United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley Names Marci Lesko to Chief Executive Officer Starting June 2024
Lesko currently serves as Chief Operating Officer and will succeed President David Lewis, who is stepping back after 36 years with United Way.
United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley’s Board of Directors has named Marci Lesko as Chief Executive Officer effective June 3, 2024. Lesko currently serves as Chief Operating Officer and will succeed President David Lewis, who is stepping back after a 36-year career with United Way.
“I’m humbled and honored to lead this outstanding organization and solidify United Way as the philanthropic home for donors in the region,” said Lesko. “I’m coming into the role laser-focused on deepening and expanding our work in Education, Healthy Aging and Community stability and delivering the increased resources needed to achieve it.”
Lesko joined United Way in 2006 and is an integral part of the organization’s executive leadership team, having previously served as Vice President of Community Impact, Executive Vice President, Chief Impact Officer and Corporate Secretary. She was appointed COO by the Board of Directors in 2023. With a graduate degree in organization leadership and an outstanding track record of turning donor investments into lasting results, Marci has transformed key areas of the organization including impact, grants, data, communications, human resources and technology. She has been a national leader in Collective Impact, which she brought to the region in the early 2010s; she started the highly successful and nationally recognized Community Schools model in the Lehigh Valley, and she developed the results-based investment strategy United Way continues to follow today.
“The community needs a strong United Way that brings partners together around a shared purpose. David Lewis has unlocked the organization’s potential over his ten years as President, and Marci is perfectly positioned to take us to the next level. She knows the community, she knows United Way, she knows the donors, and she knows how to get results,” remarked Board Chair Dorota Gasienica-Kozak, Partner, King, Spry, Herman, Freund & Faul, LLC Law Firm.
With 36 years in the United Way network, Lewis led the local organization to triple revenue to $28 million during his decade-long tenure as President. That tenacity has solidified the organization as the top performing local United Way in the network of approximately 1,000 local affiliates.
“The Greater Lehigh Valley is so unique, because people here care so much about helping their neighbors, and they really embrace the power of collaboration. I can’t imagine anyone better than Marci to continue the growth we’ve seen over the past decade,” remarked Lewis.
Lewis’ growth mindset and focus on volunteer engagement, stewardship, data and major gifts have placed the organization in excellent financial footing.
“It’s hard to even quantify the impact David has made. Suffice to say, tens of thousands of people have directly benefited from his work here. The community is better today, because of him,” added Lesko. “As we look to the future, all the data is telling us that community needs in education, housing and mental health are climbing. We know that our donors and partners are ready to be part of the solution. Let’s get to work,” said Lesko.