Press release from United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County:
United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County’s board of directors voted unanimously to have Jennie Eblen serve as their next board chair. With more than 23 years of service as a member of the board, a diligent volunteer on numerous committees and as a donor herself, Eblen is excited to help United Way usher in a new era of community impact.
“I believe in the power of collective giving,” says Eblen. “I’ve seen what my gift can do when combined with contributions, of all sizes, from people throughout our community. As a volunteer that guided the investment process for those donations for more than 20 years, I’m proud of the fact that we’ve continued to evolve our process and purpose. United Way is always digging in to find ways to have a higher impact and be more collaborative and inclusive in our approach.”
As United Way of Asheville and Buncombe County finalizes the development of its 2020-23 Strategic Plan and readies itself to celebrate 100 years of impact in this community in 2021, Eblen finds herself re-invigorated and honored to serve at the helm of the board.
“United Way is committed to tackling the root causes and consequences of poverty. This means addressing systemic change and requires that we incorporate a racial equity lens as we develop our work,” says Eblen. “My past will inform my work as the board chair, but I am really excited about our future – though still in development, our new strategic plan will be transformational for this organization and I am grateful to be able to help implement it. ”
Eblen replaces Paul McDowell who served the organization as a volunteer since 2014. McDowell was an instrumental leader during the 2019 search process that brought Dan Leroy on as the organization’s President and CEO when David Bailey retired after 23 years with the organization.
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