MONROE, LA (January 14, 2025) — Today, Janet S. Durden announced her retirement as the President of United Way of Northeast Louisiana (UWNELA), effective March 31, 2025. UWNELA’s Board of Directors is immediately launching a national CEO search.
A native of Mississippi, Durden began her remarkable career with United Way in Vicksburg, MS, where she served as the Executive Director of the United Way of Warren County for three years. Her dedication to improving lives and strengthening communities in her home state laid the foundation for her 40-year tenure as President of UWNELA. Durden’s lifelong commitment to service has inspired countless others and created a lasting impact across the region. During her tenure, she has guided UWNELA through 40 of its 68 years, leaving a lasting mark on the organization and the region it serves.
Since becoming President in 1985, Durden has championed initiatives that address Northeast Louisiana's most pressing challenges. Under her guidance, UWNELA adopted a Strategic Community Impact Plan that has transformed the way the organization tackles issues such as education, financial stability, and health.
Durden has long been committed to the outstanding day-to-day services provided through UWNELA’s support. In addition to these critical ongoing services, her career is marked by several hallmarks, including:
- The 1987 launch of First Call for Help, which later (2002) became United Way NELA 211, an information and referral service providing callers access to local resource providers.
- UWNELA’s establishment in Lincoln, Union, and Jackson Parishes, beginning in 1999.
- United Way’s role in facilitating and providing 211 services across the state of Louisiana in response to Hurricane Katrina’s devastation in 2005.
- The 2022 unveiling of UWNELA’s Financial Health Center, located in the historic Miller-Roy Building in Monroe. This center serves as a regional hub for economic resources, providing critical financial services to communities across the 12 parishes of Northeast Louisiana.
Durden’s contributions extend beyond UWNELA. She has been widely recognized for her leadership and service, receiving numerous awards, including:
- The Bert Hatten Community Impact Award from the West Monroe-West Ouachita Chamber of Commerce (2023)
- The Legacy Award from the ULM Women’s Symposium (2020)
- The Rambin Silverstein Award from the Monroe Chamber of Commerce (2017)
- The Kitty Degree Humanitarian Award (2016)
- Grambling State University’s Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Leadership Award (2015)
Durden’s influence also reaches into the broader community, as well as statewide and national United Way roles. Currently, she serves on the boards for St. Francis Medical Center and Louisiana Association of United Ways.
Beyond her professional achievements, Durden is a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She and her husband of 29 years, Bob Durden, enjoy time with their blended family of four children and six grandchildren. They are active members of First Baptist Church in West Monroe, where they continue to live out their commitment to faith and community.
“Leading United Way of Northeast Louisiana has been the honor and joy of a lifetime and my life’s calling. I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such dedicated colleagues, volunteers, donors, and community partners. For 43 years, it has been a gift that I have been able to do what matters most to me – helping people and improving community. As I enter retirement this Spring, I’m also very encouraged and excited about the future of our United Way,” said Durden.