Meet Augusto Goncalves

Augusto is a public engagement specialist and champion for racial economic equity with over a decade of experience working in and with all levels of government, campaigns, and communities to effectively organize, mobilize, and effectuate change. He currently serves as the Director of Strategic and Philanthropic Partnerships at The Health Initiative (THI), a national nonprofit leading in the fight for health equity by advocating for a shift of investments to the known drivers of health.

 

Prior to joining THI, Augusto served as the Director of the African American Leadership Council (AALC) at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) where he was responsible for engaging Black major donors and thought leaders nationally to increase the voice, participation, and influence of the Black community within the party, particularly through fundraising and engagement efforts. He is well versed in government and politics, having also worked on three presidential campaigns (Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign, Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential bid, and Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign); in municipal government in the City of Boston for then-City Councilor At-Large Ayanna Pressley (now Congresswoman Pressley); and for The Collective PAC before joining the DNC. ​

 

Much of Augusto's work has focused on connecting the policy work to communities and making certain that communities have the resources they need; ensuring communities of color have a seat at the table by being intentional about creating places and spaces for dialogue and discourse; and building coalitions to work in partnership to address community needs—whether it's drafting legislation, raising millions of dollars for the party/campaigns, mobilizing support for a candidate(s), or training and educating the community on issues.

 

As a first generation Cape Verdean American whose parents emigrated from Africa to the United States, Augusto is passionate about creating access to opportunities, building coalitions, and giving a voice to underserved and underrepresented communities.