Danielle Chaykowsky
Pittsburgh,PA
Summary
Strategic and results-driven nonprofit leader with over 13 years of experience in program management, executive support, organizational operations, and community engagement. Proven track record of developing and implementing impactful programs and leading teams of 20 employees. Skilled in strategic planning, process improvement, financial oversight, stakeholder relations, and event management. Adept at supporting executive leadership, building cross-sector partnerships, and creating organizational systems that strengthen communication, accountability, and team performance. A collaborative, resourceful, and detail-oriented professional passionate about youth development, community empowerment, and mission-driven leadership
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Programs
Center of Life
Pittsburgh, PA
08.2022 - Current
- Raised total program enrollment 76% from 2022-2024.
- Built three new programs from 2022-2024: family engagement, community engagement, and Aspiring Leaders Teen Academy.
- Developed organizational infrastructure, enhancing workplace culture and fostering employee growth.
- Directed program structure, curricula, initiatives, and events supporting mission effectiveness.
- Aligned program strategies with organizational mission, supporting program department leaders in achieving goals.
- Monitored program goals, objectives, and results to support growth and continuous quality improvement.
- Managed development and rollout of organization-wide initiatives and events, ensuring alignment with overall strategic objectives.
- Led program and organization-wide annual budgeting and planning for a $3.1 million annual budget.
- Supervised 20 employees, representing 62.5% of organization personnel.
- Planned and ran community events drawing 200-300 attendees.
- Maintained strong partnerships with universities, foundations, and public officials.
- Represented programming work during public forums, conferences, and meetings with funders, stakeholders, and community members.
- Updated institutional documents, including policies and procedures, strategic plans, program logic models, job descriptions, and program strategy materials.
- Established personnel evaluation and development procedures.
- Oversaw comprehensive budgeting and planning processes for all programs, ensuring effective allocation of $3.1 million annual budget.
- Created and enforced evaluation and development procedures for personnel, aimed at improving overall workforce effectiveness.
- Organized, updated, and maintained essential institutional documents, including policies, strategic plans, and program logic models.
- Functioned as a community ambassador for the Pitt BioForge Coalition team and conducted research over two years on effective ways to engage the Hazelwood community through education.
- Functioned as community ambassador for the Pitt BioForge coalition team and conducted research for two years on the best methods to engage the Hazelwood community through education.
Executive Assistant
Center of Life
Pittsburgh, PA
04.2019 - 08.2022
- Supported the executive director in executing the mission and vision of a growing community empowerment organization.
- Advanced mission and vision work by partnering closely with the executive director at a growing community empowerment organization.
- Assisted with planning organization-wide events and internal meetings, including board development and strategic planning sessions.
- Directed planning for organization-wide events and internal meetings, including board development and strategic planning sessions.
- Delivered organization-wide event and meeting planning for board development sessions, strategic planning, and internal gatherings.
- Set schedules and agendas for all board and management team meetings.
- Maintained board and management team calendars by setting meeting schedules and agendas.
- Coordinated logistics for community-wide events, including COVID-19 vaccination event and annual turkey giveaway, enhancing community outreach and participation.
- Led coordination for community-wide events, including COVID-19 vaccination event and annual turkey giveaway.
- Launched emerging social justice resource center through webinar coordination, social justice research, and intern recruitment and supervision, expanding organizational capacity for advocacy.
- Established emerging social justice resource center through webinar coordination, research on social justice efforts and leaders, and intern recruitment and supervision.
- Built and maintained partnerships with Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pittsburgh, and Pittsburgh Public Schools.
- Developed and sustained partnerships with Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pittsburgh, and Pittsburgh Public Schools.
- Strengthened partnerships with Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pittsburgh, and Pittsburgh Public Schools.
- Managed organization-wide spending, cash donations, reimbursements, and financial reporting to ensure compliance with financial policies.
- Produced accurate spending, cash donation, reimbursement, tracking, and reporting records for organization-wide financial activity.
- Assisted the director of finance and administration with ongoing financial compliance and annual financial audit preparation.
- Partnered with the director of finance and administration on financial compliance activities and annual financial audit support.
- Oversaw organization-wide spending, cash donations, reimbursements, tracking, and reporting in alignment with direction from the director of finance and administration.
- Supported financial compliance and annual audit readiness for director of finance and administration.
- Scheduled, attended, recorded, and distributed minutes for all executive-level meetings.
- Coordinated all executive-level meetings through scheduling, attendance tracking, minute taking, and distribution.
- Completed executive-level meeting administration through scheduling, attendance, minutes, and distribution of meeting records.
- Completed executive-level meeting administration through scheduling, attendance, minutes, and distribution of meeting records.
Assistant Academic Coordinator
Center of Life
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
09.2012 - 05.2018
- Supported development of age-appropriate academic curricula for 100+ K-12 students in after-school and summer camp settings.
- Maintained comprehensive records of attendance, behavior, and academic progress, organizing materials to support student learning.
- Prepared student reports covering behavioral and academic information, plus progress updates.
- Oversaw administrative program responsibilities, handled budgeting, personnel, conflict resolution, and partner communications.
- Monitored and managed annual budget of over $100,000, ensuring accurate record-keeping and financial accountability.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Behavioral Sciences
Point Park University
Pittsburgh, PA05-2018
Skills
- Organizational Leadership & Operations: Strategic Planning, Operations Management, Programmatic Infrastructure, Budgeting & Financial Oversight ($31M Budget), Personnel Supervision & Evaluation
- Community Engagement & Advocacy: Strategic Partnerships, Public Policy Alignment, Cross-Sector Collaboration, Stakeholder Relations, Event Planning & Management (200–300 attendees)
- Program Development & Quality Control: Curriculum Design, Data Analytics & Outcomes Assessment, Quality Improvement, Institutional Document Management
- Technical Proficiency: Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, iOS, Independent Research
Affiliations
- Secretary on the Executive Committee of the Greater Hazelwood Community Collaborative
Timeline
Director of Programs
Center of Life
08.2022 - Current
Executive Assistant
Center of Life
04.2019 - 08.2022
Assistant Academic Coordinator
Center of Life
09.2012 - 05.2018
Bachelor of Arts - Behavioral Sciences
Point Park University