DAVE KINCHEN ONLINE

Dave Kinchen pictured outside Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., where he spent years working on public policy matters concerning youth, education and families.

Known as a political junkie, Dave Kinchen is always following the big issues that have the country talking. He spent many of his earliest professional years working in public policy, gaining experience in every level of government in the United States.

Federal Government/National Service 

Dave meets with U.S. Sen. Carl Levin (D-Michigan) while in Washington with the National League of Cities c. 2000.

Dave spent his years before television news advocating for key programs in the areas of youth and families, education, juvenile justice, afterschool programming and recreation.

In 2001, he went to Capitol Hill to testify before U.S. House and Senate subcommittees in two congressional briefings, successfully urging Congress to fund afterschool programing around the country through a key grant issued by the United States Department of Justice. Below is an excerpt of an NLC newspaper report recalling the appearance.

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He also worked on related policy matters as a member of the National League of Cities Council on Youth, Education and Families, joining the group in 1999.  During this time the Council created NLC’s Institute for Youth, Education and Families. This is a clearing house of best practices guiding local elected officials in their handling of youth and family matters.  Dave also served on the Institute’s board of directors as the youngest person ever appointed to an NLC directing board in their 72-year history as of 1998. He was just 16-years-old.

A quote from Dave Kinchen in the Arizona Republic newspaper.

State Government 

Michigan Gov. John Engler and Dave Kinchen at a dinner in 2000.

Dave took advantage of his years at Michigan State University, being located just a few miles from the state capitol building. It is where he worked with lawmakers to develop an agenda for Michigan’s young people.  He testified before a state house committee on the importance of afterschool programming.

He also assisted numerous communities across Michigan in creating bodies of government that gave young people a voice in civic affairs, while serving as the Youth Coordinator for the Michigan Municipal League. The MML represents more than 500 Michigan cities, villages and towns.

Dave served on The Michigan After-School Initiative, compiling a review of youth programming for the state legislature and governor of Michigan. Additional duties included serving with the Michigan Ready to Succeed Partnership which focused on early childhood education.

Local Government

Dave Kinchen began his civic service work in his hometown of Farmington Hills, Michigan as a member of the Commission on Children, Youth and Families and the Cable Access Committee. At CAC he worked on telecommunications issues impacting three communities served by Time Warner Cable. He was also the lead youth architect and inaugural head of the Mayor’s Youth Council of Farmington and Farmington Hills, launched in 2000.