The Forum for Youth Investment welcomes Primo Lasana as our inaugural Chief Impact Officer. A mission-driven executive with more than 15 years of experience leading high-impact initiatives, Primo officially joins the Forum in February 2026. His appointment reflects the Forum’s strategic commitment to deepening measurable outcomes, strengthening system-wide partnerships, and aligning strategy with implementation across the youth-serving field.

Primo brings a powerful blend of nonprofit leadership, systems thinking, and operational expertise. Most recently, he served as Executive Director of Reading Partners NYC, where he worked alongside a team of 75 staff and AmeriCorps members to lead a transformational expansion—more than doubling the annual budget from $2.6 million to $5.5 million, expanding student reach from 300 to 1,300 across 25 school sites, and delivering literacy interventions to more than 1,800 students annually. The team also trained over 1,500 parents and partnered with multiple city agencies to broaden community impact. Prior to Reading Partners, Primo spent eight years in senior roles at iMentor, where he helped drive national expansion and led cross-functional teams in program implementation, fundraising, and volunteer engagement.

Across roles, Primo has consistently translated vision into action to build teams, improve outcomes, and help systems navigate complexity with clarity and purpose.

“The Forum has long been a trusted leader in systems change and youth development,” said Primo Lasana. “I’m honored to step into this new role and help guide the organization’s impact strategy so that we not only do good work, but also ensure that work leads to stronger outcomes for young people, their families, and the adults who support them.”

Primo’s appointment comes at a pivotal moment in the Forum’s evolution. The Chief Impact Officer role will guide efforts to embed strategy, data, and continuous quality improvement across our portfolio as we strengthen systems and scale what works. Primo will work closely with Forum leadership to align our programs and partnerships with the organization’s long-term goals, helping us grow with focus and deliver with accountability.

“Primo brings the kind of leadership that rose to the top in a highly competitive national search,” said CEO Phil Robinson. “He understands the power of partnership and has the results to back it up. We’re thrilled to welcome him to the Forum’s deeply committed team as we build the executive capacity to advance our mission with clarity and impact.”

Primo holds an Executive Master’s in Public Administration from NYU Wagner and a Bachelor’s degree from CUNY Hunter College. He has also served on his local community board and currently sits on the board of a New York City public hospital. A lifelong New Yorker, Primo lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Marley, and their son, Arthur.

We are proud to welcome Primo into the Forum’s leadership and look forward to the insight, innovation, and integrity he brings to this role. This new chapter reinforces our commitment to young people and to the adults who champion their success.