Elaine Spaull

Executive Director, The Center for Youth

Elaine Spaull is an educator, a lawyer, a Fulbright scholar, an elected official, a speaker and a writer, a consultant, but most of all, she is a youth advocate and a determined social activist and innovator. Elaine earned an undergraduate degree in English Literature from George Washington University, a master’s degree from Georgetown University; she received both her doctoral degree in Philosophy of Education and graduated magna cum laude with a Juris Doctor from the SUNY Buffalo. In 2007, Dr. Spaull was elected to the Rochester City Council, as a district representative and served in that role for 12 years.  She served as Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and a professor at RIT and as an associate at Nixon Peabody LLP.

She joined The Center for Youth as Executive Director in 2000. Under her innovative leadership and through her determined efforts, The Center has reached more than 40,000 young people each year in schools, in residential shelters, on the street, and in recreation and community centers. Most noticeably over the past 25 years, Dr. Spaull has focused her efforts on creating alternative paths to education and those for whom traditional education has not been successful as well as expanding the residential sites to serve youth who are facing homelessness and trauma.  Dr. Spaull embraces the vision of the teenagers who founded The Center 54 years ago as the dreams of those original youth continue to drive the mission which boldly removes barriers and offers opportunities in a racially and socially just environment.

The community has been generous to Elaine with its honors and awards including, most recently, in 2025, she was named to the community’s Power 100, in 2019, she received the Willow Restore the Hope award for her advocacy for victims of domestic violence and was also named a Woman of Distinction by the Rochester Business Journal. In 2016, she was the recipient of the prestigious Athena Award, the leadership awarded conferred by the Women’s Council of the Rochester Chamber of Commerce. Additional recognitions include the Teen Empowerment Advocate of the Year Award in 2013, the Pinney Cook award in September 2011 at the WXXI Speaking of Women’s Health. In May 2010, Dr Spaull was honored by receiving the “Justicia” award from the Judicial Process Commission in Monroe County in Rochester and in January of 2010, Dr Spaull was awarded the Executive Leadership Award from the National Network 4 Youth for her advocacy for homeless youth; in 2009, she received the Edward Mott Moore Award from the Monroe County Medical Society, the Jennifer Koon Peace and Justice award in 2008 from St. John Fisher College, the Humanitarian of the Year award from the Monroe County Bar Association in 2007, the United Way Executive Director of the Year in 2006, the Rochester Women’s Network “W” Award, the Monroe County Youth Advocate of the Year in 2005 and the Mother of the Year – March of Dimes in 2005, the Italian American Educator of the Year in 2004 and the Youth Services Quality Council Service Provider of the Year in 2004 as well as a Woman of Influence Award given by the Girl Scouts of Genesee Valley in 2003. 

Dr. Spaull remains grateful to this community and to her family and celebrates the joy of being Gigi to Gemma Rose, Boden and Cooper and the new baby on the way.