Desmond Patton joined Education Pioneers in Boston in the summer of 2006. He provided program development and training for City Year's Whole School/Whole Child Initiative. Desmond developed an academic mentoring program focused on providing academic support to middle schools and one-on-one interaction with caring adults utilizing City Year corps members. In addition, Desmond identified training and evaluation modules that will help City Year standardize this program across the network.

Desmond taught low-income students through the Phillips Brooks House Association at Harvard University. He has interned with Community Action Network in Ann Arbor where he worked as a school liaison. Desmond has also been a part of a number research teams examining such issues as environmental hazards and their effect on child well being in Detroit and suicide attempts among African-American males in urban schools.