“We are thrilled to welcome Leslie into the Executive Director role. Leslie’s deep commitment to our mission and our community, along with her experience and enthusiasm, will help us continue to grow our team and foster more ways to enhance our impact. There will be no steps lost in this transition, and we are very fortunate to have such a brilliant and compassionate leader in Leslie,” said Kevin Fitzpatrick, PCLC Board President.
Heimbaugh has been with PCLC for 13 years. In her most recent role as Assistant Director and Development Officer, she led development efforts and created opportunities for area organizations to engage with PCLC through the Corporate Sponsorship program. With her prior early experience as a tutor at PCLC and then Office Manager, she has a comprehensive understanding of operations at all levels.
In addition to her work with PCLC, Leslie has a background as a graphic designer and art director and, for many years, ran her own catering & baking business. She has an Associate Degree in Art from Antonelli Institute.
Amid discussions of PCLC’s succession planning, Heimbaugh went back to school to earn a B.S in Corporate Communications from Central Penn College. According to Heimbaugh, “It was important to me that I prove to the Board of Directors that I took the role of Executive Director seriously. I put everything into it, and getting to be the class Valedictorian was the icing on the cake!”
Heimbaugh says she is excited to dig into building awareness of PCLC’s services, focusing on sustainable growth, and extending the organization’s reach through deeper corporate partnerships. Some of her key priorities will include the community re-entry program and family literacy.
“Though I still have so much more to learn, everything I’ve done in my life has prepared me for this role. I was fortunate to have an incredible mentor in Kathy. She is so kind and infinitely compassionate to people. Watching how Kathy approaches people and what can happen when you treat people with respect truly changed my perspective. I learned through first-hand experiences that people who are struggling do not want to struggle, and I’ve never looked back.”
When asked about PCLC’s services, Leslie says, “I often find myself saying it’s faster to list what we can’t help someone with rather than what we can do.” PCLC helps residents who are motivated to change their lives by providing educational programs, in-house childcare, and assistance securing photo IDs, social security cards, birth certificates, cell phones, food, housing, and door-to-door transportation. PCLC also coordinates with other program partners to provide a wide range of services from their office in Newport, PA.
About PCLC
Serving over 100 Perry County residents each year, the Perry County Literacy Council (PCLC) has been moving people from dependency to self-sufficiency for over 30 years. PCLC provides a one-stop site in Newport where Adult Education and CareerLink® partners are accessible at a single point of contact. Motivated youth and adults enter with few resources. They exit with the skills and credentials that they need to become self-sufficient workers, family members, consumers, and citizens.
