DENISE DUREL PRESIDENT AND CEO, UNITED WAY SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA

admin Friday, January 3, 2025 Comments Off on DENISE DUREL PRESIDENT AND CEO, UNITED WAY SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA
DENISE DUREL PRESIDENT AND CEO, UNITED WAY SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA

Tell us a bit about yourself. Are you a Lake Charles or SWLA native?  What led you to Lake Charles and United Way Southwest Louisiana?

I grew up just north of Houston, and my family moved to Southwest Louisiana when I was a young teen. I immediately took to the Cajun way of life and felt a connection and bond to the community I was now calling home. Years later, when I’d moved to a new suburb with my young family, I began volunteering as an easy way to meet new people. To my surprise, I flourished, and the fundraising efforts that I engaged with did well. Little did I know that I was noticed by the local staff of the Muscular Dystrophy Association and was extended an interview for an entry-level fundraising position. Without any professional experience, I got the job.

For a few years, I drove up and down the interstate, raising money and recruiting donors in every small town in Southwest Louisiana. It was a great way to start, because even when I didn’t know what I was doing and my knees were knocking against the podium at every Knights of Columbus meeting, they were just excited to have someone take the time and engage to visit with them. It was a simple beginning to my 37-plus year non-profit career.

After my director relocated to Florida, I was given the opportunity to manage the local MDA operation. Again, we did well. At the beginning of 1991, I spent 50 days in the hospital giving birth to my third child. One thing that kept me occupied and my mind off my other two small children at home was that I converted my hospital room into my new fundraising headquarters. Everyone thought I was absolutely crazy, but it worked. I was able to bring home a healthy but small baby girl, and our office ended the year at 124 percent of our goal! She will turn 34 in a few months.

In 1993, our family had the opportunity to move to Cincinnati. I was fortunate that MDA allowed me to leap from a small district office in Louisiana to one with a fundraising budget three times the size in Ohio. Within a year, we had accomplished our goal, and I received a promotion to my first regional position. I traveled throughout the state and Pennsylvania, helping district team members increase their support from their local donors and companies. In 1997, I was assigned to manage teams in my own region in Southwest Ohio and Kentucky.

As I was preparing for my 20th anniversary with MDA, I made the decision to reach out and make a career move to the United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Cincinnati organization. There, I learned firsthand about the importance of collaboration and utilizing resources for the greater good. I was also taught the reality of “no money, no mission” and was introduced to United Way. 

I quickly became a “go-to” for workplace campaign presentations, and I loved every minute of it. I also came to realize that I could accomplish so much more within the United Way platform. After two years with UCP, I set my sites on moving back home to Louisiana. I was very fortunate that during my search I found two opportunities with local United Ways along the I-10 corridor. I knew that the one in SWLA would be a fit. I was truly honored to be named the new President & CEO, following in the footsteps of Tom Morris.

Explain to readers what United Way Southwest Louisiana does and its impact on the community.

United Way Southwest Louisiana is a vital nonprofit organization focused on improving the quality of life for residents in the region. We address critical issues like education, health and financial stability by bringing people together — individuals, businesses, and community organizations.

The impact of United Way Southwest Louisiana on the community is significant. The organization fosters stronger, more resilient communities by tackling challenges such as poverty and education inequities. This collaborative approach leads to immediate benefits for those in need and creates a lasting change that uplifts the entire region. Through their efforts, countless individuals and families receive the support they require to thrive, ultimately creating a healthier, more vibrant Southwest Louisiana.

How has United Way Southwest Louisiana evolved since you took over as director?

Things have really changed over the course of the past 15 years. We were an organization dependent on our partners to provide every unit of service that we funded. Now, we work with multiple partners, both traditional and nontraditional, to provide a much wider array of services in our community. We have completely moved to a community impact model, which allows us to directly fill service gaps and think outside of box when working on solutions to a problem or a challenge.

Currently, we operate in the Top 9 percent of all U.S. United Way organizations. We now offer 25 initiatives, which are services and programs that we coordinate and manage, a huge increase from 2009, when we only offered three. We have changed a great deal, taking large and small steps. Our community continues to change and strengthen as we move closer to full community impact. 

I am humbled and honored to be part of the journey.

What do you attribute that growth to? 

Our growth is a direct reflection of the dedication of our amazing team, who work and strive every day to ensure that every single person in our community has the tools that they need to not only get by but to succeed and thrive. I also think that as people become more aware of the outcomes that we are working towards and the results that we are getting, they will understand what we, as a community, can do if we unite and work together.

What are some of the programs you’re proudest of? 

I am really proud of all of our programs and initiatives. Still, I do believe that we do our best work when we are just in the community, helping individual families and people — meeting them where they are at a critical moment, understanding that their challenges may be difficult to overcome, but having the ability to formulate a plan to move them forward and then connecting with the right partners and donors to make the plan work. Sometimes it’s the simplest thing we do that has the most impact.

What have been your biggest challenges as director?

Honestly, even the not so easy days are still always great days.

What has been the biggest reward?

Working with United Way allows me to see the best of civic and corporate America coming together to make the impossible possible. I absolutely love working with people in what may be their darkest moment to help them see and believe that there are people in Southwest Louisiana who they may never meet who care about them and, through United Way, are wrapping a loving arm around them to help them.

Our team and volunteers answered the call after Hurricane Laura, which will always be a bright spot in my career. We were asked to step up and fill this huge gap, which was so out of our lane. But we did it, and now that we are out of that lane, I don’t see us ever returning. I do believe our response to Hurricane Laura was a defining moment for us.

What would you like to see for the organization and the community in the next decade or so? 

My goal is that United Way Southwest Louisiana will continue to perform at the highest level of integrity, that we will help define “best practices,” and that we will continue to strive to support our community in any way that we can.

How can community members help? 

There are numerous wonderful ways to engage with United Way Southwest Louisiana and positively impact our community. You can share your time by volunteering for our diverse initiatives and events or support our programs through generous donations. Participating in fundraising activities or helping raise awareness about our mission also plays a vital role in our collective success. Every contribution — be it time, resources or enthusiasm — empowers United Way Southwest Louisiana to serve those in need more effectively and create lasting change together.

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