United Way of the Virginia Peninsula announced this week the selection of Charvalla West as permanent chief executive officer.
West took over in an interim capacity after previous CEO Steven Kast retired March 30. The board of directors made the selection after conducting a national search. She became CEO officially Wednesday.
“I have been overwhelmed by the support of our partners and supporters through this process and I’m excited to continue the progress our United Way and community have made to care for our neighbors who are working and still living paycheck to paycheck,” West wrote in an email.
She said her top priority is to raise more money “to support our nonprofit partners and the people they serve and to keep those resources right here in our community.”
West joined the local United Way in 2015 and had served as the COO and director of community impact since 2020.
“Charvalla’s passion for our mission, desire to support our partner agencies, and to bring our community together makes her the right person for this role,” said Board Chair Skip Smith in a news release. “She has the full support of the Board and so many others in this community. We know she’s the right person at the right time to grow United Way and to do more for those in need.”
For more information on the United Way of the Virginia Peninsula, visit www.uwvp.org.
