After an extensive national search conducted by ProSearch with a committee of board and community members, the Board of Directors of United Way of Southern Maine announced Dan Coyne’s appointment as the new President and CEO, effective March 3.
“After conducting a series of interviews with strong local and national candidates from a pool of 150 applicants, we are thrilled to announce that Dan Coyne has been chosen to lead United Way of Southern Maine,” said Todd Cesca, CEO Seach Committee member and Board Chair of United Way of Southern Maine and Partner, Charter Oak Capital Management. “Dan’s impressive track record of strategic leadership, collaboration, innovation, and commitment to meaningful change made him an ideal candidate.”
Coyne, who joined United Way of Southern Maine in 2012, currently is serving as the Chief Impact and Governance Officer. Coyne has led the evolution of United Way’s collective impact work, taking an innovative and responsive approach to address our community’s most pressing issues. A recent example is United 4 Child Care, a collaborative solution powered by United Way, which addresses the child care crisis by providing high-quality, affordable, and flexible child care for working families at multiple locations across Southern Maine.
Before joining United Way, Coyne held a variety of leadership roles in the public and nonprofit sectors, including working for former Congressman Tom Allen, with state and federal judges, and to advance economic prosperity for families we now know by name as ALICE, an acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed.
Under Coyne’s leadership, United Way of Southern Maine will continue to focus on driving relevant and responsive solutions to address our community’s most pressing challenges, fostering cross-sector collaboration and maximizing impact across Southern Maine.
“I am humbled and thrilled to continue building on the 96-year legacy of addressing our community’s most urgent needs, with a clear vision of future growth,” Coyne says. “With deep partnerships and our incredible team of staff and volunteers, we are well positioned to continue to innovate and build a stronger, more thriving future for Southern Maine.”
A native of South Portland, Coyne is a graduate of Bowdoin College and the University of Maine School of Law.
Coyne will succeed Liz Cotter Schlax who announced her resignation last June and will remain with United Way of Southern Maine until February 28 to ensure a smooth transition.
“On behalf of the Board, staff, and the entire Southern Maine community, I want to thank Liz Cotter Schlax, our outgoing President and CEO, for her ten years of extraordinary leadership and dedication,” said Cesca. “Under her guidance, United Way of Southern Maine has been a cornerstone of support for Southern Maine, and her contributions have established a strong foundation for Dan to build upon. We wish her the very best in her future endeavors.”
About United Way of Southern Maine
United Way of Southern Maine mobilizes communities to action so all can thrive. True to our founding spirit, we are always listening and ready to respond quickly to urgent needs and work with our neighbors to tackle persistent issues that hold people back. Our reach across Southern Maine means we can share innovations and scale impact to improve lives. From strengthening local resilience to advancing health, youth opportunity, and financial security, we’re working towards a future where kids get a strong start, neighbors thrive – not just survive, and more people live longer, better lives. Learn more at uwsme.org.
