United Way Northern New Mexico names Donna Milanovich next director
Donna Milanovich will take over United Way Northern New Mexico on June 1 as Los Alamos and Rio Arriba nonprofits depend on its grants for food, housing and youth services.
United Way Northern New Mexico is turning to a familiar insider as its next executive director, a move that will shape how money reaches nonprofits, youth programs and family services in Los Alamos and Rio Arriba counties over the next year.
The organization’s board unanimously appointed Donna Milanovich on May 21, and she is set to replace Cindy Padilla on June 1 as Padilla retires. The transition is planned, not a crisis response, but its impact will be felt in the county’s nonprofit network, where United Way grants and donor dollars help support food access, housing assistance, behavioral health, parental supports and senior transportation.
Milanovich has spent nearly three years at United Way Northern New Mexico as director of corporate and community engagement, giving her direct experience with the agency’s fundraising, grant review and partner relationships before moving into the top job. During that time, she worked with the leadership team, took part in board and financial review meetings, helped secure funding and strengthened ties with foundations and community partners. She also brings prior executive leadership experience from the Chicago Philharmonic.
Board Chair Michelle Wilde said Milanovich’s relationships, knowledge of the organization and commitment to the mission make her well positioned to guide the agency through its next chapter. Milanovich has described herself as a New Mexican by choice and said she is honored to carry forward the organization’s 70-year legacy rooted in service to Los Alamos and Rio Arriba counties.
That legacy matters because United Way Northern New Mexico is more than a ceremonial fundraiser. The agency says it was founded in 1954 as the Community Chest, and its long partnership with Los Alamos National Laboratory has helped support local nonprofit giving for seven decades. United Way says LANL employees’ giving, combined with Triad’s matching program, funds more than half of its Community Action Fund grants, a pipeline that directly affects the size and stability of local awards.
Those grants are not symbolic. United Way says 23 nonprofits were funded for 2026 services, with most awards ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 and $25,000 at the high end of typical funding. The organization says 100% of Community Action Fund donations go to local nonprofits. For families relying on those programs, the first test of Milanovich’s leadership will be whether that funding base stays strong while the agency continues to back youth leadership and collective-impact work across Northern New Mexico.
Recent support suggests the organization enters the change with momentum. United Way Northern New Mexico announced a $25,000 Blue Impact grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico in September 2025 and a $30,000 investment from Enterprise Bank & Trust in February 2026. Its Future Leaders Council also led a municipal candidate forum in Española on Feb. 23 focused on the opioid crisis and youth support, underscoring where the agency is already pushing beyond philanthropy into civic action.
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