Christine Caltabiano is a Philadelphia native who believes in the future of her hometown.

 

Growing up on a close-knit street, Christine's sense of community was shaped from the beginning. The moderate home in which she was raised taught her two things, above all: work hard and use one's talents. Born into a generational family of Philadelphia educators, one of her strongest childhood memories was seeing her dad leave in his station wagon each morning, dressed in a shirt and tie to teach metal shop at Abraham Lincoln High School, before coming home in paint clothes from his second job, showing her how to clean brushes in the utility sink. Those lessons came in handy, as her parents noticed natural creative talent and interest in their daughter, subsequently enrolling her in art school at 8 years old.

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Attending a private, all-girls' high school in the suburbs provided Christine a new perspective: in addition to gaining an opportunity different than her neighborhood peers, she flourished in an environment that began watering seeds of confidence and uniqueness while preparing her for college. However, it was not lost on Christine that she left the city limits every morning on the school's single Philadelphia bus while most of her new classmates lived in the suburbs.

 

After college, Christine moved to New York, combining her passion for the arts with her developing administrative experience. She built a successful career in private wealth management as chief of staff in a boutique investment firm for global, ultra-high net worth clients. Alongside her professional life, Christine absorbed all aspects of the city's lifestyle with zeal.

 

Fifteen years later, a relocation opened the door to a new path: educational leadership. In 2023, Christine found herself on the campus of her high school alma mater once again. Hired on a one-year grant, she was tasked with developing and launching a business-oriented experiential learning program. Applying her prior experience in a new setting, Christine also saw how the young women she mentored were benefitting from the same all-girls' culture she had enjoyed as a student. She was hooked. Christine threw herself into all aspects of the school, assisting with alumnae engagement, current family relations, fundraising, and marketing and communications, learning the operations of a small, independent school.

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Christine made an intentional, life-changing decision: a firm shift to secondary education. Reflecting on her well-honed skill set and experience, Christine felt renewed purpose as her next professional chapter unfolded in a meaningful way. Christine enrolled in an educational leadership graduate school program. She also: spent time studying gaps between girls’ and boys’ education while working under school leadership at a private, all-boys' high school; successfully fundraised for the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools; consulted pro bono for another girls’ education organization; and has held school management and advancement roles to deepen her knowledge of school operations, while continuing to guest lecture and present as a panelist on both her career experience and women's leadership.

 

Her goal to open a private, girls' prep school in Philadelphia began to formulate several years ago; now, Christine is focusing her energy on it with distinct intention.

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Christine's path has not been a straight one and she leans into that fact proudly. Though she has always hustled side gigs in art, her true career is stacked in business experience: financial expertise, senior project management and organizational leadership. Her gradual arc from a young admin to chief of staff in the world's busiest financial sector is proof that she never lost those values learned as a kid: a strong work ethic and use of one's talents. And yet, Philadelphia’s spirit and her experience at an all-girls' school have always been part of her story. She had developed the resilience, confidence, and drive that carried her to New York, where the energy, challenges, and humanity of urban life deepened her perspective. Today, Christine is bringing it full-circle, determined to creatively build something truly special for the next generation of young women in her hometown.

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Christine holds a bachelor's degree in art with a minor in art history, and a master's degree in educational leadership, both from The Pennsylvania State University. As she looks ahead to doctoral programs, Christine knows one thing is certain: her thesis will be tied to empowering the young women of Philadelphia who have dreams. Because Her Dreams Deserve Action.