United Way Names Sandy Monck President and CEO

The Central Shenandoah Valley nonprofit has chosen a leader with more than 25 years in human services and community impact.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in People

Bold flat-color vector editorial illustration of a row of brick community buildings with open doorway against green ridgelines in the Shenandoah Valley. — United Way of Central Shenandoah Valley named Sandy Monck its president and chief executive officer, citing her 25-plus years in human services and nonprofit leadership. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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United Way of Central Shenandoah Valley named Sandy Monck its President and Chief Executive Officer. Monck has more than 25 years of experience in human services, community impact, and nonprofit leadership.

Why it matters

The appointment places a leader with a background in community impact and nonprofit operations at the helm of an organization that has served the region for 70 years. Monck will help shape the organization's direction as its board develops a strategic plan.

Monck brings more than 25 years of human services and nonprofit leadership experience to an organization that has operated for 70 years. The announcement does not specify her start date or compensation.

The players

Sandy Monck

Monck is a nonprofit leader with degrees in Mass Communications and Psychology and a graduate degree in Counseling Psychology, who previously led impact work at United Way of Central Maryland.

United Way of Central Shenandoah Valley

The United Way of Central Shenandoah Valley is a local nonprofit that has served the Harrisonburg region for 70 years, coordinating community health and human service funding.

The details

Monck previously served as Senior Vice President and Chief Impact Officer for United Way of Central Maryland, where she oversaw 2-1-1 Maryland, a 24-hour health and human services referral line. She also developed the Back Home Program, which brought county government and faith-based groups together to help homeless families secure permanent housing and received a National Association of Counties Achievement Award. The selection followed a board evaluation of candidates' approaches to leadership.

2012: Monck was recognized among Maryland's Top 100 Women by The Daily Record.
2026: Monck received the ICON Award from The Baltimore Banner.
November 9, 2026: United Way announced Monck as President and CEO.

Leadership Lineage

Monck's career has centered on large-scale community referral systems, most notably the 2-1-1 Maryland service she oversaw before joining the Shenandoah Valley organization. Her move from that statewide model to a regional United Way reflects a pattern of nonprofit leaders carrying integrated human services experience into local community impact roles.

Residents of the Harrisonburg area who rely on United Way-funded services may see the organization's priorities evolve under new leadership. The strategic plan being developed by the board will shape how local funding and programs are directed in the coming years.

The takeaway

Leadership transitions at community nonprofits often signal shifts in priorities, so local residents can watch for the strategic plan to learn how funding and programs may change. Engaging with the organization directly is one way to stay informed about its direction.