MONTGOMERY, Ala.– The River Region United Way today announced the appointment of veteran nonprofit executive and community leader Jannah Bailey as its new President and CEO.
"The board and leadership of the River Region United Way are excited to welcome Jannah Bailey to our team,” said Rhea Ingram, Ph.D., chair of the River Region United Way Board of Directors. “She is bringing to RRUW a deep understanding of the challenges River Region families face and decades of experience creating broad and diverse coalitions to drive change. We have no doubt that her experience leading nonprofits and her energy and passion for serving others will help RRUW continue to evolve to serve the River Region better."
Bailey, a Montgomery native, is joining RRUW after leading Child Protect Children's Advocacy Center for more than two decades. Child Protect, an RRUW affiliate agency, was established in 1989 to help law enforcement investigate child abuse cases. In her position, Bailey was responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management of the agency, public speaking and awareness, fundraising, and forensic interviewing of alleged child victims. Under her leadership, Child Protect increased awareness of the agency throughout the community through signature events, diversified its funding base, and completed two major capital campaigns that left the agency mortgage-free.
Bailey holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice with an emphasis in Juvenile Corrections from Auburn University at Montgomery. She is married to retired Montgomery Family Court Judge Bob Bailey.
Bailey is also an active member of the Montgomery Sunrise Rotary Club and a graduate of Leadership Montgomery and Leadership Alabama. In 2018 Bailey was named the Leading Lady Award for Professional and Community Service by the Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama. Her family was selected as a Family of the Year in 2010 by the Family Guidance Center. Since 2019, she has represented District 5 on the Montgomery County Board of Education.
Bailey will continue implementing a new strategic vision to meet the health, education, financial stability, and basic needs of the River Region. The new approach provides additional opportunities for strategic investments across Autauga, Elmore, Lowndes, Macon, and Montgomery Counties already engaged in efforts to address the issues identified in RRUW’s annual community needs assessment. Under Bailey’s leadership, RRUW will seek to become a community hub for area nonprofits to collaborate, share resources, and address critical problems. Her efforts will include expanding the River Region Bold Goal Coalition and its leadership of additional collective impact projects. The Bold Goal Coalition is a community-wide effort led by RRUW to increase the number of students reading proficiently by the end of the third grade.
“I am both humbled and excited about becoming the next director of the River Region United Way,” said Jannah Bailey, the River Region United Way’s new president and CEO. "We are not your grandmother's United Way! I am looking forward to working with the staff and board to continue United Way's mission and respond to our region's needs. I will bring my experience in the nonprofit sector and my passion for those in our community with the greatest needs as I take on this important endeavor. I do not take this opportunity for granted and appreciate your support, wise counsel, and continued prayers."
Bailey will officially join RRUW on March 1. She succeeds Ron Simmons. Simmons was recently named the new Chief Officer, Destination and Community Development, at the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce.
“I am leaving Child Protect after 21 years of service to abused children,” Bailey added. "What a blessing it has been both personally and professionally. A lot has changed in those years, but Child Protect has an awesome staff, board, and multidisciplinary team members that will lead strong in the future."
