Dr. Kathleen N. Spears to take the helm of the Organization on June 3, 2019
By Kalinthia Dillard
WEST PALM BEACH, FL —The Board of the YWCA of Palm Beach County, Inc., (YWCA) is excited to announce that, after a six (6) month search, they have unanimously approved the hiring of Kathleen N. Spears, Ph.D., of Indianapolis, to be the new Chief Executive Officer. “Dr. Spears comes to us with a wealth of nonprofit executive experience with an emphasis on health, women and children’s issues,” stated President, Kalinthia Dillard.
Dr. Spears will replace Suzanne Turner who, after 16 years with the YWCA, announced her retirement late 2018. Ms. Turner, who has been instrumental in the growth of the Organization, agreed to stay on until a new Chief Executive Officer was hired.
Through her role as President of Powers Four Good, Dr. Spears has worked with some of the country’s most highly regarded non-profit organizations, including heading a foundation founded by retired Indianapolis Colts linebacker and Super Bowl Champion Gary Brackett. Brackett’s Foundation provides employment, self-sufficiency, and life skills pro-grams for disadvantaged youth as well as programs of support and hope for critically and chronically ill youth. Prior to that, Spears led the historic Madame Walker Theatre Center and grew Cancer Support Community Central Indiana to one of the largest affiliates of Cancer Support Community, a global non-profit organization. Through her various management and leadership positions, Dr. Spears has built a reputation for being a highly effective and results oriented non-profit executive. Dr. Spears is a member of the 2012 Class of Indianapolis Business Journal’s “40 under 40” and the 2011 Best & Brightest in Non-Profit Education.
Theresa LePore, YWCA Im-mediate Past President, stated that “this will be a new and exciting chapter in the YWCA’s 100-year plus history in Palm Beach County. We look forward to the fresh and innovative ideas and programs that Dr. Spears will bring to our organization and the community.” For her part, Spears states that she is honored to be a part of the storied organization. “The YWCA has long been a vital part of the Palm Beach County community providing much needed services with an extraordinarily meaningful Mission to promote justice and dignity for all…who wouldn’t want to be a part of such a powerful movement?”
