Experience

Below is an overview featuring some of Heather’s professional experience. A more detailed history can be found on LinkedIn.

Professional Report Writer—Allegheny County Department of Human Services—4/2024-present

Collaborate with DHS employees to prepare high quality written reports based on a wide variety of topics related to DHS’s work, including but not limited to internal research, program evaluation, and program analysis.

Grant Review—Youth Collaboratory—2/2024-6/2024

Reviewed funding applications for the following federal grant opportunities: Basic Center Program, Transitional Living Program, and Maternity Group Home Program.
Evaluated how fully each grant applicant addressed the announcement criteria and offered suggestions to improve the competitiveness of their submission.

Consultant—YOUniversal Education Services—12/2022-present

Support the launch of a start-up consulting agency through business development, proposal writing, and presentations.
Advise on marketing and branding, including the creation of a website and social media platforms.

Owner—Double H Sits—6/2021-present

Provide exemplary service through superior pet-care, reliable home maintenance, and maintaining regular communication with clients.
Market services to prospective clients, meet with clients to assess needs, collect and document necessary information for care of the client’s pet(s) and home, and oversee invoicing and bookkeeping.

Event Staff—Kidsburgh—05/2017–present

Present STEAM-based learning activities and interact with children of all ages in genuine and quick-thinking ways.
Engage parents, educators, and community partners about Kidsburgh’s mission and community resources.

Communications Consultant—Inward Bound Mindfulness Education (iBme)—3/2023-10/2023

Lead public relations and community outreach efforts for iBme’s youth retreats.
Deepen relationships with media outlets and organizational allies.
Create and implement a media outreach strategy to enhance iBme’s positioning as a thought leader.
Support marketing and branding initiatives, including rebranding and revamping the website.
Collaborate with employees and consultants to develop cohesive and effective marketing strategies.

Communications Contractor—Benefits Data Trust—4/2020-11/2020 and 4/2022-10/2022

Provide support to the Communications Department of a national nonprofit as they adjust their capacity to meet new and changing organizational needs.
Devise and document marketing and communication strategies, including the creation of a style guide.
Responsible for press releases and media relations.
Utilize media monitoring data to inform outreach strategies.
Coordinate content creation with internal and external subject matter experts.
Write, edit, and proofread content for various communication channels and audiences.
Collaborate with other organizations on shared content creation, fact-checking, and cross-promotions.
Fact-checked organizational communications and media coverage, working with internal teams and media outlets as needed on corrections.
Created talking points about BDT programs and state-specific initiatives for employees to use internally and externally.

Pennsylvania Engagement Manager—Benefits Data Trust—4/2020-11/2021

Oversaw all external communication with key partners, including BDT’s largest and longest-running contract with Pennsylvania’s Pharmaceutical Assistance Contract for the Elderly (PACE), via the dissemination of ongoing program status reports, program maintenance, and involvement from internal teams as it relates to program design, policy, and outreach planning.
Ensured five sub-contractors’ compliance with agreed-upon deliverables for multiple statewide projects by advising on and monitoring sub-contractors’ goal-setting, workflows, reporting, program evaluation, and budget management.
Established a local and state-wide presence through the development of community relationships with key non-profit, private sector, and local government partners and participated in ongoing working groups, including the Pittsburgh Food Policy Council, UPMC’s Community Health Partnership Council, Thriving PA’s children’s nutrition group, and more.
Responsible for new business development in Southwest Pennsylvania and built program strength through identifying and cultivating new cross-sector partnership opportunities and outreach potential in alignment with BDT’s mission and goals.
Oversaw implementation of a pilot project that made a benefits access hotline available to students from Community College of Allegheny College.
Worked with the Development Department on prospective funder identification as well as stewardship of and reporting to all philanthropic partners supporting work throughout Pennsylvania.

Cooperative Development Consultant—Keystone Development Center—8/2019-9/2019

Assisted in the implementation of educational activities related to cooperative basics.
Reviewed and advised on marketing strategies, including a comprehensive website audit.
Supported boards and staff as they grew and strengthened their cooperative businesses.
Organized and maintained client records.
Conducted prospect research to diversify organizational funding sources.

