McDermott + Bull has successfully placed Chantal Bernard as Chief Development and Communications Officer at New Heights Youth. In this role, Chantal will oversee the organization’s fundraising and development strategy, leading all revenue-generating initiatives to support continued organizational growth and the goals of the Power Forward Strategic Plan. She will partner closely with executive leadership and the Board of Directors to expand donor engagement, strengthen corporate partnerships, and build sustainable philanthropic infrastructure that advances New Heights Youth’s mission and long-term impact.
Chantal brings over 15 years of fundraising, sponsorship, and nonprofit leadership experience across some of New York’s leading cultural and mission-driven organizations. Most recently, she served as Managing Director, Philanthropy at Asia Society, where she led fundraising operations, major donor strategy, and development team leadership while partnering closely with executive leadership on organizational growth initiatives. Prior to that, Chantal held senior advancement and strategic partnership leadership roles with Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York Botanical Garden, Macy’s Parade & Entertainment Group, and New York Cares. As a Brooklyn-based leader with deep ties to the nonprofit and philanthropic community, she brings both strategic fundraising expertise and a strong connection to the communities New Heights Youth serves. Chantal earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and English from Stony Brook University.
New Heights Youth is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering underserved youth through academic support, college readiness, leadership development, and sports-based programming. Through its holistic approach, the organization helps young people build the skills, confidence, and support systems needed to achieve long-term success both on and off the court.
This executive search was completed by McDermott + Bull Partner Sue Waterbury, Director Mary Plum, and Executive Recruiter Bryan Carter.