Dr. Darren M. Morton has dedicated his personal and professional life to the service of others. He personifies the democratic party ideals of equality and justice, giving back to the City in which he was born and raised to apply his expertise in executive leadership and community advocacy. Educated in the Mount Vernon City Public School System, Dr. Morton pursued higher education at Hofstra University and St. John’s University where he received his Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Education degrees, respectively. Dr. Morton earned a Doctorate in Education from St. John Fisher College, specializing in Executive Leadership, with his dissertation, “From Integration to Resegregation: Examining the Role of Black Clergy as 21st Century Leaders in Public Education Reform” and he completed the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Management Development Program. 

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Dr. Morton’s educational achievements have provided him with the theory and credentialling necessary to do what he has always been called to do, enhance the quality of life of individuals living in urban communities. His acumen in executive leadership in areas of social action, higher education, public service, and non-profit administration has been demonstrated in classrooms, boardrooms, government buildings, and community centers.

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In 2011, after advancing in progressively responsible roles in higher education, and being named Senior Pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church of Mount Vernon, NY, Dr. Morton created D. Morton Enterprises, LLC., a consultant firm, focused on developing community-based, educational and non-profit organizations, with an emphasis in social justice. Having satisfactorily achieved these goals, Dr. Morton entered public service in 2012 where he has served four mayoral administrations with great venerability as Commissioner of the Department of Recreation, Commissioner of Planning and Community Development, and currently as Chief of Staff and Treasurer of both the Mount Vernon Urban Renewal Agency and Mt. Vernon Industrial Development Agency. To further support the City of Mount Vernon, Dr. Morton created and serves as the President of two 501(c)3 organizations, Friends of Mount Vernon Arts, Recreation and Youth Programs and the Memorial Field Foundation. Additionally, he was elected to the Inaugural Mount Vernon Public Library Board of Trustees in 2014, honorably serving as Finance Chair, 2014 – 2017; and Personnel Chair,
2017 – 2018. Dr. Morton has also been an active member of the Mount Vernon Democratic City Committee since 2013.

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Prior to joining the City of Mount Vernon, Dr. Morton served as a senior executive, leading a division of over 100 full and part-time staff members, superintending multi million-dollar operational budgets, developing capital improvement plans, and transforming organizational efficacy in several Institutions of Higher Education via assessment and realigning of administrative, structural, human, and fiscal capital. His curriculum vitae is an impressive account of professional growth; having held several administrative and teaching positions as Assistant Director of Admissions at Hofstra University, Associate Dean of Student Development, and Assistant and Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, and Adjunct Professor at St. John's University in Queens, NY. In addition to his fortes in academic administration and instruction, Dr. Morton put his years of experience and passion for social justice and community service to work as Director of the Vincentian Institute for Social Action, (VISA) at St. John’s University, where he led faculty and students in a variety of community-based research projects and public-private partnerships effectuating education through practical experience. In VISA, students administered organizational assessments, comparative analyses, mission/ program creation, resource realignment, budget development, fiscal analyses, and capital planning to urban programs and organizations. Dr. Morton also served as adjunct Assistant Professor of Public Administration in the graduate program at the College of New Rochelle, where he taught not-for-profit/public administration, human resource development, fiscal and resource management, assessment, and supervised field internship experiences.

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A true renaissance man, Dr. Morton’s unique and eclectic professional knowledge is complimented by his extensive vocational, civic, and social commitments and memberships that benefit underprivileged, and under-served communities and families. He sits on the Board of Directors for several not-for-profit organizations, President and Personnel Chair – Youth Shelter of Westchester; President – Wesley Parrott Youth Programs; Member - Wartburg Foundation; President – Prince Hall Service Fund; and Board Member – Prince Hall Housing Fund. As a fraternity member, he is a 33

rd degree Prince Hall Mason, Senior Grand Warden of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of NY, and previously served as the Grand Treasurer, Executive Director of Prince Hall Colonial Park Daycare, and President of the Third Masonic District. He also formerly served as the Vice President of the 24th Eastern Region of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and member of the National Board of Directors.

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Dr. Morton has received over 110 awards and commendations for his selfless service to humanity. Still, he considers his greatest achievements being the proud father of three adult children, grandfather to eleven grandchildren and two great grandchildren, which he considers to be his most treasured blessing from the Lord.