It is with tremendous excitement that the Board of Directors of The Opportunity Network announces Lucria Ortiz as our next President & CEO. Lucria will assume the role on January 2, 2024, succeeding AiLun Ku, who, as we announced in May, is leaving OppNet after 12 years of dedicated service to the organization.
Following an extensive six-month search process led by a selection committee composed of OppNet Board members and senior leaders, we are thrilled to welcome Lucria, a nonprofit leader, attorney, and changemaker with a 20-year career in nonprofit, public service, and legal practice.
Lucria currently serves as the President and CEO of the Yonkers Family YMCA in New York and sits on the YMCA's National Board of Directors. She has served as Senior Vice President of Strategic Advancement at the Ridgewood YMCA and in senior fundraising roles at the West Side YMCA and the Summit Area YMCA. Before nonprofit leadership, Lucria spent 11 years in the legal field as a public defender, working for the Bronx Defenders, the New York State Supreme Court, and criminal and civil court judges in New York City. She is a member of the New York State Hate and Bias Regional Prevention Council, the Yonkers Community Planning Council, and served on the Mayor's Police Reform Committee, and the Yonkers Health Equity Task Force. She holds a BA from Wesleyan and a JD from Northeastern School of Law.
Lucria is an extraordinary leadership, mission, and culture fit for OppNet, with career and lived experience that is deeply aligned with our vision for change and the thousands of young people we serve across the country. Lucria's lifelong commitment to equity, and broad experience working with boards, leadership teams, staff, and students to ensure it guides our work, is well-aligned with OppNet's core values. Her experience across youth organizations had made clear her dedication to creating opportunities for young people whose assets and contributions uplift their communities and positively influence the learning and working spaces they inhabit. A longtime leader of dynamic teams, Lucria brings management, fundraising, and operational skills to lead our next phase of growth. With undeniable passion and exceptional communication and advocacy skills, she is a remarkable spokesperson for our vision, as we elevate OppNet's national profile to bring in transformative resources for our communities.
Leadership transitions are challenging, but they are the mark of sturdy and sustainable organizations. OppNet has never been on stronger footing; as we come off of our spectacular 20th anniversary, and embark on the organization's next 20 years, we are proud to introduce Lucria as its primary steward.
In welcoming Lucria, we bid a warm and grateful farewell to AiLun Ku, whose 12 years at OppNet, four as CEO, shaped the organization indelibly. In our May letter announcing her departure, we noted:
AiLun's impact has been transformative, helping to take us from a start-up with promise to a field-leading, national organization with a best-in-class reputation for student-centered impact, innovative curriculum, systems for sustainable growth, and the best talent in the field. AiLun brought in record-breaking funds, increased students served by the thousands, launched new programs, and remained true to her deeply cherished connection to OppNet students, all during a global pandemic, followed quickly by the murder of George Floyd and the national racial uprising, which had a profound impact on our organization, staff, students, and community at large. Under her leadership, OppNet weathered the impact of these two most seismic events in its 20-year history, and, for that, she deserves our recognition and gratitude.
Our board and leadership team are confident that our first stellar 20 years have laid the foundation for an even stronger next 20. We hope you will join us in welcoming Lucria and supporting OppNet into a thriving future.
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To read more coverage on OppNet's CEO transition, click here.
