Talia Jackson began her position as the new president and CEO for the Heart of Missouri United Way Board yesterday, after being selected by the board of directors last month.
“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Talia to the team,” Mitzi Clayton, Heart of Missouri United Way Board Chair says. “Her impressive track record and strategic leadership make her the perfect person to guide us into the next chapter. We’re confident that her passion for excellence and stakeholder engagement will empower us to achieve even greater success in the years to come.”
Jackson comes to the United Way with more than 20 years of experience leading programs in the telecommunications, engineering and construction industries. Having spent more than a decade serving in various cross-functional development roles at Burns & McDonnell in Kansas City, she most recently served as Business Initiatives Department Manager before retiring from her position last year. Prior to joining Burns & McDonnell, Jackson held roles in ethics and compliance and operations for Embarq and Sprint. She is also a 2017 graduate of the United Way of Greater Kansas City Governance Academy and has served as a member of the Heart of Missouri United Way Board and Advisory Council.
“I am honored to serve as the next President and CEO of Heart of Missouri United Way,” Jackson says. “United Way has a long history of addressing complex challenges to positively impact our communities. I look forward to leveraging my corporate experience in operational transformation and leadership to advancing that cause. This is an exciting time for our organization and I am confident that working with the dedicated and passionate HMUW staff, we will achieve great things. I want to thank Mitzi and the entire Board for this opportunity.”
Jackson succeeds Andrew Grabau’s nearly 10 years of service as the organization’s president and CEO as well as the interim leadership of David Holtgraewe, who stepped forward in December to lead United Way until a new leader was selected.
Heart of Missouri United Way has served mid-Missouri for nearly 78 years as an organization dedicated to improving outcomes for neighbors in need so that all in the community may thrive. In 2024, Heart of Missouri United Way partnered with 25 agencies to oversee 37 grants that had an impact on outcomes in education, health and basic needs, and financial security. Click here for additional information.
