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.

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 has served as President of the Rotary Club of Connellsville and is also a member of several area chambers of commerce.

Mary was involved in the initial expansion of The Challenge Program in West Virginia. Currently, she works with schools and businesses in Bradford, Fayette, Greene, and Washington counties in Pennsylvania.

Connect with Mary on LinkedIn!

Melissa M. Firman
Manager of Program Development

Originally from Philadelphia, Melissa earned her B.A. in English/Communications from Cabrini College in Radnor, Pa. Since then, her 20 years in nonprofit development and public relations has been focused on creating and implementing strategic, capacity-building fundraising and community relations initiatives designed to raise funds to positively impact the lives of students, children and adults with disabilities, women and girls in need, and survivors of abuse. Melissa has directed and led fundraising efforts for the American Cancer Society's Philadelphia Division, United Way of South Eastern Pennsylvania, Gwynedd-Mercy College, Woods Services, The Bucks County Women's Fund (where she served as the foundation's first Executive Director), and Laurel House, one of Pennsylvania's largest and most comprehensive domestic violence programs.

Melissa has spoken about and conducted workshops on social media strategy and content development, essential writing skills for fundraising professionals, planning and managing special events, and volunteer management. She has mentored new fundraisers through the comprehensive Mentor Program of the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Philadelphia Chapter. In 2009, Melissa was named as among 16 women selected as Visionary Leadership Fellows in the Valentine Foundation's CLEAR (Cultivating Leadership, Excellence, and Responsibility) Circle program at LaSalle University.

As manager of Program Development, Melissa currently works with The Challenge Program's school and business partners that are located in Ohio's Columbiana and Jefferson Counties, as well as the western/central Pennsylvania counties of Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Crawford, Indiana and Mercer. She can be reached at firmanm@tcpinc.org

Susan Carleton
Manager of Program Development

After studying French Literature at Washington College and the American College of Switzerland, Susan's first career was in library service. As a supervisor in public and academic libraries in Maryland, she often mentored high school students in their first job, and volunteered as a literacy tutor for her local schools. While living in Baltimore, she served on the board of the Railroad Historical District Corporation as it created the Irish Shrine at Lemmon Street, and was a member of the Ladies' Ancient Order of Hibernians.

In 1999 her family moved to Ireland, where she raised three children, two with autism, and remained active in community service. As the Secretary of her regional Carers' Group, she campaigned for family caregivers and traveled to Brussels to speak before a committee of the European Parliment. Later she served as the group's Public Relations Officer, working with local and national media on its behalf.

During her years abroad, Susan also joined Mensa, serving as its 'LocSec' in the northwest region, and in 2008 was awarded a Bursary Award in Literature from the Arts Council of Ireland for her fiction. As a published writer with a successful blog, she was invited to serve as a panelist for a Digital Publishing Seminar hosted by Childrens' Books Ireland in 2009.

In 2010 Susan returned to Clarksburg, West Virginia, and discovered the Challenge Program. As Manager of Program Development, she works with businesses and schools statewide, and can be reached at carletons@tcpinc.org.