Our Leadership Lives United

At United Way for Greater Austin, we know we do our best work when we take care of one another. We can only make progress in  breaking economic barriers and building opportunity for all when we give it our all, every day – and engage community leaders with a wide range of expertise and experience.

Board Leadership

Kristin Marcum, Board Chair
Jennifer Poppe, Board Treasurer
John D. Holmes, Board Secretary
Blake Absher
Monica Muñoz Andry
Jeremiah Bentley
Dr. Joshua Childs
Matt Cisneros
Mollie Duckworth
Allison Dwyer
Jay Fox
Ryan Frederick
Michele Glaze
Laura Huffman
Stacy Huntoon
Cristina Guajardo
Bobby Jenkins
Dr. Anjum Khurshid
Ed Latson
Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart
Amanda Luther
Danielle McNeeley
Abby Mellott
Jake Merriman
Hon. Rudy Metayer
Abbi Miller
Dr. Sarojani Mohammed
Dave Porter
Heidi Post
Natia Rage
Marianne Rochelle
Yvette E. Ruiz
Mark Strama
Ingrid Taylor
Curtis Williams
Alison Walgren
Byron Wilkinson
Jennifer Wu

Staff Leadership

Ingrid Taylor

Chief Executive Officer

“I live United because I know that the fastest way to create a better tomorrow for Austin – a city I’ve known and loved for 30 years – is to work collectively toward shared goals alongside wise and passionate people.” 

Ingrid Taylor brings a highly organized and enthusiastic manner to her work, which over the span of her career has included positions as an elected school board trustee as well as senior leadership roles in health and educational non-profit organizations.

Alison Bentley, Ph.D.

Vice President of Impact – Data and Evaluation

“I Live United because together we create a stronger, more resilient community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”

Alison Bentley leads the Data and Evaluation team, to ensure that data-driven decision making is used to create positive social change in our community. She works collaboratively with United Way team members and community organizations to manage and analyze data to provide valuable insights into the needs and challenges faced by our community, determine the effectiveness of programs and interventions, and measure impact of our community coalitions. Alison has a Ph.D. in Human Development from the University of Texas at Austin.

Aaron DeLaO

Chief Early Childhood and Advocacy Officer

“I Live United because I believe systems change is more easily achieved by people coming together to collectively create a world where all can access opportunity and prosper equally.”

Aaron DeLaO is an experienced and strategic leader who has successfully created and expanded impactful programs in community and mental health, hunger relief, affordable housing, and employee wellness in Central Texas. In all his work, he aims to collaboratively disrupt the prevailing status quo of inequity and foster a society where all people can achieve their self-determined happiness.

Missy Strittmatter

Chief Development and Marketing Officer

“I Live United because I believe it is only by having a variety of diverse, community-minded leaders at the table that we can solve our community’s most pressing needs. By ensuring we provide everyone with the opportunity to lean in and engage through their time, talent and treasure, meeting them where they are, we can create a region that thrives.”

Missy Strittmatter brings over thirty years of dedicated fundraising and community building to the United Way team. She brings expertise in donor stewardship and cultivation, network creation and strategic planning to our mission. Her dedication to relationship building, innovation, and collaborative decision-making builds bridges between internal team as well as external stakeholders. Missy believes that everyone has a place in the United Way mission and welcomes our Central Texas region to say yes to the invitation to Live United.

Vanessa Hartman

Vice President of Systems and Operations

“I Live United because I believe anything is achievable when you have the powerful force of collective good.”

Vanessa Hartman leads systems and operations for the organization. With over 20 years of her career spent at United Way for Greater Austin, she understands the importance of a strong infrastructure. Her passion is ensuring we have a collaborative, innovative, and sustainable working environment so that we can break economic barriers and build opportunities for all.

Ashley Mitchell

Chief People Officer

“I Live United because there is “common unity” in the word “community” and together we can achieve more.”

Ashley Mitchell is a visionary leader empowering change through people. With a passion for social impact, she drives HR strategies that foster collaboration, diversity, and community engagement. Ashley has 15+ years of experience developing and implementing HR strategies that support the organization’s goals and foster a culture of excellence, inclusiveness, and innovation.

Amy Price

Chief Family Stability Officer

“I Live United because Central Texas is better when we all have the resources to thrive.”

Amy Price leads the Navigation Center which includes 2-1-1, ConnectATX, and health care navigation programs. Her previous experience includes being a librarian and special education teacher. She has a bachelor’s degree in Social Work, and a master’s degree in Library Science from The University of Texas.

Matt Thompson

Associate Vice President of Strategic Initiatives

“I Live United because I believe in the power of collaborative action. Every day, I witness how unity and shared purpose can transform communities, creating ripples of positive change that extend far beyond individual efforts.”

Matt is a strategic leader with a proven track record in developing and executing comprehensive organizational strategies. A champion for process improvement and organizational transformation, he has a knack for driving innovation and enhancing organizational effectiveness while building strong relationships and turning big ideas into reality.