United Way of Will County names new president & CEO

Kamala Martinez “will step into the role” of President and CEO of United Way of Will County on May 17, according to a news release from United Way.

Martinez replaces longtime president and CEO Mike Hennessy, who retired from United Way of Will County last year after 31 years of leadership.

Hennessy is currently the executive director for The UCP-Center for Disability Services in Joliet.

In October, the United Way of Will County’s board of directors retained KEES (formerly Alford Executive Search) as its executive search partner in October 2020. This helped produce approximately 90 “highly qualified candidates with significant experience helping legacy agencies work more effectively in the more modern philanthropic world,” the release said.

United Way of Will County unanimously approved the hiring of Martinez.

“We needed a leader and experienced change agent who can help us function more effectively in that ‘new world’, redefine our agency and refocus our work so we can best serve our entire community,” United Way Board President Tom Hernandez said in the release. “Kamala Martinez is that leader, and we are excited for the future of United Way.”

Martinez most recently served for three years as CEO of KidsMatter Foundation in Naperville, “a community-wide organization with a prevention-focused health strategy to combat teenage destructive behaviors,” the release said.

She also has more than 25 years of private sector corporate experience. Martinez is the former executive director of the RR Donnelley Foundation (2008-2017) and she held other positions in the Donnelley organization, too.

Martinez has served as the vice president for the executive board of directors at Naperville Cable Television 17 and on the Indian Prairie Education Foundation board of directors, Hispanic Alliance for Career Achievement (HACE) board of trustees and the Art Institute of Chicago’s corporate committee.

In addition, Martinez was the chair of Naperville’s City Planning and Zoning Commission. Martinez also served in several roles for Wheatland Township.

Martinez earned her Bachelor of Arts in communications and broadcasting from the University of Iowa.

She and her family have lived Will County since 1996.