President Biography
Leslie Ann Howard is president and chief professional officer of United Way of Dane County, a position she has held since 1989. She is the first woman to hold this position in the 85-year history of the organization. Ms. Howard joined United Way in 1981 as director of the Volunteer Center, and in 1982 became vice president of Planning, Fund Distribution and Agency Services. During her tenure as president, the organization has grown from an annual Campaign of $5.5 million to over $16 million.
A loyal native Pennsylvanian, Ms. Howard was born in Easton and attended Lafayette College there. She received her undergraduate degree in psychology in 1976 from Lafayette and went on to earn her master's degree in social work from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1979.
An advocate for collaboration and change in the health and human service delivery system, Ms. Howard has spent a lifetime working and volunteering in the nonprofit sector. Her focus has included children; education; health, people with developmental disabilities; housing; neighborhood development; and diversity issues. Recently, Ms. Howard has spearheaded the Schools of Hope Initiative, which focuses on closing the racial achievement gap in Madison's public schools and the Dane County Health Council, which is working to provide access to health care for Dane County's 32,000 uninsured residents.
Ms. Howard has served on many boards, including: Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, Madison Area Technical College, Community Action Coalition, The Nature Conservancy-Wisconsin Chapter, Madison Downtown Rotary, Eagle School and Friends of Wisconsin State Parks. She is currently serving on the Board of American Family Insurance Group and is a member of their Finance and Nominating & Governance Committees. She is a lecturer for the LaFollette School of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she teaches a graduate course in non-profit management. She has served as chair of the Lafayette College Class of 1976 fund drive, and is a member of Tempo, Vantage Point and the International Women's Forum. She also has coached girls and boys basketball teams.
Her work with the United Way extends to the Board of Directors of United Way of Wisconsin, including chair of the Board, the Nominating Committee, and the executive search process. She has also served on many committees for the United Way of America, including the Finance and Audit Committee, the National Professional Council's Task Force on September 11 Fund, the Information and Technology Committee (chair), and the Committee for Increasing Demand for Integrity, Accountability and Cost-Effectiveness. Ms Howard has also served as a consultant for corporations and nonprofits in the area of strategic planning.
Ms. Howard was recognized by the Madison Chapter of the American Marketer's Association as the 1990 "Marketer of the Year." She was featured in the Wisconsin State Journal's "Know Your Madisonian" in 1989, recognized as one of Madison's most influential individuals by Madison Magazine in 1992 and 1993, one of Dane County's top executives by Madison Magazine in 1994, was featured in Madison Magazine in 1999 as one of Madison's "Women on Top", and was a 2000 YWCA Woman of Distinction. In 2005, Ms. Howard was named to In Business "Executive Hall of Fame." Most recently, she was honored as part of Madison Magazine's "Best of Madison Business" 2008.
Ms. Howard is married to Rick Stulgaitis and has a stepdaughter Vicki and son Ricky. She has sung with the Madison Symphony Chorus and enjoys playing piano, guitar, and music in general. She is an avid golfer, kayaker, and distance runner. She is an experienced rock climber and has climbed Devil's Tower in Wyoming.