MAKING CONNECTIONS
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Benton Clark
Member Segment: United Way Retiree My career with United Way began in 1974 when I was hired by United Way of Tarrant County in Fort Worth, Texas, as an internal auditor to help 20 partner agencies comply with newly issued accounting standards for not-for-profit organizations. The United Way committee that reviewed the internal audits was composed of managing partners of the then “Big Eight” accounting firms. Through this work assignment, United Way encouraged my career development in becoming a certified public accountant. In 1991, I assumed the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Over the years, my work allowed me to become knowledgeable in financial management, information technology, endowments, pension plans, and facilities management. I enjoyed serving on United Way Worldwide’s Financial Issues Committee in creating and issuing standards for the United Way community. I have many memories of working with colleagues across the United Way network during my 40 years at United Way. Thankfully, many of us are still in touch and that’s how United Way NEXT came into the picture for me. In 2023, Robert Ferriday, a long-time CFO colleague, asked me to serve on United Way NEXT’s Finance Work Group. United Way NEXT has opened up mentorship relations for me with other United Ways. In addition to my involvement with United Way NEXT, I am currently serving on the boards of Christian Homes and Family Services of Abilene, Texas, and Park Row Christian Academy in Arlington, Texas. My wife and I are kept busy with our five grandchildren in sporting events and travels. |
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Juliet Clothier
Member Segment: United Way Alum Reflecting on my career, I've consistently chosen to work with organizations deeply committed to their mission and to improving the lives of the communities they serve. My leadership style is grounded in strategic foresight, compassionate communication, and operational excellence. My first CFO role was at United Way of the Bay Area, and it was pivotal. There I learned the nuances of leadership, philanthropy, service, and social justice. As a member of United Way Worldwide’s Financial Issues Committee, I helped shape organizational policies and build lasting connections with peers across the system. I cherish my time at United Way and remain grateful for the foundational experiences it provided. Since then, I’ve applied my experience and community commitment to both nonprofit and for-profit sectors. As a consultant, I’ve guided organizations in professionalizing their strategies and systems for long-term success. As an executive coach, I’ve supported leaders through times of change, helping them identify and achieve their goals. In my roles as CFO and COO, I’ve been a trusted advisor to CEOs and leadership teams, ensuring their visions are both ambitious and sustainable. I believe the CFO role goes beyond numbers; it requires balancing compassion with firmness, overseeing equity, and listening to the diverse, complex issues at the heart of our community’s needs. My passion for social justice drives my work, both within the organizations and in the communities they serve. I am a co-host of a podcast called “Secrets of the C-Suite” and Carole Peters, UW NEXT’s CEO, was our first guest! Her leadership experience started early in her life; it was a fun conversation! Outside of work, I enjoy music, paddleboarding, and spending time in the Redwoods of Northern California. I’m proud to serve on the United Way NEXT Finance Work Group, a role that has brought me full circle in my journey with the organization. I encourage any United Way alumni to join this passionate network--it’s great to be back. |
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Mike Durkin
Member Segment: United Way Retiree My career started with information on United Way in a file (manila, not computer) at the college career office. I knew I wanted to help people and change the world. My choices were the Catholic Worker house in Boston or United Way. I had loans to pay, and United Way was paying. I was accepted into the United Way of America intern program with six-month stops in Manchester, New Hampshire, and Norfolk, Virginia (at that time I thought that Baltimore was a Southern city!). I had some great experiences along the way with some great mentors—John Heins, Bob Cornelius, Mark O’Connell—and with a bunch of great colleagues. My last 27 years were as CEO of organizations in Denver and Boston. After six or seven moves (with great thanks to a patient wife and flexible kids) it was a sort of homecoming back to Boston. The United Way of Massachusetts Bay had merged with two other local United Ways, both of which I had worked for previously. Retirement, since 2021, has included lots of reading (other than card value/projections and strategic plans), cooking, riding my bike, and herding grandkids. It has also included helping out United Way NEXT as a CEO Mentor and on the Resource Development/Member Recruitment Work Group. It has all been good, and I am thankful for the opportunity to have found a career that matched my desire to help with an organization that was able to get things done. I still think that United Way is an incredible vehicle for change—bringing people who want to help together with people who need help. We all get caught up in the organizational flat tires, dented fenders, and rusty chassis that we spent our time fixing. What we did was steer a great vehicle for community change. What more could we ask for? Gotta go put gas in that Plymouth K-car now! Not really; the K-car died in Denver, but it does have the notoriety of having had many United Way colleagues as passengers. |
