Open to opportunities

Colleen Guisinger

@colleenguisinger

Message

Dynamic community relations and HR leader driving program growth and operational excellence.

United States

Message

What I'm looking for

I seek a senior leadership role to grow early childhood programs, build strategic partnerships, mentor teams, advance equity, and deliver measurable financial and operational improvements in a mission-driven organization.

I am a dynamic community relations and HR leader who has led early childhood and nonprofit programs to measurable growth and operational excellence. I have developed strategic partnerships, managed program budgets, and ensured equity and inclusion were integrated across initiatives.

I revamped onboarding and compliance processes, coached teams to complete projects on time and under budget, and generated a $75K turnaround in nonprofit earnings. I bring an action-oriented, collaborative leadership style focused on program development, staff mentorship, fundraising, and continuous improvement.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Park Ranger

Current

DuPage Forest Preserve

Jan 2023 - Present (2 years 7 months)

Serve as a forest preserve ambassador, guiding visitors, maintaining trails, and supporting on-site public safety at the DuPage Forest Preserve. Promote environmental stewardship while assisting with grounds protection and visitor education.

Public Safety Visitor Services Trail Maintenance Stewardship Community Outreach Conflict Resolution

Current

Executive Director

Current

The Gardner School

Jul 2022 - Present (3 years 1 month)

Led and implemented the strategic vision for Naperville's Office of Early Childhood, launching partnerships that expanded early childhood services and aligning programs with local schools and state agencies. Managed the overall budget and supervised program staff to drive continuous improvement while integrating equity and anti-racism into programming.

Program Development Budget Management Stakeholder Engagement Early Childhood Education Strategic Partnerships Staff Supervision Community Outreach

Current

Volunteer Coordinator

Current

Christ Church of Oak Brook

Oct 2010 - Present (14 years 10 months)

Launched and led initiatives to reduce child hunger, grow food pantry supplies, and raise community awareness, increasing engagement across schools and neighborhoods. Organized incentives and outreach campaigns to boost volunteer participation and expand support services.

Community Outreach Fundraising Program Management Advocacy Event Planning Partnership Development

Youth Development Director/HR Manager

YMCA of Metro Chicago

Sep 2020 - Jul 2022 (1 year 10 months)

Led training and development to ensure staff compliance with state regulations, achieving flawless regulatory review and reorganized onboarding/offboarding to streamline workflows and improve employee satisfaction. Coached teams and resolved employee relations issues, delivering projects on time and under budget.

Training Development Regulatory Compliance Onboarding Risk Management Employee Relations Coaching Performance Management Project Management

Human Resources Generalist

Instructional ABA Consultants

Jan 2020 - Sep 2020 (8 months)

Revamped onboarding and offboarding processes to improve efficiency and employee satisfaction and developed manager/employee training on HR policies. Implemented performance management systems with cross-functional teams, increasing productivity and engagement.

Onboarding Offboarding Training Performance Management Employee Engagement Policy Implementation Compliance Cross Functional Collaboration

Preschool Director

The Growing Place Preschool

Jun 2016 - Jan 2020 (3 years 7 months)

Designed and delivered 50+ training sessions to raise instructional quality and coaching practices and generated a $75K swing in annual nonprofit earnings (from -$12K to $60K) within two years. Led staff development and continuous improvement initiatives to enhance program outcomes.

Staff Training Curriculum Development Nonprofit Fundraising Budget Management Quality Improvement Coaching Program Management Community Engagement

Assistant Preschool Director

Christ Church of Oak Brook

Oct 2010 - May 2016 (5 years 7 months)

Led operations and process improvement initiatives, served as liaison for an enterprise-wide database compliance program, and supported senior leadership in program management. Managed funder relationships and fostered cross-program collaboration to secure and expand revenue streams.