Mitru Ciarlante is a national leader in youth safety, community impact, and nonprofit systems strategy, with more than 20 years of experience advancing initiatives that protect vulnerable populations and strengthen community-based outcomes.
She currently serves as Lead Director at Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, where she is a leader in enterprise strategy for youth safety, safeguarding, and risk management across a nationwide network of affiliated organizations. In this role, she designs and implements system-wide standards, policies, and continuous improvement strategies that enhance program quality, ensure accountability, and protect youth at scale. She serves as a trusted advisor to executive leadership on risk, governance, and program integrity, and works across functions to align safety with broader organizational impact.
Prior to her work at Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Mitru held senior leadership roles at Boys & Girls Clubs of America, where she led national youth development and safety initiatives across one of the country’s largest nonprofit networks. She has also held leadership roles at the National Center for Victims of Crime, where she advanced initiatives focused on youth victim advocacy, violence prevention, and community safety in collaboration with federal agencies and national partners.
Throughout her career, Mitru has built and led cross-sector partnerships spanning nonprofit organizations, public agencies, and community stakeholders. Her work consistently sits at the intersection of youth development, prevention, public health and policy, with a focus on strengthening protective factors and advancing equitable outcomes for underserved populations.
Mitru is recognized for her ability to guide organizations through complex risk environments while maintaining strong mission delivery and stakeholder trust. Her leadership reflects a deep commitment to community wellbeing, systems-level impact, and the development of strategies that create safer, healthier environments for youth and families.
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a focus on Mental Health from East Stroudsburg University and multiple professional certifications including a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Executive Leadership from Georgetown University.