United Way of Tarrant County’s board of directors has announced the selection of Adam Powell as its new president and CEO.
Powell, who earned his master’s degree from the University of Texas at Arlington, started his North Texas nonprofit career at Arlington Life Shelter in 2007 before venturing into other leadership roles.
He will lead United Way of Tarrant County following the departure of former CEO and President Leah King, who announced in September that she would step down after five years to join JPS Foundation as its new president.
United Way of Tarrant County, founded in 1922, focuses on developing initiatives to improve social, economic and health access to underserved communities. The nonprofit reported over $25.3 million in revenue in 2023.
King previously told the Fort Worth Report she has decided to transition roles as a way to broaden her mission of improving health care for all. Regina Williams, chief impact officer of United Way, served as interim CEO during the search process.
Powell said he’s honored to join United Way of Tarrant County with its “long history of impact in the community.”
“Returning to Tarrant County, where I began my career in nonprofit service in Texas, makes this transition even more meaningful to me. I look forward to working collaboratively with UWTC’s stakeholders and talented staff,” Powell said in a statement.
Powell comes to United Way of Tarrant County from Communities In Schools of the Dallas Region where he has served as its president and CEO since September 2019.
Communities In Schools, or CIS, is a dropout prevention program funded in part by the Texas Legislature and administered by the Texas Education Agency. There are 27 different CIS programs in Texas.
During his tenure with CIS of Dallas, he grew the organization’s impact and nearly tripled its revenue. The Dallas region reported a total revenue of over $11.5 million in 2023 — a jump from $5.1 million in 2020, according to 990 tax filings.
Steve Bobb, board chair of United Way of Tarrant County, said Powell’s nonprofit experience and results demonstrate “his focus on positive community impact.”
“I, along with the rest of the board, am excited about his ability to connect with stakeholders across Tarrant County and his record of securing investments to help our organization continue to innovate, thrive and grow,” Bobb said in a statement.
United Way of Tarrant County recently celebrated the graduation of 120 individuals through its community doula program. The community doula program marks a major milestone in United Way’s initiative to improve maternal and infant health in Tarrant County, which reports higher maternal mortality rates than the national average.
Powell will begin his duties with United Way of Tarrant County Jan. 13.
David Moreno is the health reporter for the Fort Worth Report. His position is supported by a grant from Texas Health Resources. Contact him at david.moreno@fortworthreport.org or @davidmreports.
At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
This article first appeared on Fort Worth Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.