tapped by the CEO of Comcast to employ his marketing expertise as President of the company’s regional sports network, Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic. David is a Past President of the Board of Governors for the Center Club and is a former Chairman of the Board of Regents for the University System of Maryland, a position to which he was appointed by the Governor of Maryland. David has chaired the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission and the Maryland Higher Education Loan Corporation, served as President of both the Jewish National Fund and the Towson Business Association and was a member of the PNC Bank board.

David is highly involved in the business, civic, and political communities, and his many years of active leadership in numerous organizations have built a network of contacts that he regularly puts to use for the firm’s clients. For more information, visit  www.nevinspr.com.

Edwin Warfield, CEO of citybizlist, conducts CEO Interviews.

If you're interested in a citybiz CEO Interview, please contact  Edwin Warfield - edwin.warfield@citybuzz.co