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Mainstay Life Services
RCPA Member Mainstay Life Services Appoints Christina Graves as Chief Program Officer
December 18, 2023 (PITTSBURGH, PA) – Mainstay Life Services, a nonprofit organization that provides life-long, high-quality support services for people with intellectual disabilities and autism (ID/A), welcomes new Chief Program Officer (CPO) Christina Graves.
“Christina’s data-driven planning and implementation expertise, along with her proven organizational leadership skills, make her a great addition to the Mainstay team,” said Kim Sonafelt, Mainstay Life Services Chief Executive Officer. “Her ability to bring a vision to life will play a key role in Mainstay’s growth as we continue to develop expanded programming in 2024, and beyond.”
As CPO, Graves serves as a critical member of the Executive Leadership Team, cultivating a future of innovation in programs and services offered by Mainstay. Graves is responsible for the continuous development and management of Mainstay’s program efficiency, top-tier quality service delivery, and fiscal accountability, including establishing and enhancing systems and processes for data management, reporting, program outcomes, utilization, and case management. In this role, Graves will oversee the evaluation plan for all programs and services, ensuring Mainstay anticipates and effectively responds to changing needs of persons served, families, payors, and other stakeholders. Graves will also provide executive leadership for legal, compliance and regulatory matters.
“I’m thrilled to join an organization that places such value on inclusion and empowerment,” said Graves. “I’m eager to bring my skill set to ensure that each day at Mainstay we contribute meaningfully to our community. Together, we will help people build their best lives.”
Graves comes to Mainstay with an extensive career in public sector and non-profit program improvement and policy management. Most recently, she served at Allegheny County Department of Human Services’ Office of Analytics, Technology and Planning as the Senior Manager of Behavioral Health Planning. Utilizing leadership skills with strong grounding in evidence-based decision making, her efforts helped to enact a large-scale change initiative, restructuring Allegheny County’s operating model and allocating millions of dollars to Medicaid-funded behavioral health programs.
When living in New York, Christina worked for the NYC Department of Education in a number of roles including Supervising Attorney, Senior Advisor, Strategy & Policy, and Executive Director, Strategic Planning & Transition Management. As Executive Director, she managed a change initiative that merged the overlapping functions of two city agencies into a single unified organization providing program and social services for families with children up to age five, including Head Start, federal childcare, and state-funded pre-kindergarten.
Graves earned her Juris Doctor from Northeastern University. Additionally, she has a Bachelor of Arts from Oberlin College.
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About Mainstay Life Services
Mainstay Life Services is a nonprofit organization providing residential services, community services, clinical and behavioral supports, and employment services for people with intellectual disabilities and autism (ID/A) and their families. We are committed to assisting the people we support to reach their fullest potential within their community.
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RCPA Member Mainstay Life Services Appoints Willette Walker as New CHCO
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Miranda Brazinski
570-709-4655
August 1, 2022 (PITTSBURGH, PA) — Mainstay Life Services, a nonprofit organization that provides life-long, high-quality support services to people with developmental disabilities, is pleased to welcome Willette Walker as its first-ever Chief Human Capital Officer (CHCO).
“I’m honored to begin this new chapter of my career with Mainstay,” said Walker. “To ensure Mainstay’s services continue to exceed the needs of those supported, I hope to cultivate an even stronger work environment for our employees so that they are inspired to continue our mission as their best selves.” In her role, Walker will support the organization’s strategic human capital initiatives as a multifaceted leader through organizational development, employee relations, talent strategy, and strategic business partnering.
Walker comes to Mainstay with over 25 years of leadership experience in human resources and organizational development. Most recently, Walker served as EVP of Human Resources at A Second Chance, Inc., where she provided leadership and oversight over the full spectrum of the organization’s human resource functions. In addition to Walker’s previous experience, she spent six years as an educator with Pittsburgh Public Schools where she developed and implemented lesson plans designed to facilitate student learning.
“Willette’s experience will prove a strong asset for our organization’s growth,” said Kim Sonafelt, Mainstay Life Services Chief Executive Officer. “She has a heart for leading and educating others, which seamlessly supports Mainstay’s mission to ensure those we support live fulfilling lives.”
Walker received her bachelor’s degree in political science from Wilberforce University, her JD degree from Duquesne University School of Law, and her master’s degree in teaching from the University of Pittsburgh.
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About Mainstay Life Services
Mainstay Life Services is a nonprofit organization providing residential services, community services, and other supports to people with developmental disabilities and their families. We are committed to assisting the people we support to reach their fullest potential within their community.
RCPA Member Mainstay Life Services Raises Record-Breaking Funds at the 15th Annual Charlie Ross Memorial Charity Golf Outing
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Miranda Brazinski
570-709-4655
July 26, 2022 (PITTSBURGH, PA) — Mainstay Life Services, a nonprofit organization that provides life-long, high-quality support services for people with intellectual disabilities and autism, hosted its 15th Annual Charlie Ross Memorial Charity Golf Outing on June 27, 2022, at the Club at Nevillewood in Presto, Pennsylvania.
The event, which raises funds to help the people supported by Mainstay to live their best life, featured a field of 138 golfers and raised a record-breaking $172,395. Numerous sponsors contributed to this year’s success, including Hefren-Tillotson: The ERA Group / Baird, enkompas Technology Solutions, UPMC Health Plan, BBL Fleet, Microsoft, and Neishloss & Fleming, LLC.
View the 2022 Golf Outing Digital Program Book and photo gallery.
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About Mainstay Life Services
Mainstay Life Services is a nonprofit organization providing residential services, community services, and other supports to people with intellectual disabilities and autism and their families throughout Southwestern Pennsylvania. We are committed to assisting the people we support to reach their fullest potential within their community.