NEW YORK, June 11, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI) today announced that Dona Ponepinto has been named President-Elect of the prominent women’s leadership organization which has more than 125,000 members in 295 independent Junior Leagues in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the UK. Ms. Ponepinto, a member of the Junior League of Tacoma, is President and CEO of United Way of Pierce County, and brings decades of leadership experience to this role. She will take over the role of President in June 2022, succeeding current President Bett Williams.
With a professional career that spans across leadership positions in four different United Way chapters, Ms. Ponepinto has consistently showcased her talent for bringing people together to change community conditions for the common good. She has broken down barriers in communities surrounding her, both in her career and volunteer service. As an At-Large Director on AJLI’s Board from 2011-2014, she played a significant role in the creation of the Association’s diversity and inclusion statement, among other projects.
“The Association of Junior Leagues International celebrates its 100th anniversary this coming October, when it will launch a new strategic plan,” said Ms. Williams. “Dona’s expertise in nonprofit management, strategic planning, and community development will be essential to the Association during this milestone year and beyond.”
AJLI CEO Patsy Doerr is leading the team through the planning process and will be working closely with both Williams and Ponepinto. “I welcome Dona’s voice and leadership as we work together to finalize and then implement a plan that will ensure The Junior League is a relevant, streamlined, focused and impactful organization for the 21st century,” added Ms. Doerr.
About The Junior League
Since its founding in 1901 by social activist Mary Harriman, The Junior League has evolved into one of the oldest, largest and most effective women’s organizations in the world, encompassing more than 125,000 women in over 295 Leagues in four countries. For more than 100 years, the mission of Junior Leagues has not wavered: to develop exceptionally qualified civic leaders who collaborate with community partners to identify a community’s most urgent needs and address them with meaningful and relevant programs and initiatives that not only improve lives, but also change the way people think. In 1921 the Leagues joined forces as an association, which is today known as The Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc., in order to bolster their power and amplify their voice through shared knowledge and common causes.
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