Dawn Pomaybo blazed a trail for herself using her expertise and skills in networking to help women reach their highest potential.

The Deer Lakes School Distinct alum, who resides in East Deer, runs her own business and is executive director of the Pittsburgh chapter of the national organization Women Interactive Network (WIN).

“It’s rewarding, and I have had this organization for so long,” Pomaybo said. “It has been my way to give back.”

Pomaybo launched her business, “Pomaybo Inc.” 20 years ago. She does human resource outsourcing with experience in helping and consulting organizational development.

She got involved as executive director for WIN-Pittsburgh in 2006, when the organization was a networking group. When the organization folded as a networking group, Pomaybo incorporated it into Pomaybo Inc. The reorganization was seamless for Pomaybo, who hit the ground running with growing WIN-Pittsburgh.

“I built off of everything I tried to start there. We were able to move forward very quickly,” she said.

Pomaybo’s work includes philanthropy. Each month, she chooses a different charity to help the community and each other. Fundraisers are held to raise proceeds. They have done a clothing drive with Dress For Success Pittsburgh. The organization gathered supplies for female veterans for the Veterans Place of Washington Boulevard.

While WIN nationally is a for-profit organization, Pomaybo said, WIN-Pittsburgh does not share in it profits. The local chapter recently launched “WIN-spiration,” a fiscally sponsored program to help seek grants and help more women in need.

The pandemic has not stunted Pomaybo’s progress growing her network. She said WIN-Pittsburgh hit banner numbers this year. In 2020, she said the organization held 34 in-person and virtual events and served almost 500 participants.

A brother network, Gentlemen’s Interactive Network (GIN), was launched in December.

“We are really proud and happy with how things came out in the pandemic,” Pomaybo said.

Alecia Suto, who has worked with Pomaybo since 2018, quickly saw her as a mentor and role model.

“She cares so much about everybody and everything she is involved in,” Suto said.

As Pomaybo prepares a new year of networking opportunities and growing the WIN platform, she is grateful for what her chapter has been able to provide.

“There is such a need out there for people wanting to connect,” she said. “I am so grateful we have an avenue for people to do philanthropy work and support each other.”

Tanisha Thomas is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact

Tanisha at 412-480-7306, tthomas@triblive.com or via Twitter @tanishajanae.