Brittany Ezell, PACE

Brittany Ezell is an accomplished executive assistant, administrative leader, and community advocate who serves as Executive Assistant to the President & CEO of The Pittsburgh Foundation, one of the nation’s largest community foundations. In this role, she is a trusted advisor and thought partner to the President and CEO, Executive Vice President, and Chief of Staff. Her work reaches across the organization, with Brittany frequently owning initiatives, advising leaders, or contributing insight to projects and decisions that affect the Foundation’s work.

Brittany’s responsibilities extend well beyond traditional executive support. She helps plan and facilitate executive and staff retreats, creates and implements administrative processes, supports board and executive operations, manages complex projects, coordinates high-profile events, and helps move organizational priorities from ideas to action. Because of her broad understanding of the organization and its people, she often serves as a connector among senior leaders, staff, board members, and external partners. Her ability to anticipate needs, identify challenges, improve how work gets done, and bring the right people into a conversation has made her a trusted resource throughout the Foundation.

Brittany’s career in administration began during the 2010 recession while she was in college. Looking for an opportunity to begin building her career, she accepted a temporary administrative position through a UPMC staffing program. What began as a practical decision soon developed into a passion as she discovered the variety of the profession, the opportunity to build meaningful relationships, and the satisfaction of independently leading projects. Over the next decade, she advanced through increasingly complex administrative and executive support roles across multiple departments within UPMC. Through those experiences, she built expertise in executive partnership, project management, event planning, process improvement, and organizational operations.

Brittany later completed the TALI Emerging Leaders Program at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business, further developing her leadership skills and expanding her professional network. She also earned the Professional Administrative Certification of Excellence, known as PACE, through the American Society of Administrative Professionals, reflecting her commitment to continuous learning and excellence within the administrative profession.

Beyond her role at The Pittsburgh Foundation, Brittany is deeply committed to strengthening the administrative profession and creating opportunities for others. As Co-Chair of the Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania Administrative Learning Network, she develops programming for administrative professionals across the region. She helps design educational events, facilitates peer learning sessions, produces the network’s newsletter, and creates spaces where administrative professionals can share knowledge, strengthen their skills, and build meaningful professional relationships.

Brittany also mentors women interested in entering or advancing within the administrative field through Pennsylvania Women Work, an organization that helps individuals strengthen their careers and achieve greater financial stability. Her mentorship is both practical and personal. She reviews resumes, helps mentees prepare for interviews, talks through career decisions, shares professional development opportunities, and connects women to people within her network. She also makes herself available when mentees need encouragement, perspective, or simply someone they trust to talk with as they navigate their professional journeys.

Through Dress for Success Pittsburgh, which supports women working toward employment and economic independence, Brittany volunteers with the organization’s mobile styling program. She helps set up mobile boutiques and guides clients through personalized shopping experiences, helping women select professional clothing and accessories that support their individual needs, goals, and personal style.

Brittany also uses her network to connect people and organizations around shared opportunities for service. In one such initiative, she partnered with a colleague to bring together local administrative professionals, Pennsylvania Women Work, and Dress for Success Pittsburgh for an event focused on community support and professional engagement. Brittany is leading the event, which will include an accessories and seasonal-items drive while introducing attendees to ways they can mentor women through Pennsylvania Women Work and contribute professional clothing to Dress for Success Pittsburgh. The initiative is one example of the many ways Brittany combines her relationships, leadership skills, and commitment to service to create meaningful opportunities for others.

Recognized as a 2026 New Pittsburgh Courier Fab 40 Under 40 honoree, Brittany is passionate about helping administrative professionals embrace continuous learning, use emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, and recognize their ability to contribute as strategic business partners. Across her professional and community work, she is known for bringing people together, turning ideas into action, and creating opportunities that strengthen individuals, organizations, and the broader community.