Kimberlee Guenther serves as the chief impact officer at United Way of Metro Chicago. She joined United Way as the Manager of Research and Evaluation in 2013, and now leads the organization’s community impact program funding and place-based Neighborhood Network initiative. Her doctoral research focused on public housing redevelopment and community resident leadership in Chicago and Sydney.  She also co-managed the Chicago Community COVID-19 Response Fund, a collaborative rapid response effort launched by United Way and the Chicago Community Trust. As a steward of United Way’s grantmaking and community engagement, Dr. Guenther wholly embodies United Way’s mission to build strong neighborhoods. Prior to joining United Way, she was a community-based researcher, combining arts programming and ethnography at The Field Museum and the Center for Urban Research and Learning at Loyola University. This experience opened her eyes to the incredible power of community knowledge and creativity.