The spirit of TCP is embodied in our staff, in their attitudes toward the students, educators, community leaders, and business ambassadors, and in the way in which their work to achieve the program's goals. The staff is an experienced group of talented professionals, each dedicated to the program and its mission.

Barbara A. Grandinetti
Executive Director

Prior to joining The Challenge Program, Ms. Grandinetti was Vice President of Special Projects for Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust in Philadelphia, PA heading the transition team in the acquisition of a $1 billion dollar company.

Barbara spent 32 years at Crown American, a shopping mall developer and later a Real Estate Investment Trust Company. She became the first woman Vice President of the company in 1986. In 1999, she was recognized by Shopping Center Business Magazine as one of the top women executives in the shopping mall industry.

In 2003, while leasing space in the Crown American Building to MTS Technologies, Inc., she met Dan Perkins. Barbara served on the school board at a local high school and Mr. Perkins expressed his interest in providing an incentive to excel to high school students as well as giving back to his hometown community.

A pilot program was created at Bishop McCort High School for the 2003-2004 school year. Because of the accomplishments during our pilot year, The Challenge Program is now recognized as a Non-Profit Organization 50l(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code with contributions to the program being deductible under Section 170 of the Code. Barbara holds the position of Executive Director of the program.

Connect with Barb on LinkedIn!

Karen Robatin
Director of Finance

After earning a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Karen spent over 12 years with Beckwith Machinery Company and its spin-off company PennWest Industrial Trucks, LLC located just east of Pittsburgh. Karen worked in several areas of accounting and operations for the company. She was promoted to Controller in 2000. In 2005, the company was sold and she played a key role in coordinating the set up of a new spin-off organization.

Karen continued her education while working by earning her Master’s of Business Administration from Robert Morris University. She also attained her Certification as a Management Accountant and is an active member of the Institute of Management Accountants.

Attributing education as a driving force for her professional success, Karen is active in teaching weekend community college courses in accounting and business and she is also trained in teaching distance learning classes online.

Karen is a native of Johnstown and graduate of Bishop McCort High School, the first school that was awarded incentives through The Challenge Program.

Renee Shaw
Director of Program Development

Renee joined The Challenge Program in March, 2007, and will be working with schools and businesses in Blair, Cambria, Somerset, Armstrong, Indiana, and Westmoreland, among others.

Most recently, Renee served as the Director of Corporate and Special Events for Crown American/Pasquerilla Enterprises in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Prior to working at Crown she was the Marketing/Communications Director for an insurance brokerage firm.

Over the past seventeen years, her work has taken her across the globe; working for the Chinese government coordinating and designing multilingual communications programs, producing television commercials in Japan, and teaching courses focused on Marketing, Advertising, Public Speaking, Public/Media Relations and Communications Theory to Europeans in Hungary, The Czech Republic, and Croatia.

Born in Michigan, Renee was educated in Western Pennsylvania and considers Pennsylvania her home. A graduate of The University of Pittsburgh, she holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and a Masters degree in Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, in Communications Media.

Mary Dreliszak
Senior Manager of Program Development

Mary earned her bachelor’s degree in Communications from Carlow College and began her career as executive assistant to Dan Rooney, president of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Since then, Mary has held leadership roles in public relations and development in educational, corporate, and non-profit settings. Her experience includes serving as Development Director for Geibel Catholic High School, Community Relations Director for Health First Medical Center, Territory Consultant for Dairy Queen of Southwest PA, and as an independent healthcare public relations consultant.

Active in her community, Mary is member of the Rotary Club of Connellsville, where she has served as president and is also a member of several area chambers of commerce.

Mary works with schools and businesses in Allegheny, Washington, Fayette, and Greene counties in Pennsylvania. She additionally is engaged with schools and businesses in Marshall and Wetzel counties in West Virginia.

Connect with Mary on LinkedIn!

Sarah Hollis
Office Coordinator

Sarah graduated from Forest Hills High School in June of 2003 with honors and in the top 5% of her class. During high school, she belonged to the National Spanish Honor Society, Jaycees/Jaycettes, and both concert and marching bands. She also had the privilege to earn a spot in the Who’s Who Among American High School Students and to be Secretary for the concert and marching bands in her Senior year.

Following her high school career, she enrolled in Cambria-Rowe Business College, where she majored in Business Management and Computer Applications. She graduated from there in the Spring of 2005 with an Associates Degree in Specialized Business.

While in college, Ms. Hollis worked at Giant Eagle located in Ebensburg, PA as both a Customer Service Clerk and a Cashier shortly after graduating. This is where she stayed until being hired at The Challenge Program, Inc. in October of 2005.

She is currently working as the Office Coordinator for The Challenge Program, Inc.

Diana Kabo
Administrative Assistant

Diana joined The Challenge Program in January, 2007, as an administrative assistant.

She previously worked in several capacities within Crown American, a former shopping mall and hotel developer and management company. During that time Diana also served as Executive Assistant to the Mayor of the City of Johnstown for 8 years. Prior to that Diana was the Office Manager in the Johnstown office of IDS Financial Services (predecessor of American Express).

Active in her community, for the past eight years Diana has volunteered her time serving as Board Secretary of the Sandyvale Cemetery Association, Inc., an organization working to preserve and establish a Memorial Botanical Garden at the site of a historic pioneer cemetery in downtown Johnstown. She also served on the Board of St. Benedict’s Parish Council and as President and Secretary for St. Benedict’s Home School Association.

Diana is a 1970 graduate of Cambria-Rowe Business College. She received a Legal Secretarial Diploma as well as an Associate in Specialized Business Degree as an Executive Assistant.

She is excited to be part of the Challenge Program and its activities in mentoring students to stay within the job force in this region.