AUGUSTA - United Way of Kennebec Valley recently announced Maria Hays, an adjunct professor with the University of Maine at Augusta, as chair of its Board of Directors.

Hays, a Manchester resident, has served on United Way's board since 2017. She and her husband Chuck, with their adult children Katie and Chuck, chaired UWKV's most recent fundraising campaign, raising $1.66 million--the most ever collected to support United Way's partner programs.

"As a board member and campaign co-chair, I have seen what the community can accomplish when we rally together," Hays said. "United Way supporters broke fundraising records this year, and I'm looking forward to working with devoted staff and volunteers to keep that momentum going well into the future."

Maria, who is now an adjunct faculty in the Medical Laboratory Technology program at UMA, earned a bachelor's degree in biology from Framingham State College and worked in the clinical laboratory field, as well as the immunology and oncology fields, for biotechnology companies. When her family moved to Maine in 1996, Hays began working as an instructor in the science department for the Maine Community College System. She holds a master's degree in life science from the University of Maryland and has worked for Kennebec Valley Community College, Central Maine Community College, and St. Joseph's College. In addition to volunteering with United Way, Hays is a current board member and past board chair of the Children's Center in Augusta.

Hays will serve as United Way's board chair through January of 2019.

In other news, Jenny Small, a community volunteer and longtime board member, has been elected as board vice-chair. Seven community members were elected to serve an initial three-year board term: Katie Doherty of the Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce; Joseph Lajoie of Lajoie Brothers; Brig. Gen. Eric Lind, a community volunteer; Jessica Norton of Kennebec Savings Bank; Pam Rogers of Cross Insurance; Barbara Sweezy of TD Bank; and Amy Tardiff of J.S. McCarthy Printers.

To learn more about UWKV, please visit uwkv.org or contact 207-626-3400.