Nick Kislinger serves as the Executive Director of Summit Impact, a nonprofit dedicated to harnessing community power to create a sustainable and just future. With a foundation in government leadership and mental health innovation, Nick’s career spans over two decades of meaningful social change.In 2010, Nick was appointed Chief of Staff to the California Secretary of Education by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. In this role, he advised on statewide education policy, led the Governor’s Education Technology Working Group, managed California’s Race to the Top Phase 2 Federal Grant strategy, and helped establish the Office on Reform Education.After his tenure in state government, Nick co-founded Impact Hub Los Angeles, a pioneering space where government leaders collaborated with social entrepreneurs to explore innovative policy solutions. This cross-sector initiative paved the way for his role at the Global Impact Institute, where he partnered with Howard W. Buffett Jr. to facilitate public-private collaborations tackling critical societal challenges. Building on this work, Nick joined the Entertainment Industry Foundation as Director of Education, overseeing grant-making programs at the intersection of education and mental health to deliver scalable, impactful solutions for underserved communities.Nick later shifted his focus to mental health and technology, co-founding the app Breathwrk and serving as its Chief Innovation Officer. The app became a groundbreaking tool for stress management and wellness, achieving over 100 million downloads. Following a successful fundraising round, Nick returned to school to pursue a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology. Currently completing his program at Antioch University, he has gained hands-on experience through hundreds of hours of clinical training with the Family Service Agency of Burbank and the Burbank Unified School District. Working directly with underprivileged youth, he honed practical skills in addressing mental health challenges and providing critical support to vulnerable communities.Nick holds a BA in Organizational Ecology from Pitzer College and is a Coro Fellow with advanced training in leadership and public affairs.Nick’s career reflects his unwavering dedication to systemic change. By combining expertise in government leadership, mental health, and cross-sector collaboration, he continues to empower communities, foster innovation, and create lasting impact.