Here’s the press release from the YWCA:
YWCA of Asheville Names New Executive Director
Beth Maczka has been named Executive Director of the YWCA of Asheville. Barbara Benisch, a local non-profit management consultant, has been serving as Interim Director since January.
Maczka, currently Senior Program Officer at the Community Foundation of WNC (CFWNC), has 26 years of experience in the non-profit sector. She has held the positions of Development and Annual Campaign Director of Pisgah Legal Services, Executive Director of the Affordable Housing Coalition of Asheville and Buncombe County, and WNC Branch Director of the Self-Help Credit Union. Maczka received her B.A. from Davidson College and a Certificate in Not for Profit Management from UNC-Charlotte. She has served on the Mayor’s Task Force on Affordable Housing and the Living Wage Steering Committee of Asheville and Buncombe County. She has also served as a Board Member of the NAACP Empowerment Resource Center, the NC Low Income Housing Coalition, and Children First. During her tenure at CFWNC, she worked with Women for Women, a giving circle that focuses its grants and advocacy efforts on economic security for women and girls. Her honors include the NAACP President’s Award and the William C.Friday Fellowship of the Wildacres Leadership Initiative which promotes improved human relations across North Carolina.
“I am delighted that, after a nationwide search, our ideal candidate was right here in the community,” said Nancy Ackermann Cole, president of the YWCA Board of Directors. “Beth’s personal experience and values are a perfect match for the YWCA going forward.”
The mission of the YWCA is eliminating racism and empowering women. The organization offers programs that bridge gaps in education, health care, child care and earning power, including a 5-star certified Child Care Center and School-Age Program (After-School and Summer Camp), MotherLove (mentoring for teen mothers), New Choices (support for displaced homemakers), Preventive Health/Diabetes Wellness, Aquatics, and the Club W Fitness Center. The YWCA of Asheville serves approximately 6,000 women, men and children a year.
“I am inspired by the people I meet and the clearly articulated values of the YWCA. I find hope in the programs that bring people together from across race and class. I am heartened by the YW’s history and what it represents in Asheville. I look forward to helping the YWCA become an even stronger voice to eliminate racism and empower women through advocacy and community engagement,” Maczka said.
Maczka will begin her tenure on July 12th. She succeeds Holly Jones, who led the 105-year old non-profit for the past 16 years and is now Regional Manager for the YWCAs of the Southeast Region.
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.