Community Leadership
I build communities the same way I build learning systems: intentionally, inclusively and at scale. Outside of my formal roles, I’ve led and grown initiatives focused on connection, access and advocacy, bringing together diverse stakeholders to create sustainable programs and meaningful impact.
Building and scaling a community from the ground up:
Jersey City Sapphics: Building and Scaling a Community
Context Jersey City Sapphics began as a small, informal group for queer women and sapphic-identifying people to connect locally. Early participation was limited, with no consistent structure, communication system or clear pathway for growth. The Opportunity There was a clear gap in accessible, consistent community spaces for sapphic-identifying individuals in
Dana Heimlich
Designing inclusive programming and partnerships:
Jersey City Runners: Partnerships & Inclusive Programming
Context Jersey City Runners is a community-based running group with a diverse membership across experience levels, identities and goals. While participation in group runs was strong, there was an opportunity to expand engagement beyond weekly runs and create more intentional, inclusive programming that met a wider range of member needs.
Dana Heimlich
Leading a complex, multi-stakeholder public event:
Carolina Cano Memorial 5K
Coordinating a multi-stakeholder community event across government, nonprofit and local partners. Context In 2019, Jersey City community member Carolina Cano was tragically killed while out on a run in Lincoln Park. In response, I initiated and led the organization of a memorial 5K to honor her life and bring the
Dana Heimlich
Providing support in high-trust, high-stakes environments:
Advocacy & Crisis Support: Facilitating Care in High-Stakes Environments
Providing direct support to survivors through crisis advocacy, facilitation, and community-based care. Context Over several years, I served as a trained confidential rape crisis advocate and community moderator, supporting survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence across both in-person and online environments. This work required operating in high-trust, high-stakes situations,
Dana Heimlich