United Way of Southwest Georgia names new CEO

ALBANY – The United Way of Southwest Georgia has named its new president/CEO after the departure of Shaunae Motley in March. 

Orson Burton Jr., an Albany native, was chosen after a competitive selection process. His first day in the office will be Monday. 

“Orson’s commitment to this region, his track record of building transformative partnerships, and his servant-leader approach will ignite new energy across our communities,” Mark Johnson, board chair of the United Way of Southwest Georgia, said. “I also want to thank interim CEO Cindy Wisham and her team, who stepped up during our leadership transition and laid the groundwork for this exciting next chapter.”

Burton has a history of leadership that stretches across Georgia, the University of Capetown in South Africa and New York. After returning to Albany in 2016 with his family, Burton took over as pastor at his parents’ church, worked as a businessman and then took on a role with Albany’s Department of Community and Economic Development. 

Now, he said he’s excited to take on this new role with the United Way to help expand its impact in southwest Georgia. 

“I know that United Way isn’t just another nonprofit, but it’s this connective tissue that binds our community together,” Burton said. “After experience of managing public funds and living in this community, I witnessed how great southwest Georgia is, but I’ve also witnessed how fragmented it is, and I recognize that United Way has a collaborative model that is exactly what I believe that southwest Georgia needs to amplify our community impact.”

Raised in Albany, Burton met his wife while attending Dougherty Comprehensive High School. His journey since then has been defined by leadership and a commitment to community. A graduate of Morehouse College and the University of Cape Town, Burton later became a minister and associate pastor while working with a federally funded nonprofit in New York. But when his father died in 2016, Burton returned to Albany to pastor the church his parents founded and to carry forward a legacy of service.

Since 2021, Burton has served with the city of Albany’s Department of Community and Economic Development, where he’s overseen multiple transformative projects and risen through four promotions. His most recent role as public service manager and special projects manager put him at the center of federal fund distribution, nonprofit capacity-building, and housing development.

Among his proudest achievements, he said, is the creation of the Empower Albany program: a three-tiered training initiative to support and scale local nonprofits at different stages of development.

Burton said the program helped third-tier nonprofits secure more than $3.57 million in grants.

Another milestone: stewarding a $1.78 million HOME American Rescue Plan allocation aimed at addressing homelessness in Albany. Burton led a public-private partnership that sparked the development of 32 new townhomes in East Albany, 13 of which will be reserved for families at the highest risk of homelessness. Burton said the total development budget exceeded $4.7 million, proving the city’s ability to leverage federal dollars into major community investments.

Burton said the DCED works with more than 50 area nonprofits in capacity-building, including the United Way. The DCED helped fund Youth United, a group focused on student mental health. As the new CEO, he said he hopes to continue and expand that relationship.

As he steps into his new role, Burton identified four core priorities to guide the organization’s next chapter: measurable community impact, fundraising and resource development, operational excellence and collaborative engagement. 

Data collection and compliance form the foundation of Burton’s leadership approach. He said in a time that nonprofit funding sources are increasingly unpredictable, he believes sustainability depends on being able to demonstrate success with clarity and precision.

“Everyone has empathy for communities that they’re a part of, but how is it measurable?” Burton said. “Organizations like United Way need to make certain that we are moving the needle on these critical issues in our community in a way that is measurable. Data collection is important, being able to measure your success and strategically plan for phased implementation is critical.”

Burton said he also wants to expand the United Way of Southwest Georgia’s footprint outside of Albany.

“It is continuing to do the critical work in Albany but also creating strategic partnerships in the surrounding communities to be able to bring needed resources to those communities as well,” he said. “I want to be able to not just be the United Way of Albany, but the United Way of Southwest Georgia.”

Burton said the local United Way has been a critical resource for decades in the community, and he admires the leaders who came before him. 

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, under Shaunae Motley’s leadership, they were able to find a way to be helpful and impactful during a time of clear uncertainty and fear,” Burton said. “I think it speaks to a level of resilience that Ms. Motley was able to demonstrate despite adversity.”

“It’s a privilege for me to step into this role. I don’t take it lightly, and I’m very hopeful for what we’ll bring to southwest Georgia.”