Kristina Thelen, MPA, is a dynamic economic and business development leader who brings over two decades of experience in public affairs, non-profit leadership, and local economic development to her role as President and CEO of United Way for Cortland County. Dedicating her career to advancing equitable resource allocation, fiscal responsibility, and sustainable growth, Kristina bridges the gap between administrative governance, resource acquisition, and community-driven social progress.

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Prior to her leadership at United Way, Kristina served as a Grant Writer Consultant with Choice Words LLC, where she secured over half a million dollars in applied funding for non-profit and municipal clients—including historic first-time awards. As the former Business Development Director for the Downtown Ithaca Alliance, she spearheaded major initiatives focused on business attraction, small business resilience, and local economic ecosystems. Her efforts secured over half a million dollars in essential grant funding and earmarks for COVID-19 small business relief, collaborative retail programs, e-commerce initiatives, and food-and-beverage entrepreneurship pipelines. Kristina also brings real-world enterprise experience as a former small business owner and retail manager for over a decade.

At United Way for Cortland County, Kristina leads strategic planning, fundraising, marketing, and operations in close partnership with community stakeholders, local government agencies, and the Board of Directors. Under her guidance, the organization's annual campaign has raised crucial community funding, which she strategically refocused into competitive grant initiatives targeting the needs of Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed (ALICE) populations.

Kristina holds an Executive Master of Public Administration (EMPA) from Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and a Bachelor of Music, summa cum laude, from California State University Stanislaus. She is an Entrepreneurship Development Professional (EDP) and candidate for the Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) designation through the International Economic Development Council.

Active in regional governance and civic progress, Kristina serves across numerous leadership initiatives, including the Micron/Cortland Development Steering Committee, the Community Foundation of Central New York Cortland County Advisory Board, the United Way of New York State Policy Committee, the Charter Revision Commission for the City of Ithaca Legislative Working Group Chair, the Cortland Collective Impact Initiatives Advisory Board, Cortland ReUse Vice President and Grants Committee member, Access to Independence, Board and Finance Committee member, and Shared Kitchen Ithaca Board and Grants Committee member.