Kathleen Hallissey, Program Director for Leadership Development, Cleveland Foundation Kathleen Hallissey (Kathy) is currently the Program Director for Leadership Development at the Cleveland Foundation where she has responsibility for its leadership programs including the Foundation’s summer internship program, the Public Service Fellowship program and the Encore Cleveland Initiative which focuses on tapping into the time, energy and talents of experienced Clevelanders to solve community challenges and fill unmet needs. She also oversees grantmaking and provides leadership in the aging and early learning sectors.  She joined The Cleveland Foundation in August 2005 as a program officer, focusing on education and health, human services grants, and strengthening nonprofit organizations across Greater Cleveland.  She was promoted to Director of Community Responsive Grantmaking where she worked with a team of program officers to align grantmaking with the needs of the community and the foundation’s priorities.

Previously, Kathy served as a management consultant to the Head Start community working on special projects such as the grantee monitoring system, data analysis and the development of training and technical assistance materials.  She served as a program analyst in the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington, DC, focusing on programs and policies impacting children, youth and families specifically Head Start and Early Head Start.  She began her career in the federal government as a Presidential Management Fellow.  This two-year program was designed to build excellence in the public sector.  During her fellowship she completed key projects in legislative affairs, planning and evaluation, and program implementation.  

Kathy earned a Master of Public Administration from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a Bachelor of Arts cum laude from Drew University in New Jersey. 

Contact Kathy here.   ]