Greater Richmond United Way names new CEO

A familiar face is returning to the United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg as its next president and CEO: Barbara Couto Sipe, formerly president and CEO of nonprofit NextUp RVA, will take over leadership of the United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg starting June 16, the United Way chapter announced Wednesday.

“Returning to United Way feels like coming home,” Sipe said in a statement. “I believe United Way is a community asset and one of the few organizations that sits at the intersection of public, private, nonprofit and civic sectors uniting compassion, service and accountability.”

“Barbara’s long history with United Way, coupled with her strong leadership skills and tremendous ability to build strong partnerships within the community, make her the right person to lead our United Way,” Chapter Board Chair Corynne Arnett said in a statement.

Sipe has a bachelor’s degree in social work from Virginia Commonwealth University. She graduated from Leadership Metro Richmond in 2012, and in 2021, she was named a YWCA Outstanding Women Award winner. Sipe serves on the city of Richmond’s Human Services Expert Cabinet.

She has served as president and CEO of NextUp RVA since 2013. The nonprofit connects Richmond Public Schools and city teenagers with afterschool enrichment programming. NextUp RVA now connects more than 1,000 Richmond teenagers to 70 partner organizations annually.

Before joining NextUp RVA, Sipe was director of corporate relations for Alexandria-based United Way Worldwide. She had previously served as the United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg’s vice president of community impact and director of Smart Beginnings Greater Richmond for 12 years, helping with initiatives like a regional school readiness plan.

Sipe succeeds James L.M. Taylor, who took a job in West Virginia in November 2022 after leading the United Way chapter for seven years. Angela Otto, who has served as the chapter’s interim president and CEO, will return to her role as vice president of finance and administration.