About Danya Pastuszek (she/her)

Danya is a mother, daughter, wife, sister, neighbour, community-builder, and runner—identities that have shaped her passion for belonging and financial inclusion in community. Her career has also included refugee resettlement and criminal justice reform.

She spent a decade with the Promise Partnership of Salt Lake, co-designing school, neighbourhood, city, and regional partnerships advancing work on financial inclusion. From 2022 to 2024, she served as Co-CEO of the Tamarack Institute, an inaugural Schwab Foundation Collective Social Innovation Awardee, before being appointed President & CEO in December 2024.

Danya is a published author whose work has appeared in the National Observer, Social Innovation Journal, and World Economic Forum. She is also a lifelong learner and holds an MBA, an MA in Psychology, and certifications in Systems Change, AI Stewardship, and Centering Equity in Climate Action. She is recognized as Utah Business Magazine’s CxO of the Year (2021). She is proud to serve on the advisory board for the Canadian Centre for Nonprofit Digital Resiliency and the board of Future of Good.

Danya is a requested speaker, moderator, and podcast guest who brings warmth to conversations on economic mobility, belonging, and the role of community in systems change.

Speaking & Advisory Expertise: 

• Data strategy & collaborative improvement

• Alignment across local, regional, and national scales

• Place-based approaches

• Community engagement

• Strategic planning

• Resourcing collective work

Want to book Danya?  Complete our booking form and select "speaking engagement" as your nature of request.