Leadership

Tim Baack, MS, LPC

President & CEO

Tim Baack (he/him) MS, LPC is the President and CEO of Pathfinders. A state-licensed professional counselor, Tim has been with the agency since 1988 and has worked in a variety of capacities prior to his becoming President & CEO in 2013. During his tenure with Pathfinders, he has provided key leadership regarding the organization’s operations, administration, budgeting, program development and human resources.

A strong advocate on behalf of disadvantaged youth and families, Tim served for over 15 years as Board President of the Wisconsin Association for Homeless and Runaway Services, a statewide membership organization that promotes best practice standards and positive youth development methods on behalf of runaway and homeless youth serving agencies. Tim was appointed by the State of Wisconsin to serve as a member of the Core Advisory Committee for the PATHS to Success Project, a statewide initiative that seeks to reduce homelessness amongst youth aging out of foster care. He also serves by appointment on both the Wisconsin Youth Justice Advisory Council and the Wisconsin Anti-Human Trafficking Advisory Council.

Tim is a member of the Board of Directors for Milwaukee County’s Continuum of Care, a broad coalition working to end homelessness in Milwaukee. Tim also has served on the City of Milwaukee Mayor’s Violence Prevention Task Force. In 2012, Tim received national recognition by President Obama as one of thirteen Champions of Change for his work on youth and young adult homelessness issues.

Renee Kirnberger

Senior Vice President of Development & Communications

Renee Kirnberger (she/her) has more than 20 years of experience in public relations, marketing, fundraising and nonprofit management. As Senior Vice President of Development & Communications, she directs Pathfinders’ philanthropic initiatives and implements strategies to increase the organization’s recognition in the community. Renee brings her expertise in these areas to Pathfinders from her previous roles as Interim President of the Cream City Foundation, Public Affairs Manager at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino and Director of Communications at Make-A-Wish America.

Renee has served on the Professional Dimensions Board, Menomonee Valley Partners’ Board, Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling Board, Cream City Foundation Board, the YWCA’s Community Workforce Readiness Initiative work group and the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce Leadership Council. Renee is an active member of Professional Dimensions and TEMPO Milwaukee.

Marty Alba

Senior Vice President of Finance & Operations

Marty Alba (he/him) is a finance and operations professional with 20+ years of management and leadership experience. He is Lean Six Sigma certified and has considerable expertise in process improvement with strong adherence to internal controls and compliance. His professional experience and leadership shows proven results in receivables, finance and collections management. His diverse skill set includes a strong finance and accounting background with additional excellent knowledge of ICD9, CPT coding, compliance, FDCPA and HIPAA and benefit administration.

DeShanda Clark, MSCP

Senior Vice President of Programs & Services

DeShanda Clark (she/her) is a seasoned social work professional who draws from her experiences with Walker’s Point Youth Shelter, Division of Milwaukee Child Protective Services and Nia Imani Family, most recently serving as Assistant Executive Director. DeShanda has also been in a variety of roles at Pathfinders prior to her becoming Senior Vice President of Programs & Services in 2022 where she oversees all programmatic operations.

She has been a trailblazer in visioning non-traditional mental health services and supportive economic opportunities for Milwaukee youth and has demonstrated a deep commitment to keeping young people’s voices at the center of care. She has received recognition for her service by the WI Association of Child & Youth Care Professionals, Shepherd Express, and Mental Health Taskforce and is a WI LGBT Chamber of Commerce Emerging Leader. She continues to advance efforts in support of youth experiencing housing instability by serving on the Interagency Council on Homelessness.