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Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership
Looking for your next nonprofit job? Want to lead a nonprofit organization? Dr. Patton McDowell (www.pmanonprofit.com) brings the best in nonprofit career development to each episode, helping you find the perfect nonprofit opportunity and guiding you along the path to senior leadership in the philanthropic sector. Patton brings 30 years of nonprofit leadership, coaching and consulting experience, and shares best practices for individual and organizational success based on his work with over 250 nonprofit organizations and their staff and board leaders. Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership features more than 120 interviews with nonprofit leaders and philanthropy experts, as well as deep-dive solo episodes and other special editions. Hit subscribe, and accelerate your journey on a nonprofit career path that can change your life. Learn more at: https://www.podpage.com/your-path-to-nonprofit-leadership/
Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership
345: The Trust Factor: How to Strengthen Your Strategic Leadership
345: The Trust Factor: How to Strengthen Your Strategic Leadership
SUMMARY
This episode is brought to you by TowneBank, whose ongoing support helps bring meaningful leadership conversations to nonprofit professionals across the sector. Learn more at townebank.com/nonprofitbanking. Nonprofit leaders often feel pulled in a dozen directions - responding to urgent needs, carrying the emotional weight of their missions, and struggling to find time for strategic thinking. In Episode #345 of Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, Christy Pietryga, CEO at HEARTH in Pittsburgh, PA, shares how she has intentionally built a team culture grounded in trust, humility, and shared accountability. Christy talks openly about her journey from frontline work with veterans and families experiencing homelessness into executive leadership at a young age. She explains how listening first shaped her early success, how she empowers team members to operate as strategic contributors, and how leaders can balance compassion with clear expectations. Christy also offers thoughtful insight into fundraising as an introvert, supporting staff who face trauma in their daily work, and modeling healthy self-care for the whole organization. Whether you’re an emerging leader or a seasoned CEO, Christy’s practical approach offers a roadmap for leading with clarity, empathy, and confidence.
ABOUT CHRISTY
Christy Pietryga is the CEO at HEARTH in Pittsburgh, PA, and brings a deep background in supportive services and housing for homeless families and veterans. Before joining HEARTH, she spent a decade with the Veterans Leadership Program of Western Pennsylvania, where she managed housing programs, provided direct case management, and advanced into key leadership roles during a period of significant organizational growth. In addition to her program and operations expertise, Christy has experience in communications and design, having created workbooks and materials for conferences and workshops. She holds a degree in Sociology with concentrations in Human Services and Nonprofits from Bucknell University. Today, she leads HEARTH with a blend of operational strength, empathy, and a strong commitment to cultivating a trusting, high-performing team culture.
RESOURCES
- Falling Free by Shannon Martin (Christy’s book recommendation)
- Ready for your next leadership role? Check out Armstrong McGuire
- Ready for a Mastermind? Learn more here
- Patton’s book Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership