President & Chief Executive Officer

United Way of the national capital area

Rosie Allen-Herring has more than 30 years of experience and is an international expert in the areas of corporate finance, strategic leadership, public and private partnerships, corporate philanthropy and business strategy. She currently serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of United Way of the National Capital Area (United Way NCA), where she leads the team in its work to reduce disparities in the areas of health, education and economic opportunity and improve outcomes for individuals and families in the community. The work has garnered national attention, including in 2020 when United Way NCA was among 384 organizations across the United States to receive a generous transformational investment from novelist and venture philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.  

Previously, Rosie served in various executive leadership positions at Fannie Mae, including Managing Director of the Community Investment and Engagement Division, along with multiple other positions. During her tenure with Fannie Mae, Rosie managed multi-billion-dollar portfolios and developed, implemented and managed key business strategies resulting in investments of more than $2 billion.

Rosie holds principal board and leadership roles with several business and civic organizations, including MedStar Health, Inc., WesBanco (NASDAQ), Greater Washington Partnership, Greater Washington Board of Trade, United Way Worldwide, Urban Institute, The Economic Club of Washington, DC, and several additional organizations.

She has received numerous awards and honors including: Washington Business Journal’s Power 100 Leaders (2023, 2022, 2021, 2019, 2017, 2015, 2014 and 2013), DEI Champion of the Year (2023), CEO of the Year (2017), Women Who Mean Business Award (2011), Washingtonian Magazine’s Most Powerful Women (2022, 2021, 2019, 2015 and 2013) and Washingtonian of the Year (2020), Greater Washington Community Foundation Civic Leader Award (2022), Howard University Charter Day Distinguished Alumni Awardee (2019), HBCU Alumni of the Year Award for Community Involvement (2019), The Network Journal’s Top 25 Most Influential Business Leaders (2019), and Leadership Greater Washington’s Inaugural Leader of the Years (2018).

Rosie earned a B.A. in Economics from Howard University and an MBA from Strayer University. She is an International Fellow of the United States-Southern Africa Center for Leadership and Public Values at the University of Cape Town (SA) Graduate School of Business and Duke University Graduate School of Public Policy. She is also a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management Program.