United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades has appointed Hannah Pelle as its interim president and CEO.
The announcement May 5 follows the departure of Jeannine Joy, who served the organization for 31 years.
Established in 1957, United Way of Lee, Hendry and Glades is a volunteer-driven nonprofit that raises and distributes funds to more than 90 partner agencies and 260 programs providing essential human services across its three-county area.
“We are deeply grateful for Jeannine’s 31 incredible years of dedicated leadership. Her impact has left a lasting mark on this organization, and we wish her continued success in her next chapter,” said Dan O’Berski, vice chair of the board, in a statement. “Our commitment to the partner agencies, individuals and families we serve remains steadfast, and we are excited to have Hannah step into this role and lead us in carrying our mission forward.”
Pelle previously served as the chief operating officer and has been a member of the United Way team since 2012, when she joined as the director of allocations and community planning. During her tenure, she helped the organization grow and develop the Community Partnership Schools program.
The board of directors selected Pelle as it begins the search for a permanent successor. She has experience managing regional recovery efforts, including a partnership after Hurricane Ian that restored furniture and more than 700 mattresses to local families who lost their belongings.
Who is the outgoing president?
Jeannine Joy began her career with the local United Way in 1995 as a campaign associate. Before becoming the president and CEO in June 2019, she served as the vice president of resource development and marketing
Her tenure as CEO was marked by significant regional challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic and major storms such as Hurricanes Ian, Helene and Milton. Under her leadership, the organization managed the distribution of $16.2 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to local nonprofit human service agencies to address pandemic-related needs.
Joy also oversaw the rebranding of United Way Houses to United Way Resiliency Hubs, a move intended to provide comprehensive support during both normal operations and times of disaster.
Mickenzie Hannon is a watchdog reporter for The News-Press and Naples Daily News, covering Collier and Lee counties. Contact her at 239-435-3423 or mhannon@gannett.com.
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This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: United Way longtime CEO steps down, interim president named
Reporting by Mickenzie Hannon, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Fort Myers News-Press
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