This month, we have the pleasure of meeting the Executive Director of Crossroads, Esther Mellinger Stief. A bright face that always lights up the room, Esther loves to spend time in nature, especially Frick Park. But, how did our Executive Director get to this position?

In one way or another, Esther has always been connected to education. Her mother was an educator, so she often saw firsthand how important it is to students to have a support system. She would follow in her mother’s footsteps, going on to teach for 10 years. She then began to do freelancing work for various organizations, including Crossroads.

Falling in love with Crossroads’ mission statement and drive, when a part-time position was offered, she took it and never looked back. As time went on, she rose in the organization to a Program Director position, and in 2017, became the Executive Director.

"Working at a small nonprofit like Crossroads provides opportunities for getting involved in almost every part of the organization's functioning — there is always a new challenge, creative idea, or beneficial program to become engaged in. I like being able to immediately problem-solve, measure impact, and effect change; I'm never bored. But most of all, working at a small nonprofit allows me to work tangibly toward our mission every day as I interact with our scholars and see firsthand the results of the work our team does."

With everything Esther does, Crossroads could not function like it does today. It's because of people like her that non-profits can continue to thrive! Thank you, Esther!

To see more, follow us on Instagram at @crossroadspgh, and like our Facebook page, Crossroads Foundation!