STAMFORD — The Stamford Partnership announced today that Kevin Peraino—a seasoned and award-winning nonprofit executive, journalist, and author—has been named the organization’s next Chief Executive Officer. Peraino, who has spent nearly 25 years living in Southwest Connecticut, brings a strong record of nonprofit leadership and public-policy expertise to the role.

The Stamford Partnership is a swiftly growing nonprofit public-private partnership that works to improve the lives of those living and working in Stamford. Part convener, part think tank, and part incubator, it brings together a wide spectrum of stakeholders and acts as a catalyst for civic projects and private-sector collaborations.

“The entire Board of Directors is delighted that Kevin has assumed this role,” Jodi Gutierrez, Chairperson of the Stamford Partnership and Vice President of Property Management at George Comfort & Sons said. “His combined experience in public affairs, award-winning journalism, and nonprofit administration make him an excellent choice.”

Over the years, the Stamford Partnership’s leadership has been instrumental in helping to bring the downtown UConn campus to Stamford as well as helping to launch the city’s Neighbors Link affiliate, an immigrant-opportunity organization known today as Building One Community. Notably, it has also helped to establish the city as a swiftly growing regional technology hub. Last year the organization was named a recipient of a share of the nearly $24 million Connecticut was awarded from the federal American Rescue Plan Good Jobs Challenge project. The program aims to train and place of hundreds of area workers in quality jobs in Connecticut’s technology sector.

“The Stamford Partnership exemplifies the kind of collaborative action that leads by example,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal said. “Its support for a technology hub, social service advances, and other important steps illustrate its achievements. I look forward to Kevin Peraino continuing this record of successful leadership.”

Peraino began his career as a business journalist, reporting and writing for the Wall Street Journal Europe in Brussels and Newsweek in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. He later spent more than six years in the Middle East as a foreign correspondent and bureau chief. He has written for The New York Times, Foreign Policy, and Politico Magazine, and is the author of two acclaimed books on global affairs, the most recent of which is about the birth of modern China.

“This is a truly exciting moment for this city—ripe with opportunities for innovation and inclusive growth—and I’m honored to be a part of it,” Peraino said. “I couldn’t be more thrilled to be joining an organization full of dynamic board members and talented staff that has done so much good for Southwestern Connecticut.”

Most recently, Peraino served as executive director of the Jay Heritage Center, a nonprofit public-private partnership in Rye, New York, that sponsors programs in history, social justice, and sustainability. During Peraino’s tenure, the organization grew dramatically, holding news-making conversations with nationally recognized figures, including President Biden’s USAID director Samantha Power, New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman, and Yale scholar Elizabeth Hinton. In December 2022 it won a prestigious award for Excellence in Nonprofit Achievement from New York State.

“My administration is looking forward to working with Kevin as the Partnership continues to pursue initiatives critical to the city’s growth,” Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons said. “Kevin’s experience and skills make him an excellent leader for the next chapter of Stamford Partnership’s future.”

Peraino can be reached at kevin@stamfordpartnership.org.

Photo credit: Kim Crichlow

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