Lisa Durkin becomes President/CEO of United Neighborhood Centers

The Board of Directors of United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania (UNC) announced on October 17, 2018 the appointment of Lisa Durkin as the new President/CEO, effective February 1, 2019. Durkin started her career at United Neighborhood Centers 20 years ago as a housing counselor. Since that time she has served as the Assistant Director and then Director of UNC’s Community Services programs. In that role, she supervised 20 crisis intervention programs, serving the needs of low-income families and individuals. In 2010, she was appointed to the position of Chief Operating Officer, overseeing all programs and services at the agency.

In addition to her new role at UNC, she will also serve as President/CEO of United Neighborhood Community Development Corporation (UNCDC), a subsidiary of UNC which is involved in the development of affordable housing and neighborhood revitalization.

“Lisa is a perfect fit for this position,” Thad Kenny, Chair of UNC’s Board of Directors, said. “She has played an integral part in the growth and development of UNC over the past two decades.”

UNC has grown substantially over the time of Ms. Durkin’s tenure, expanding programs into the field of adult literacy and public health, as well as growing the work of UNCDC, which now spans multiple counties in Pennsylvania.

John Bogdanovicz, Esq., chair of the search and transition committee, said, “The committee as well as the entire Board are confident that Lisa will continue to solidify and build on the mission and vision of UNC.”

A native of Carbondale, Ms. Durkin is a graduate of Mansfield University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. She also attended the Executive Leadership Program at the University of Michigan through the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities, and completed the Achieving Excellence in Executive Education at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government in 2016.

Ms. Durkin will fill the position held by Michael Hanley, who will be retiring as CEO on Feb 1, 2019 after 30 years at United Neighborhood Centers.