Molly brings more than a decade of nonprofit leadership to 826CHI spanning fundraising, strategic planning, advocacy, and board development. Most recently, she served as Executive Director for multiple chapters of the National Association of Social Workers, leading programming and advocacy efforts for thousands of social work professionals across several states.
Her career has also taken her to Carnegie Hall in West Virginia, where she expanded community partnerships and strengthened fundraising, and to the Dublin Food Pantry in Ohio, where she led a full organizational rebrand and grew outreach to more than 300 families a month.
She holds a Master of Social Work from Loyola University Chicago, a post-master's certificate in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Management, a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Illinois State University, and is currently pursuing her MBA through the University of Illinois Gies College of Business.
Originally from Central Illinois, Molly is a proud Loyola alum. She's returning to our great state with a clear sense of purpose.
"I am incredibly honored to join 826CHI at such an exciting moment in its history," said Molly. "Returning home to Chicago to lead an organization that helps young people find their voices through creativity and storytelling feels deeply personal to me. I believe every young person deserves to feel seen, heard, and empowered, and I am thrilled to work alongside 826CHI's staff, board, volunteers, and community partners to help write the organization's next chapter."
Board Chair Larry Griffin echoed that excitement: "Molly's commitment to youth literacy, her ability to advance an organization's strategic goals while executing the core mission, and her strong ties to Chicago will make her a strong leader for 826CHI and the thousands of students we serve."
We also want to take a moment to honor outgoing Executive Director Aimee Strittmatter, whose leadership helped build a stronger, more resilient 826CHI. Driven by a lifelong dedication to youth literacy, Aimee plans to remain a champion for our mission, and we are deeply grateful for everything she contributed.
826CHI's next chapter is just beginning, and we couldn't ask for a better person to help write it.
Welcome, Molly. We're so glad you're here!