Michael Williamson

Michael Williamson serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of United Way of Southeast Louisiana (UWSELA), where he leads philanthropic and impact efforts across seven parishes including Jefferson, Orleans, and Plaquemines. He holds over three decades of executive-level nonprofit management experience, with 30 of those years in the United Way system, including 17 years at UWSELA.

Williamson is a graduate of the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing earned from 1986 to 1990. He first became involved with the United Way as a loan executive fresh from college in Aiken County, South Carolina, and later served as President of United Way of Aiken County and Resource Development Director/Executive Director of Aiken Technical College Foundation.

Before becoming CEO in 2013, he joined UWSELA as COO in 2009 from his position as Vice President of Field Leadership at United Way of America, where he provided overall management and leadership to UWA's $28 million Hurricane Response and Recovery Fund. Under Williamson's leadership, UWSELA's COVID-19 efforts generated $16+ million in local support through crisis grants, and the organization received a $10 million unrestricted gift from MacKenzie Scott in 2020—the largest in UWSELA's 100-year history.

Career History

• President and Chief Executive Officer, United Way of Southeast Louisiana (2013–present)
• Chief Operating Officer, United Way of Southeast Louisiana (2009–2013)
• Vice President of Field Leadership, United Way of America (2004–2009)
• President, United Way of Aiken County and Resource Development Director/Executive Director, Aiken Technical College Foundation

What Williamson could bring to his role at United Way of Southeast Louisiana: With over 30 years of nonprofit leadership experience and a proven track record of mobilizing resources at scale during crises, Williamson brings unparalleled expertise in disaster recovery and community resilience. His leadership in developing UWSELA's Blueprint for Prosperity and Prosperity Centers demonstrates his capacity to design innovative, systemic solutions to poverty, positioning UWSELA as a nationally recognized model. His ability to lead world-class fundraising at scale and respond to emerging needs in real time makes him exceptionally equipped to advance the organization's mission during periods of regional economic and environmental challenges.