But in reality, her goal seems to be to positively affect as many people as possible, whether through Angels' Place or another organization.

Ms. Smith Tipton, 29, is new to Pittsburgh, having moved here in June 2007. Her husband is working on his doctorate at the University of Pittsburgh, and she knew that she wanted to continue working in nonprofits when she moved North. A native of Spindale, N.C., she began her career working for the federal Head Start program.

"I knew I wanted to continue to serve low-income families, and particularly have focus in early childhood education," she said in a charming, distinctly non-Pittsburgh Southern lilt. "It seemed to be a perfect fit because Pittsburgh is such a well-known community in the nonprofit world."

Before moving to Pittsburgh, she contacted Mary Winter, the former executive director of Angels' Place, and secured a job as assistant executive director there. She moved into the executive director position less than a year after coming to Pittsburgh.

Angels' Place, a Pittsburgh-exclusive nonprofit, has centers in Brookline, Swissvale and the North Side. It aids single parents who are full-time students and live at or below poverty level by providing child care, counseling and other support.

"It's so rewarding to work at a place that's concerned with helping the community meet these needs that may otherwise go unmet," Ms. Smith Tipton said.

Ms. Smith Tipton, who went to college in Berea, Ky., and got her master's degree at the University of Kentucky, says people who work for nonprofits in Pittsburgh are much more aware of the needs of the rest of the nonprofit arena in the city.

"I think that is different than a lot of cities. You don't have that feel," she said. "I've had some really great opportunities just in my short year here."

Ms. Smith Tipton is a participant in the 2008 Forbes Fund Conversations -- a group of emerging leaders in Pittsburgh who collaborate to build partnerships among nonprofits. Quite simply, they discuss the needs of local communities and try to figure out how to meet them.

The Forbes Fund Conversations bring together 20 to 30 people who work in nonprofits in the city to talk about issues facing the nonprofit sector, according to Vivien Luk, program officer at the Forbes Fund.

The group then takes its issues to Washington, D.C., to a program called "D.C. Days." There, they discuss national issues facing Pittsburgh nonprofits with researchers, government officials, authors and nonprofit executives, specifically the relationship between government and nonprofits, Ms. Luk said. During the program in D.C., they try to "boil it down to a couple major issues," she said.

Ms. Smith Tipton said there is a "sense of excitement" among young executive directors for nonprofits in the city.

She said she's noticed a trend in Pittsburgh of executive directors meeting with one another to fill in the gaps that nonprofits might be missing.

"We have to be allies with each other," Ms. Smith Tipton said. "We're all together in this larger mission."

For more about Angels' Place, visit angelsplacepgh.org. For more about the Forbes Fund Conversations, go to forbesfund.org.