Demetrius Thornton

Demetrius Thornton has dedicated his life to providing access to career mobility and building programming that amplify untold stories. As Deputy Chief of Staff at the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) he leads and develops agency wide policies and programs on behalf of the Commissioner’s Office. As the preeminent support agency for all city agencies, DCAS impacts the lives of every New Yorker with oversight of $1.6 billion in contracts and minority contracts, an expansive real estate portfolio of city owned and privately leased spaces, and governance over the largest civil service employment program in the country. Prior to his role at DCAS, he was appointed Deputy Executive Director of Gracie Mansion with a mission to provide meaningful and equitable experiences on behalf of the Mayor and First Lady of New York City. Before working in government, he led implementation of human capital, professional development, and talent management programs for Macy’s, Horizon Media, and Kimpton Hotels.

A native of Montgomery, Alabama Demetrius was the kid who dreamed of living in the big city. He infuses personal and professional experiences to empower dreams in the community as facilitator at the Dream Center in Harlem, NYC Service Mentor in the Bronx and board member of the Mayor’s Office Diversity Council. He received a B.A. in Education from Morehouse College and M.P.A. from Troy University. Demetrius is currently writing his first book tailored to his passion of helping others reimagine their personal stories and develop life skills needed to make dreams tangible.