YWCA Names Mary Lee Kiernan New President and CEO

mary-lee-kiernan_12_1_2016
Mary Lee Kiernan_12_1_2016

The YWCA Greenwich Board of Directors announced this week that Mary Lee Kiernan will become the organizations new president and chief executive officer.

Her appointment by the board, following a national search, was approved due to her extensive experience in nonprofit and for-profit ventures, her proven commitment to womens and racial justice issues, and her deep ties to the Greenwich community.

She most recently served as chair of the Connecticut Permanent Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) until June of this year.

I am thrilled to be here, said Kiernan. The YWCA is such a community gem. There is such talented staff and terrific programs and facilities here.

Locally, Kiernan serves as an elected member of the Greenwich Board of Estimation and Taxation, where she is a caucus leader and member of the Budget Committee.

Greenwich is a very vibrant and special community, said Kiernan. I think the YWCA has, through the years, been able to serve the entire community, from babies to seniors, in a variety of programs that improves their mind and fitness.

She is also a former board chair of the Greenwich United Way and co-chair of its community wide fundraising campaign. She currently serves on the advisory board of the Urban League of Southern Connecticut.

Kiernan said it is her hope to advance the YWCAs mission statement of empowering women, ending racism and strengthening the community.

Ive been involved in those sorts of issues for decades, she said. Not only here in Greenwich, but on a regional level at the Fund for Women and Girls (FWG) at Fairfield Countys Community Foundation.

Alongside her FWG colleagues, she co-authored an influential study titled Holding Up Half the Sky: A Report on the Status of Women and Girls in Fairfield County. The study went on to reveal the income gap in the southern part of Connecticut for many women.

I hope that all of those experiences help my efforts to advance the mission here, she added.

She is a retired corporate lawyer, having practiced law with Cadwalader in New York City. Shes a graduate of Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania Law School with distinction.

Kiernan replaces Adrianne Singer, who retired earlier this year. Singer had been serving as the YWCA’s president and CEO since 2003. Since July, Mita Spilo has served as interim President and CEO.

Under [Adriannes] leadership, the YWCA improved its financial stability and favorably impacted the lives of many in the community, said board Chair Eva Marie Janerus.

We are very grateful that Mita contributed her substantial time and talent to the YWCA to ensure that the impactful work we do for the community continued in a seamless and effective way, the board chair added.

In January, the YWCA will celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with programs surrounding his legacy. The evolving programs will be part of Kiernans vision to continue important community conversations that the YWCA has historically held around issues of social justice.

I am immersing myself in every aspect of the operation and Im reaching out to other community leaders, said Kiernan. Im thrilled to find that weve got a very committed board and a very talented staff. We have a wonderful platform to move the YWCA to the next level. I think were going to expand our mission-related activities, and I think we will continue to expand and strengthen our programs. We want to engage with our community partners.

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