Obama appoints Maurice Lim Miller to White House Council for Community Solutions

WASHINGTON (December 14, 2010) – The White House Office of the Press Secretary announced Monday that President Barack Obama has signed an Executive Order to establish the White House Council for Community Solutions. The Council will be composed of leaders from non-profits, corporations and foundations who are committed to social innovation and civic engagement. The Council will provide advice to the President on the best ways to mobilize citizens, nonprofits, businesses and government to work more effectively together to solve specific community needs.

The President announced his intent to appoint Patty Stonesifer as Chair of the White House Council for Community Solutions. He also announced his intent to nominate several board members, including Maurice Lim Miller.

Miller is the Founder, Chief Executive Officer and President of the Family Independence Initiative, a national center for anti-poverty innovation. Before founding FII, Mr. Miller spent 22 years at the Asian Neighborhood Design (1978-2000) and served as its Executive Director for most of his tenure, where he promoted multi-service community development initiatives in San Francisco and Oakland, California.

Miller also serves on the boards of the Hitachi Foundation and the Board of the California Endowment, one of the country’s largest foundations, which focuses on the nexus of health and poverty. He previously served as a Board Member of the Corporation for Enterprise Development, Public/Private Ventures, and the Koshland Awards Committee of the San Francisco Foundation.

Former President Bill Clinton honored him at the 1999 State of the Union Address for his community service and leadership. Miller holds a B.S. and an M.A. from the University of California, Berkeley.

The President also intends to nominate the following individuals as Members to the White House Council for Community Solutions: Byron Auguste, Diana Aviv, Paula Boggs, Jon Bon Jovi, John Bridgeland, Jim Canales, Scott Cowen, John Donahoe, Michael Fleming, David Friedman, Jim Gibbons, Michele Jolin, Michael Kempner, Steven Lerner, Laurene Powell Jobs, Norman Rice, Kristin Richmond, Judith Rodin, Nancy H. Rubin, Paul Schmitz, Jill Schumann, Bobbi Silten, and Bill Strickland.

“These impressive men and women have dedicated their lives and careers to civic engagement and social innovation,” said President Obama. “I commend them for their outstanding contributions to their communities, and I am confident that they will serve the American people well in their new roles on the White House Council for Community Solutions. I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”

In addition to providing advice to the President on solving specific community needs, the White House Council for Community Solutions has been tasked with three key functions: enlisting leaders in the non-profit, private, and philanthropic sectors to make progress on key policy goals; providing strategic input and recommendations to help the federal government promote greater innovation and cross-sector collaboration; and honoring and highlighting those making a significant impact in their own communities.