Episode Description
Join host Rob Herman as he sits down with Moira Weir, President and CEO of United Way of Greater Cincinnati, who is redefining how community organizations fight poverty and create lasting change. From her childhood in Scotland to becoming the Cincinnati nonprofit organization’s first female CEO, Weir shares powerful insights about leading through crisis, building economic well-being, and transforming a legacy organization to meet modern challenges across a nine-county region in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana.
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Episode Summary
The episode begins with Weir’s immigrant story and the foundational values instilled by her Scottish parents—education, community service, and helping others. These principles guided her transition from corporate real estate to social services, catalyzed by her experience mentoring a foster child in Philadelphia.
The conversation delves into Weir’s twelve-year tenure as director of Hamilton County Job and Family Services, where she annually oversaw 800 employees, managed a $2.5 billion annual budget, and served 500,000 residents. Her experience there informed her current approach at United Way of Greater Cincinnati, where she’s implementing data-driven strategies to combat poverty and promote economic mobility through housing, education, and financial stability initiatives.
The discussion culminates with Weir’s innovative leadership at United Way, including the transformation of the 211 call center, the strategic deployment of MacKenzie Scott’s $25 million grant, and her approach to building public-private partnerships. Throughout the episode, Weir emphasizes the importance of running nonprofits with business acumen while maintaining a deep commitment to community impact and transformation.
“Nonprofit is a tax status. It’s not a business model. We have the same responsibilities, the same work ethic. We’re an impact organization first, and we raise dollars against the pillars that drive impact.”
Podcast Description
The SuperPerformers podcast, powered by 4100FS, offers accessible insights from successful, driven leaders across various fields. Host Rob Herman engages guests from business, medicine, law, sports, entertainment, philanthropy, and other sectors to deliver compelling stories and valuable lessons from those who have achieved excellence in their fields.