Kelly Mertl

Kelly Mertl is the Vice President of Community Impact at United Way East Ontario, where she oversees the organization’s three focus area strategies: From Poverty to Possibility, All that Kids Can Be, and Healthy People, Strong Communities.

Tackling social challenges takes more than one person, organization, or sector to solve. Kelly collaborates with key stakeholders, employers, government, and volunteers, enabling United Way to address the challenges our communities face and ensure investments are made to meet the greatest need, and have the greatest impact.

Over the past decade, Kelly led efforts to enhance labour market inclusion for Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, and newcomers. Additionally, she has worked with the social services and healthcare sectors to reduce social isolation among seniors and support their caregivers, including developing a Caregiver Strategy for Eastern Ontario.

With more than 25 years of experience in talent acquisition, people management, and training and facilitation in the private sector, Kelly brings a wealth of expertise in recruitment, diversity, and inclusion initiatives. Her passion for driving change in workplaces and communities to create equitable opportunities is at the core of her leadership approach.

Kelly joined United Way East Ontario in the summer of 2013 after being introduced to the organization while working at a major bank that participated in a workplace fundraising campaign to rally around the important work of United Way. It was there that she first learned about the organization’s mission, which motivated her to become a volunteer and later join the team as a staff member.