Chief Talent Officer Maria Dejesus Retiring after 30 Years

Maria DeJesus, former Chief Talent Officer at Grand St. Settlement, will be retiring this June after 30 years of dedication to Grand St. Settlement. Maria is consulting our new Chief Talent Officer Luis Almonte as he follows her footsteps leading Grand Street's human resources and payroll functions.

Maria's time at Grand Street is inspiring. Maria got her start as an Executive Assistant and worked her way up the organizational ladder, all while earning her MBA and supporting her family as a devoted grandmother. Maria guided Grand Street's historic growth over the past decade as Chief Talent Officer. Our most recent Head Start expansion means we will soon employ over 600 full and part-time staff - more than doubling our workforce. 

During her tenure, Maria and her team created one of the most comprehensive benefits packages available to nonprofit social services employees in New York City, all while maintaining low-costs for staff. In fact, staff have not seen an increase in insurance cost in eight years - a remarkable and impactful accomplishment. Other successes include the digitization of our HR operations, launch of annual staff scholarships, and much more.

In her personal life, Maria is a proud grandmother and though we'll miss her smile and calming demeanor around the Settlement, we know her family is thrilled to spend more time with her.

Thank you Maria for all you've done to support every staff member who has walked through our doors for 30 years. We can't express our appreciation enough and look forward to hearing about the adventures you'll enjoy during retirement.