Devin Deaton

Devin is responsible for the design, facilitation, and oversight of training programs and learning initiatives for the Economic Recovery Corps, a new collaborative initiative designed to accelerate equitable economic development in distressed communities and regions throughout the U.S. Devin plays a critical role in enhancing the action research experiences of fellows and ensures that the program aligns with ERC’s core commitments to equity, inclusion, and sustainability. Additionally, Devin is leading the design and implementation of a new tabletop game simulation of Root Change’s signature Build Win Sustain Framework. Before coming to Root Change, Devin served as the Action Learning Manager for the Aspen Institute Community Strategy Group, where he produced analysis to distill, synthesize, and elevate the voices of rural and Indigenous leaders and organizations. Devin has held roles as a political researcher and advisor, as well as academic positions at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. A published academic scholar, he graduated from UIC in 2013 with a Ph.D. in political science with concentrations in urban politics and political theory. In 2014, Devin led a research team that conducted in-depth interviews with local leaders, artists, and community activists to illuminate how Chicago neighborhoods use creative placemaking and the arts to drive better economic and community development outcomes. With a taste of engaged, community-driven research, Devin went on to support local-level political campaigns in San Diego, California, and Washington, D.C. Be sure to ask Devin about his passion for shared-narrative storytelling and table-top roleplaying and board games.