Communications and Project Manager—The Pittsburgh Promise—5/2016–7/2019

Managed a bi-annual magazine that strives to inspire post-secondary aspirations among students in grades 6-12 and increased advertising revenue by 95%, bringing in over $100,000 annually from Pennsylvania colleges and universities.
Engaged and shared timely updates with present and future scholarship recipients, donors, and community stakeholders via social media, website updates, text message campaigns, and mailings.
Increased student career fair attendance by 45% to 80 students and walk fundraising by 50% to over $39,000 through effective email, social media, text message, mail, and fundraising support campaigns.
Supported the creation of a student-led alumni fundraising group that now has over 100 participants through outreach and recurring engagement methods like surveys, Facebook groups, and alumni features in various communication channels.

Marketing & Member Services Manager—East End Food Co-op—1/2013–5/2016

Created and implemented customer service, member services, and recall protocol training for 90+ person staff.
Oversaw five full-time and six part-time employees; responsible for coaching and corrective actions; worked with each to create individualized professional development plans and establish annual performance goals.
Oversaw a volunteer program with 70 active and 120 eligible members.
Advocated for and served the needs of more than 12,000 members, including orientations, coordinating annual meetings and board elections, processing member comment cards, and implementing a biennial survey.
Managed a monthly print newsletter distributed to members and community organizations that promoted health, wellness, local food producers, cooperative principles, and sustainable agriculture.
Created and distributed press releases and media kits that earned press coverage ranging from print pieces to online mentions and television appearances.
Wrote copy for promotional materials such as brochures, e-newsletters, blog posts, and new member packets, and worked with a graphic designer on editing the content as needed for design considerations.
Created and implemented an organization-wide hiring process, which included creation of procedural manual for managers, interview questions and script, forms to guide the evaluation of good fit, offer letters, and onboarding outlines.
Effectively recruited 20+ local businesses to join the Community Partners program and offer discounts to members.
Initiated food donations to 412 Food Rescue, resulting in more than 8,000 pounds of food rescued per year.
Implemented the Register Round-Up, which is a donation program that’s contributed over $100,000 to nonprofits to date.
Organized 36 free workshops and reached over 17,000 people via outreach at community events in my final year.

Promotions Assistant—CBS Radio—11/2012–2/2013

Represented CBS affiliates at public events and provided support to talent for remote broadcasts.

Store Planner and Manager—Crazy Mocha—5/2005–1/2013

Hired, trained, and supervised over 50 baristas and developed emerging leaders into store managers.
Coordinated store layouts and store openings, which included compliance with Health Board standards, establishing inventory controls, and converting new customers into regulars and loyalty program members.

Community Involvement

Board Trustee—Rails to Trails of Wayne County—6/2023–6/2024

Board Director—Ten Thousand Villages Pittsburgh—3/2017–2/2023

Oversaw the Store Manager’s annual evaluation, including collecting directors’ input on performance and goal-setting.
Led the organization as President through the unprecedented circumstances caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic, which caused a need for guiding employees through unemployment claims, creating a committee for emergency decision-making, successfully applying for and accepting funds through federal relief programs, and crafting procedures to safely reopen the store.
Crafted the board’s strategy and process for recruiting and onboarding new directors and first-time committee chairs.
Collaborated with directors and volunteers on a hiring process for a new Store Manager, which included writing a job description, posting and promoting the opening, vetting candidates, creating interview questions and exercises, crafting a weighted evaluation form, and facilitating final selection discussions.
Oversaw creation of the organization’s first-ever Employee Handbook.
Participated in fundraising activities such as writing and reviewing Letters of Inquiry, crafting and disseminating annual appeals, requesting and marketing items for a silent auction, and overseeing donor acknowledgement.

Volunteer with: Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Western Pennsylvania, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Women Work

Education

University of Pittsburgh GSPIA—Master of Public Policy & Management, Magna Cum Laude
University of Pittsburgh—B.A., Communications & English Writing, Magna Cum Laude