NeighborWorks America selects CHIP President and CEO Seana O’Shaughnessy for NeighborWorks Achieving Excellence Program, in collaboration with Harvard University
For Immediate Release
5/5/2025
Contact: Alondra Adame, (530) 891-6931 x2003, aadame@chiphousing.org
NeighborWorks America selects CHIP President and CEO Seana O’Shaughnessy for NeighborWorks Achieving Excellence Program, in collaboration with Harvard University
Program offers leaders tools and support to advance organization’s performance and capacity
Chico, CA —NeighborWorks America is proud to announce that Seana O’Shaughnessy, President and CEO of Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP) in Chico, CA, is one of 50 leaders selected for the NeighborWorks Achieving Excellence Program, conducted in collaboration with the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
The NeighborWorks Achieving Excellence Program is a 16-month program that equips executives with the skills to advance their organization’s performance. Each participant identifies and clearly defines a specific challenge or opportunity critical to their organization’s success then spends the program addressing that challenge.
“I am truly honored to have this opportunity to participate in the 12th cohort of Achieving Excellence. I look forward to implementing the lessons learned throughout this program to support CHIP’s growth and ability to provide more essential housing for our region,” said O’Shaughnessy.
The only comprehensive training of its kind, Achieving Excellence includes three formal sessions at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, as well as executive coaching and structured peer learning. The first session at Harvard University took place the week of March 31, with additional sessions planned for October 2025 and April 2026 plus multiple peer group meetings and a graduation. Between sessions, participants actively work on clearly defined goals critical to their organization’s success and work closely with their executive coach and peer group.
“Never has it been more important to have a program like Achieving Excellence,” said Christina Deady, senior director of leadership and workforce development at NeighborWorks America. “Addressing housing challenges requires collective effort. This program highlights how NeighborWorks America engages with public and private sector partners to drive investment and innovation in affordable housing organizations that generate measurable economic benefits for families and communities alike.
“Strong, resilient and adaptive nonprofit organizations are essential to the successful development of affordable housing and broader economic development. Achieving Excellence equips leaders with the tools to build stronger organizations, more engaged and results-oriented staff and board members working to achieve even greater impact in their communities. This not only affects the organizations and communities but also results in a stronger pipeline of energized leaders throughout the nonprofit sector,” said Deady.
Achieving Excellence has graduated more than 500 executive directors, CEOs and other senior leaders since the program began in 2002, with astounding results from each class. Independent evaluations have shown tremendous results for organizations that have participated in this program.
In recent cohorts, 100% of participants indicated either significant or profound improvement in staffing, innovation, overall organizational performance and leadership development of others within the organization.
For more information about the NeighborWorks Achieving Excellence Program, go to www.neighborworks.org/ae.
About Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP)
Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP), a private non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, is dedicated to creating affordable homeownership and quality rental housing in Northern California. Serving Butte, Glenn, Tehama, Shasta, Sutter, Yuba, and Colusa counties, CHIP builds and maintains permanent housing that promotes stability, cultivates economic benefits, nurtures community, and empowers residents. CHIP's work includes constructing mutual self-help (sweat equity) homes and affordable multi-family apartment housing while providing essential education, services, and resources to residents. With over 2,850 housing units built in our seven-county service area, CHIP is widely recognized as a leader and innovator in addressing rural housing challenges.
About NeighborWorks America
For more than 45 years, Neighborhood Reinvestment Corp., a national, nonpartisan nonprofit known as NeighborWorks America, has strived to make every community a place of opportunity. Our network of excellence includes nearly 250 nonprofits in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and on Native lands. NeighborWorks offers grant funding, peer exchange, technical assistance, evaluation tools and access to best-in-class training as the nation's leading trainer of housing and community development professionals. NeighborWorks network organizations provide residents in their communities with affordable homes, owned and rented; financial counseling and coaching; community building through resident engagement; and collaboration in the areas of health, employment and education.
