SYRACUSE — Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh recently announced the appointment of Michael Collins as commissioner of the Department of Neighborhood and Business Development (NBD). Collins, currently executive director of the Syracuse Northeast Community Center, takes on the new City of Syracuse role after a two-decade career in education, small business, human services, and community development. […]
SYRACUSE — Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh recently announced the appointment of Michael Collins as commissioner of the Department of Neighborhood and Business Development (NBD).
Collins, currently executive director of the Syracuse Northeast Community Center, takes on the new City of Syracuse role after a two-decade career in education, small business, human services, and community development.
“Michael’s extensive experience in management and leadership in the neighborhood, community and human services sectors aligns well with the commissioner duties at NBD,” Mayor Walsh said in a statement. “He has a proven track record of working effectively with government organizations at the local, state and federal levels and deeply understands the challenges in housing, poverty, and accessing jobs and opportunity that face our community.”
Since 2014, Collins has led the Northeast Community Center, where he has expanded programming for older adults and basic family needs; increased community engagement; and grown the organization’s involvement in workforce development. He’s also collaborated with the leaders of other community centers to “more effectively serve people in the City,” the mayor’s office said.
Prior to joining the Northeast Community Center, Collins was a program director and property manager at Interfaith Works. He played a key role in redesigning the organization’s refugee-resettlement housing program. He also owned his own construction business in the city and worked as an elementary school teacher at Meacham Elementary.
Collins serves on multiple community boards of directors, including Greater Syracuse H.O.P.E, the United Way of Central New York, and Blueprint 15. He is a commissioner of the Syracuse Housing Authority and also served on the boards of Housing Visions Unlimited, the Jowonio School, and It’s About Child and Family. Collins is a graduate of SUNY Oswego.
