Degrees of Change has announced that Marquise Dixon will serve as its next CEO, effective July 1. Founder and current CEO Tim Herron will transition to a new role as chief innovation officer.
“I am honored and excited to serve as the chief executive officer of Degrees of Change,” said Dixon in a release. “I am deeply committed to our mission, and I look forward to working alongside our amazing staff, community partners, and generous donors to continue to push our mission forward. Together, we can empower young, emerging leaders to be the new faces of leadership our communities are in need of.”
Herron created the Act Six initiative in 2002 and has led Degrees of Change since its 2011 founding. In his new role as chief innovation officer, Herron will focus on designing and building new programs, strengthening its technology, and developing new capabilities to advance its mission, the release said.
Dixon, who has a nine-year history leading Degrees of Change programs, has served as Degrees of Change’s chief program officer for several years. In 2014, he led the launch of the Act Six program at Urban Ventures in Minneapolis-St. Paul and oversaw its rapid expansion to become the largest site in the Act Six network. Dixon went on to serve as vice president of youth and family services at Urban Ventures before moving his family to Tacoma in 2019 to become the first Act Six national director. (Head here to read more about his journey.) In 2022, Dixon was featured on our sister publication South Sound Business' 40 Under 40 list.
“As a board, we are grateful for Tim’s leadership in building Act Six and Degrees of Change and advancing our mission over the last two decades," said Arturo Lucatero, Degrees of Change board chair, in the release. "Tim’s work has impacted the lives of so many students and families, and we’re excited to support him in this new phase of his career. We are looking forward to seeing the organization continue to grow and thrive under Marquise’s leadership in the years ahead.”
