Salina Area United Way has announced  the promotion of Christina Small to the position of Executive Director.

Small has been with the Salina Area United Way for one and a half years, starting as the Early Childcare Initiative Director and quickly advancing through the ranks due to her leadership skills, dedication, and passion for serving the community. She has been instrumental in advancing the Early Childcare Initiative. In her role as the Early Childcare Initiative Director, Small helped secure over $2 million in grant funding and built the Early Childcare Initiative Fund to address the childcare crisis. Additionally, she secured grant funding to launch the United Network, a service that allows individuals to connect to the internet at the United Way office to search and apply for jobs, access community services, further their education, and print necessary documents.

“The Board of Directors appointed the right person, Christina Small, to be the new Executive Director,” said former Executive Director Claire Ludes. “She has the vision and passion to continue leading the United Way. I feel confident that the Salina Area United Way will continue to be a leading organization for our nonprofit and the community under Christina’s leadership.”

Small holds a Psychology degree from Bethany College. Prior to joining the Salina Area United Way, she worked for the State of Kansas for 11 years.

“I am excited to take on this new role and continue to build and foster relationships within the community,” said Small. “We have made significant progress in better serving our community and supporting our nonprofit partners. I am looking forward to continuing that progress.”