Dreams Realized: Natalie’s Story
Lancaster County has always been home to Natalie Ortiz.
She grew up in the county, attended local Hempfield High School, and began her career supporting young children in early childhood programs in Lancaster.
Now, she’s returned to the community that shaped her—this time in a leadership role—helping families build brighter futures as Family Success Manager at Catherine Hershey School for Early Learning (CHS), New Danville, opening in summer 2026.
Her journey represents both professional and personal milestones, a culmination of achieving career growth and championing a century-long dream of making an impact in the lives of children and families.
A Growing Passion
Natalie’s passion for working with children began early on in her career. She spent years in early childhood education, working as a Lead Infant Teacher for over 11 years and then a Lead Toddler Teacher for nearly six years at Early Childhood Education Centers (ECECs) in Pennsylvania.
Through that work, she began to see the broader challenges families often faced and felt a calling to that field of work.
“I saw families who needed more support,” she said. “That inspired me to want to do more, not just for the children, but for the entire family.”
While continuing to work, she earned her bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies from Penn State University in 2019. Her education expanded her understanding of how to partner with families and connect them with resources to help them reach their goals.
Her work as a Lead Family Advocate at Milagro House in Lancaster, supporting women and children experiencing homelessness, further strengthened her commitment to family-centered support.
Together, those experiences helped shape the path that would eventually lead her to CHS.
Finding a Dream Role at CHS
Natalie first discovered CHS while searching for opportunities that combined her background in early childhood education and family support. The Family Success Advocate (FSA) role at CHS Hershey immediately stood out.
“It felt like the perfect mix of everything I had done,” she said. “It felt like a dream job.”
CHS implements a family success approach, which aims to build safe, strong, financially stable homes for CHS children and their families through comprehensive support services in addition to what children receive in the classroom.
As an FSA, Natalie partnered directly with families, helping them set goals, navigate challenges, and access resources. She built relationships rooted in trust, encouragement, and collaboration.
She witnessed firsthand the impact of walking alongside families as they achieved milestones that once felt out of reach and the impact it could have on their children.
“Families would come back and share their successes, like getting a full-time job or reaching a personal goal,” she said. “Being able to celebrate those moments with them is incredibly meaningful.”
Serving as an FSA provided Natalie with a deep understanding of the role and its importance within the CHS model. She learned the day-to-day realities of supporting families and built the skills needed to do so effectively, allowing her to dream about a leadership role.
“Being an FSA gave me firsthand insight into the role,” she said. “That experience allows me to better support and train my team now, because I understand what the work truly involves.”
Returning to Her Roots
When Natalie first joined CHS Hershey in September 2022, roughly a year before it opened, she didn’t yet know the organization would expand into Lancaster County. She learned CHS would open a Center in New Danville, the first location in the county, and knew she wanted to be part of it.
“I knew I wanted to come back to Lancaster County,” she said. “This is my home, and being able to serve families here means so much to me.”
She joined the CHS New Danville leadership team as Family Success Manager in May 2025 and began building her team during the Center’s innovative, fully paid professional development onboarding period in preparation for opening this summer.
Building Brighter Futures
Natalie’s transition from Family Success Advocate to Family Success Manager reflects both her dedication and the opportunities for growth she found at CHS.
Her time as an advocate helped her develop essential skills in communication, coaching, and relationship-building, which she now uses to lead and mentor her team.
“CHS has always been very supportive of professional growth,” she said. “Even as an FSA, you’re encouraged to develop your skills, share ideas, and contribute.”
As CHS New Danville is preparing to open, Natalie is now leading and mentoring her team to create a foundation of support that will serve families for years to come.
Looking ahead, Natalie hopes to continue advancing her education and leadership skills, further strengthening her ability to support both her team and the families they serve.
By returning home and helping families build brighter futures, she is not only continuing her own dream, but helping others realize theirs as well.
Dreams Realized series: As the 2025-26 CHS school-year theme “One Team, One Dream” was launched in August, stories will be shared throughout the year showcasing members of the CHS community following—and realizing—their dreams. Vol. 1: Dil’s Story, Vol. 2: Lily’s Story, Vol. 3: Luna’s Story, Vol. 4: Xavier’s Story, Vol. 5: Hilary’s Story, Vol. 6: Kayla’s Story, Vol. 7: Natalie’s Story.
