Published May 16, 2018 05:09PMby the Record Journal

A change was announced recently at the United Way of Meriden and Wallingford: Maria Campos-Harlow has been named to lead the well-known charity, succeeding James Ieronimo. The executive director of the Spanish Community of Wallingford since 2010, Campos-Harlow will start at U.W. on a part-time basis this summer, then will go full-time in the fall.

Campos-Harlow seems well qualified, and not just because both municipalities have substantial Spanish-speaking populations. She has been active in the larger community as well, building alliances with local social service and municipal agencies, and serving on many boards and committees.

As the executive director of SCOW, Campos-Harlow has been credited with revitalizing the agency, which helps serve the needs of Wallingford’s Latino community with educational, cultural, employment and health programs.

Campos-Harlow said she is “honored to join the United Way of Meriden and Wallingford and thrilled to embrace this new chapter in my life.” Born in Colombia, she has long admired the United Way’s mission and wants to continue what Ieronimo has been doing locally. “He has been doing amazing work,” Campos-Harlow said.

Ieronimo, a well-known civic leader, has led the agency since 2006 and has also served on the boards of the Workforce Alliance, the Rotary Club, the Meriden Rotary Foundation, the Meriden Children First Initiative and United Way of Connecticut.