Kristi Long
Courtesy of United Way of Lake County
Kristi Long will be retiring from the post of president and CEO of United Way of Lake County, effective May 1, 2025.
Long has spent 42 years with United Way, in various roles through five organizations in the United States.
United Way is an international network of more than 1,800 local nonprofits dedicated to bettering lives. Its Lake County chapter provides resources for food, mental health, health care and jobs, and especially works to ensure children have access to education.
Long attended the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and joined United Way of the Midlands in Omaha directly after graduation in 1982.
“At that point there were so many corporations giving back through United Way and that really appealed to me,” Long said.
Long served in various roles with United Way of Dutchess-Orange Region in New York, United Way of Greater Cleveland and United Way of Greater Salt Lake, and in 2002 joined United Way of Lake County.
She is most proud of the Success By 6 program, formed after United Way of Lake County discovered how little focus was given to early education and how much that contributed to poverty in the area.
“When we went in and tested back in 2006 … only 6% of the children were kindergarten-ready,” Long said. “I could not bear a kindergartner already feeling like they were behind or a failure. That to me was unacceptable.”
Long’s leadership is credited for helping improve kindergarten readiness scores in Lake County, which increased to 57% as of 2018.
“Her ability to be quite innovative and open to change based on the needs of our community and really transforming the organization to deliver on those … is really fundamental,” said Lori Nerheim, vice president of marketing and communications.
Long also served as chair of the 211 Illinois Board, developing 211, a free, confidential, 24-hour information and referral helpline launched in 2019. She is responsible for helping expand the service to 97% of Illinois.
“That’s really quite a testament to her, the relationships she has, her strategic thinking, her dedication,” Nerheim said.
After May 1, Long is planning to relocate to the Southwest with her partner. She hopes to continue her commitment to giving back.
“I very much want to volunteer. I would love to do something with early learning or girls with technology,” Long said.
The United Way of Lake County Board is expecting to announce a new president and CEO by March 2025.