'Feels like home': Angela French takes helm at United Way of Lewis County

May 25-Angela French feels like she's back home, even if she never really left.

The Chehalis local, who most recently served as the director of marketing for United Ways of the Pacific Northwest and Imagination Library of Washington, was officially announced as the new executive director of United Way of Lewis County on May 21.

French takes over from Debbie Campbell, who held the interim position after Annie Oien departed in April.

"United Way of Lewis County has always been about neighbors helping neighbors and creating opportunities for people to thrive," French said in the news release. "I'm honored to step into this role and continue building on the incredible work already happening across our community. Lewis County is home, and I believe deeply in the power of local partnerships, generosity and collective action to create meaningful change."

French graduated from W.F. West High School in 1998. She then spent two years at Centralia College before studying communication at Washington State University.

After college, French returned home and got a job as an advertising sales assistant at The Chronicle. Before long, she had moved into a sales representative role.

French spoke with The Chronicle Friday about her career experiences that led to her becoming the new executive director of United Way of Lewis County.

"I really attribute my connections that I have in the community now - even though I'm a lifer here - to the opportunity that The Chronicle had for me being a sales rep, and being able to go out and meet people and take that step into a business and reach out your hand and introduce yourself and develop that relationship with that local business," French said.

Those connections helped French land a job as an events and grants coordinator with what was then known as the Providence Health Care Foundation, part of Providence Health & Services.

Through that role, French met Debbie Campbell, longtime executive director of United Way of Lewis County, who invited French to join a volunteer panel that helped decide where the local nonprofit's available funds should be allocated.

"The first year of that experience truly opened my eyes to the great work that the nonprofit community was doing in the community," French said. "But also, the due diligence and the trust that our donors had in United Way, to say, 'Here's my investment in United Way. Now, I trust this organization and your volunteers to invest my donor dollars in the best possible way.'"

In 2008, French joined United Way of Lewis County as its resource development director - right when the nonprofit was still fully involved in the area's flood recovery.

"To be able to help on that level, of people that have been through such trauma in their lives, and to help guide them to resources or get things out to their house to help them rebuild, it was just nothing like I'd ever experienced," French said. "And I knew from that moment, even though the job wasn't typically what I was going to be doing for the role I was hired, I was sold."

French also got to watch Campbell operate as executive director.

"She is the most kind, caring, committed individual I've ever met," French said.

French held the resource development role for 14 years, where she led fundraising efforts, planned events and built relationships with donors and the local community.

In 2022, French became director of marketing for United Ways of the Pacific Northwest. Her main project: expand Dolly Parton's Imagination Library - a program that provides free books to children from birth to school age - across Washington state.

French and her colleagues more than succeeded.

"We expanded it into every county across Washington," she said.

After achieving statewide coverage, the organization - along with state legislators, local nonprofits and supporters - hosted Parton at the Pantages Theatre in Tacoma.

"And I've been so proud to be on the regional level and watch the program here in Lewis County grow and unfold and gain momentum," French said. "And see families sign up, and hear from families of how much their children enjoy the books and it's really brought them together as a family unit around reading and bonding."

French credits the relationships she's built as being instrumental along her career path. It was those relationships - especially with Campbell - that brought her back to United Way of Lewis County, this time as executive director.

"And I just feel so honored and blessed to come back in this new role," French said. "And it feels like home."

French takes over as United Way of Lewis County celebrates the long-awaited completion of its United Learning Center (ULC) in downtown Centralia. The multi-purpose campus is home to the Boys & Girls Club of Lewis County, the Discover! Children's Museum and Bezos Academy, a tuition-free preschool.

French recognized Oien for getting the ULC "to the finish line."

"The United Learning Center project was an incredible undertaking, and it showed, I think, our community, and even, I will say, the greater community around Lewis County, what can happen when you bring partners together, when you collaborate, and you innovate, and you see a community need, and you put your thinking caps on together, and you figure out how to bring a new opportunity to the community," French said.

The executive director said it's her goal, and the organization's broader goal, to ensure the ULC remains a "thriving campus of compassion," as Oien articulated.

And grow, too, as the ULC looks to its second phase of development.

On Tuesday, French and United Way will welcome U.S. Sen. Patty Murray to Centralia for a tour of the ULC. Murray was instrumental in securing $4 million in federal HUD grants for the center.

French said the project has already garnered regional attention from other communities who see the ULC as an example of how to bring different partners into one space.

Beyond the ULC, French said, the nonprofit will look now to realign itself in the community.

"United Ways, now across the region, are in an era of community impact," French said, adding that the organizations are making a "grassroots effort" to determine what are the true needs of their communities - and how United Way can "plug in and bring people to the table."

French said she's excited for the future. She described the nonprofit's board as committed, enthusiastic, energized and "ready for the next step."

"And once we have that new strategic plan in place, we'll be able to figure out new programming, new ways to bring funders in, new opportunities to bring volunteers in, new opportunities to collaborate with the nonprofit sector and other sectors in the community to really make sure that people have that opportunity to thrive here," French said.

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