Tuesday, March 14, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For media inquiries, please contact:
Peggy Healy, phealy@ywcade.org, (302) 655-0039 ext. 230

YWCA Delaware Announces the Appointment of Melissa Gonville as CEO

Wilmington, DE  — YWCA Delaware and its Board of Directors proudly announce today the selection of Melissa Gonville as the organization’s new CEO, effective Monday, March 20, 2023, succeeding Stephanie Staats after 17 years of transformative leadership.

A member of YWCA’s board from 2008 – 2014, with more than 26 years of experience in the Financial Services industry, she recently held roles in Operations, Marketing, Data Management and Technology. In her most recent role as Managing Director and Business Operations Executive at JPMorgan Chase & Co., Gonville led a global team of over 50 project managers, product owners and business analysts who delivered a wide range of tax-related programs and projects, from regulatory and governance to automation, transformation and a multi-year digitization program to improve accuracy and efficiency. She has led multiple business resource groups, developed successful mentoring programs that cultivated women to excel in their careers and created and implemented the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) strategy for Client Tax Operations.

“I am so excited to build upon the success of YWCA Delaware’s services and its incredible community of supporters to address the contemporary needs of women and girls, with a focus on women of color, and improve their social and economic advancement,” says Melissa. “I have been so impressed by the YWCA staff and board’s dedication to our mission of eliminating racism and empowering women. I look forward to driving that mission forward with all of them.”

“As we embark on our 128th year of service, we are thrilled to welcome Melissa Gonville as a leader of YWCA to help guide the strategic direction of our organization,” said Karen Smith, Board President. “As a global business executive who brings a wealth of experience in operations management combined with her extensive knowledge of YWCA Delaware’s history as YWCA’s former Board President from 2011 – 2013 and her passion for empowering women, we are confident that she is the right person to optimize resources and strengthen YW’s capacity to deliver quality and impactful programs throughout the state of Delaware.”

Gonville holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration – Finance from UMASS Amherst. She has served YWCA Delaware’s Finance and Fund Development committees and helped launch several fundraising events at YWCA Delaware, including the Evening of Style event.

“We want to thank everyone who participated in this comprehensive national search and for supporting our work of increasing equal opportunity, health and safety and the economic advancement of women and girls. We also thank Blackwell Human Resources for guiding this search process. As we begin our 128th year of service, we look forward to an exciting future at YWCA Delaware,” says Karen.

Melissa Gonville’s biography is available here.