Suzanne Thibeault Email & Phone Number

Naperville, Illinois, United States

Families Helping Families provides housing, mentoring, and other critical resources to families experiencing homelessness in DuPage County, IL. Our unique service model integrates volunteer mentoring with professional services and emphasizes the principles of trauma-informed care. We are profoundly grateful to our community for generously supporting this life-changing work for 30 years.

Greater Chicago Area

Experienced leader with 10+ years in the nonprofit sector providing strategic vision and direction. Volunteer management, coordination, and training are my specialties and my passion. Extensive experience in all aspects of program management including strategic planning, program design and best practices adherence, transition to systems database (CRM), budget management and costs containment, community outreach and relationship stewardship.

Wheaton, Illinois, United States

Glen Ellyn, Il

Named one of the best charities in Chicagoland by Chicago magazine, Bridge Communities is a comprehensive holistic program which provides housing, mentoring, and other resources to families experiencing homelessness. In my role as Director of Transitional Housing, I served as the primary leader of the Transitional Housing Program, connecting clients, staff, and volunteers. I have extensive experience in all aspects of program management including strategic vision development and execution; program design and best practices adherence; transition and implementation to systems database (CRM); budget management and costs containment; volunteer recruitment, and community outreach and customer relationship stewardship.• Managed $200,000 family assistance budget and in-kind donations of over $500,000• Developed trainings for hundreds of volunteers; successfully pivoted to online delivery in 2020• During pandemic, increased families supported by agency partners by over 20%• Generated excellent relationships with over 50 partner organizations• Managed team through CRM transition from HMIS to Salesforce

Glen Ellyn, Il

Hired, onboarded, and supervised the case management department including hiring the first program graduate to be brought on as staff. I improved team KPIs while also creating team cohesion. My relationship building with a national mortgage lender resulted in over 30% of formerly homeless families exiting the transitional housing program as homeowners.

Glen Ellyn, Il

• Secured startup funds and $100,000 in ongoing funding for unique nutrition program for families facing homeless• Developed content strategy, managed implementation• Recruited experts to develop curriculum and provide services pro bono• Converted services into successful agency program stream which is a cornerstone for successful grant applications, fundraising efforts, and high-response social media stories

Glen Ellyn, Il

• Provided direction to and collaborated with over 50 volunteer mentors working with transitional housing program families• Led over 90% of clients to successful outcomes (industry average is ~53%)• Coordinated internal and external service referrals based on ongoing needs assessments • Maintained confidential files and case notes for caseload of up to 23 families• Obtained certification to work with survivors of domestic violence

Greater Chicago Area

Published a blog in the Community section of the Chicago Tribune called "The 500 Things Project," during which I chronicled giving away one possession a day for 500 days.

Graduate Studies, Nutrition Sciences

B.A., English

Activities and Societies: Lambda Iota Tau, Drama, Dance

Doctoral Studies In English