After ten years of founding and leading Hello Neighbor, I have decided to step down as CEO at the end of 2026.

When Hello Neighbor began, the idea was both simple and ambitious: create a community where refugees and immigrants were not only welcomed but known, where relationships, belonging, and mutual support could change what welcoming and belonging looked like in Pittsburgh.

Over the years, that idea grew.

It grew because staff brought expertise and heart. Because families trusted us. Because volunteers showed up. Because donors and funders invested. Because public officials, employers, schools, health systems, community organizations, and partners chose collaboration over working alone. And because our Board continued to believe that Hello Neighbor could grow without losing the human relationships at the center of the work.

I am incredibly proud of what we have built together. I am also proud that Hello Neighbor today is an organization with strong leadership, deep community relationships, and a clear mission that extends far beyond its founder. That is what makes this feel like the right time for a transition.

I will remain CEO through the end of the year and will work closely with the organization and Board as transition planning continues. I get to be Founder forever and will continue to fiercely and proudly advocate for Hello Neighbor and our newest neighbors. Looking ahead to 2027, I plan to take a real period of rest and reflection before deciding what comes next.

There will be more to share in the months ahead, and there will certainly be opportunities for us to celebrate this remarkable chapter together.

For now, I want to say thank you. To everyone and all of the caring neighbors who have been part of Hello Neighbor’s story, I am profoundly grateful.

Sloane Davidson

Founder and CEO

Hello Neighbor