ABOUT US

The principal of Write Connections, LLC is Maureen A. Ryan, a service-oriented business and education professional with more than 30 years combined experience in grant development, writing and administration working with non-profit agencies, community- and faith-based groups and for-profit companies. Maureen has raised more than $200 million in federal, state and city/county government and corporate and private foundation grants for nonprofits in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. Grants have been secured for programs and initiatives related to work in the fields of arts and culture, animal welfare, human/social services, K-12 and post-secondary education, STEM education, workforce development and career exploration, manufacturing, technology, engineering, biotechnology, energy, community and economic development, science and physical and behavioral healthcare. 

Maureen is a recognized professional for her original approach to conceptualizing and developing unique and innovative grant proposals that focus on partnerships and achievable project outcomes. Maureen earned her bachelor’s degree in Humanities from the University of Pittsburgh and her Master’s in Business Administration from Point Park University, and currently holds memberships with the Association of Fundraising Professionals –Western PA Chapter, The Grant Professionals Association, and The Foundation Center, Washington, D.C. (Platinum).  Write Connections, LLC is registered as professional fundraising counsel with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations.

Maureen takes very seriously her client relationships and has established Write Connections to be responsive, knowledgeable and flexible when working with organizations of all sizes – from small community-based groups to large national organizations. 

Dr. Jane Heiple serves as Grant Associate at Write Connections focusing on supporting partners with grant prospect research and leading efforts to counsel and coach partners on how to develop and design assessment and evaluation metrics for their programs to support improved impact and outcomes measurement.

In addition to her work with Write Connections, Dr. Heiple has owned/operated Lyceum Group LLC, a nationally certified woman-owned Pennsylvania-based workforce development and education consulting firm for the past 20 years. Her work intersects with both public education systems and private industries to ensure that the supply and demand side of human capital development is supported. Dr. Heiple has 11 years of experience in public education, serving in administrative positions at three progressive career and technical schools in Pennsylvania. Her most recent work as a Ford Next Generation Community Coach encompasses the development of k-16 education systems to provide students the opportunity to gain needed skills to meet industry demands. She also was the Executive Director of the Westmoreland County Forum for Workforce Development where she was charged with overseeing a collaborative of 16 school districts, 4 community organizations, and 5 post-secondary institutions to achieve the Forum’s goal of creating pathways for students aligned to meaningful careers in the region. During her tenure with the Forum, Dr. Heiple was instrumental in the design of the Career Hub, a web- based platform that connects schools and businesses for students to gain valuable work-based learning experiences.

Dr. Heiple previously served as the Vice President of Workforce Education and Development for the Pittsburgh Technology Council and Catalyst Connection. During her time with the Pittsburgh Technology Council and Catalyst Connection, she designed and implemented workforce education programs that encompassed an 11-county southwestern Pennnsylvania region, over 100 secondary school districts, and 40 post-secondary schools. The projects were grant-funded by federal, state, and local foundation support. In addition, Dr. Heiple has taught at both Carnegie Mellon University and The Pennsylvania State University in leadership preparation programs.

As Data Coordinator, Abreea combines her academic insights with practical data management to enhance the organizational effectiveness for Write Connections’ partners as they manage their grant strategy. Her role at Write Connections includes managing and analyzing data to support partners in decision-making processes, ensuring data accuracy and integrity across systems, and helping partners to generate reports that inform strategic direction. She plays a crucial role in optimizing data collection methods and supporting grant tracking database maintenance and updates, contributing significantly to the operational excellence of partner organizations. Abreea's skills in data visualization and her keen eye for detail help in identifying trends and making data-driven recommendations that help partners move towards growth and efficiency. Abreea is currently pursuing a degree in Marketing at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.