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Tiffani Mensch
Member Segment: Local United Way CEO I’ve dedicated nearly 20 years to the nonprofit sector, working with organizations across Rhode Island, New Mexico, and Tennessee. My journey with United Way began as an employee of a funded agency (Girls Inc. of Santa Fe) in the late 2000s, and I later served as a Community Investment Grant volunteer for many years. My first staff role with United Way started in 2021 when the Alliance for Better Nonprofits, a nonprofit capacity-building center where I had spent seven years, merged with United Way of Greater Knoxville. During my time there, I was honored to lead a collaborative effort that secured a $25 million grant from the Tennessee Department of Human Services to support families’ economic mobility. I also served as Chief Philanthropy and Marketing Officer before transitioning to my current role. Moving to Naples, FL in June 2023 to take on the role of President and CEO of United Way of Collier and the Keys was so much harder than I anticipated. Despite my extensive nonprofit capacity building and philanthropy background, the transition often felt overwhelming. The complexities of my new organization, which faced various challenges, combined with relocating from Knoxville—a city where I had lived for 12 years—made adjusting to a new community particularly stressful. The support of the United Way network has been an absolute lifeline for me. Resources from United Way Worldwide, United Way of Florida (our outstanding state association), and United Way NEXT have provided essential assistance, without which I might have gone running back home to Knoxville! Having worked with many types of nonprofits—from museums and an orchestra to small after-school programs and a large university—I can confidently say that no other network matches the depth and breadth of United Way’s. We are incredibly fortunate to have access to such a vast and knowledgeable community of experts and resources. Early on in my tenure as CEO, I connected with Carole Peters from United Way NEXT, which led to connections with an invaluable mentor and many expert consultants who helped me navigate my transition and my organization’s path forward. Both the empathy and guidance I received from Carole and other United Way NEXT members have been critical in getting me through this past year. So, if you’re a new CEO and feeling overwhelmed, please feel free to reach out--I’m here to tell you that it does indeed get better! I also encourage you to fully engage with this supportive network—it has been essential to both my personal growth and our organization's success. From overwhelmed to empowered, I am proud to share how United Way NEXT helped me thrive as a new CEO. |
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Beth Terry
Member Segment: United Way Retiree My United Way career began like many others I am certain. I was in my final year working on my MSW and had a semester placement with the Health, Welfare, & Recreation Planning Council of the Portsmouth (Virginia) Area. It shared offices with the United Way and I became hooked. In the early 1980s, it merged with the Portsmouth Area United Way which then merged with the United Way in Norfolk, VA. With subsequent mergers with Suffolk, Chesapeake, and Virginia Beach, all in fairly rapid succession, it became the United Way of South Hampton Roads. After this series of mergers, I was proud to lead planning for the United Way of South Hampton Roads. A marriage and husband’s transfer followed and voila! I was in New Orleans where I remain. With what is now the United Way of Southeast Louisiana, I’ve been honored to work with outstanding local, regional, and national teams. We worked with United Way, as well as community and cross-sector focused teams. With this breadth and lots of amazing people, we drove three seismic shifts: firstly, we changed from process to results accountability that magnified our collective power to do good nationally. Secondly, we focused on disaster work with Hurricane Katrina—relief, recovery, resiliency-- and tweaked systems that expanded our collective power to do good regionally. And lastly, we seized the opportunity to take on UWSELA’s Transformation work locally--a 3-year journey of learning, exploration, change, and a privilege. As I look back, the theme of systems change has been fairly consistent, and it has continued. With retirement I branched out, serving on the boards of my church and condominium association and, while on both, driving the documentary support for needed organizational change. With UW NEXT, the Engage & Exchange Work Group has drawn me to new support experiences for current UW staff, alumni, and retirees. Meanwhile, I’m expanding and polishing my French, volunteering with L’Union Française, delving into historic preservation and local history, singing at church, listening to marvelous music, attending festivals, and traveling. My photo included in this article was taken at the French Quarter Fest in April in front of the Old U.S. Mint and Jazz Museum |
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United Way NEXT’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
United Way NEXT harnesses the passion and experience of current and former United Way professionals for the betterment of each other, the United Way network, and our communities. In achieving this purpose, we aim to create member experiences that enhance a sense of value and belonging by:
Board approved – 9/11/2023 |