Development Consultant Don Morgan Joins Mayoral Race

Community development consultant and Pasadena resident Don Morgan, Ph.D. has submitted forms to the City Clerk declaring his intention to campaign for mayor of Pasadena.

“The mayor of Pasadena is a unique job,” Morgan said. “What excites me most about the position is the opportunity to generate, facilitate and promote innovative programs and partnerships that will secure and enhance Pasadena’s vibrant future for all its residents.”

“Enhancing that experience for other families and residents is the truest expression of our pride and passion for the city we call home,” Morgan added.

Morgan simultaneously researched the impact of partnerships between nonprofits, corporations and public agencies as a PhD student in Public Administration at USC, while working full-time for local nonprofit organizations. Today, half of his time is spent teaching graduate students at USC how to create alliances that transform struggling cities into healthy and vibrant communities, with emphasis on an enhanced role for the private and nonprofit sectors in solving local problems.

He said his work at USC has been applied “close to home” over the last five years as he provides research, analysis and real-world recommendations for the City of Pasadena, to address pressing issues and opportunities in housing, transportation, education and economic development.

“Our diverse city, with a population of nearly 150,000 residents, is grappling with so many of the greatest challenges facing all cities: education, economic stability, health, housing, and transportation, to name a few,” Morgan said. “The secret to our success in Pasadena is to draw upon the strength of our tremendous civic leadership, working together with government to solve our most daunting challenges.”

“This city has a wealth of non-profit organizations, philanthropists and world-class business leaders. If we can align the efforts and resources of those trying to make a difference, we can find effective and efficient ways to solve problems that have never been attempted at this scale,” he added.

Morgan worked as a consultant and head fundraiser in urban settings, such as Verbum Dei, Urban Compass, Children’s Bureau and Loyola High School. He said his experience with the organizations has shaped his understanding of “what it takes for transformational organizations to play a prominent role in addressing problems.”

When he and his wife, Whitney, moved to Pasadena over a decade ago, Morgan said they “had no idea” they landed the city where they would spend the rest of their lives. But now, with their three children born in Pasadena, and a fourth due any day, Morgan said they realized Pasadena is “a place like none other.”

His campaign website is http://www.Morgan2015.com.