Anette Nance (30)
Director of Partnerships for Family Support, University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development

Anette Nance is focused on meeting the needs of people in her community. Her efforts focus on two food-distribution programs in the West End: the Esplen-based Sons of God Ministry and her own organization, S.O.U.L.: Saving Others Under Love.

“I think that some people get caught up in trying to do fancy marketing,” she says. “You have to do it old-school — hand out flyers, have signs, talk to people in the community.”

That philosophy carries over to her day job as Director of Partnership for Family Support at the University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development, which combines community assistance with professional development and technical assistance for 27 family centers throughout Allegheny County. An eight-year veteran of the Marine Corps, Nance is currently pursuing a doctorate in community engagement at Point Park University.

“It’s not just about child welfare. We dig deep into the program development,” she explains. “To really solve a problem, you have to see what’s going on internally.”