KENYA BOSWELL

Kenya Boswell is the senior vice president of community affairs for Highmark Health, a national, blended health organization that includes one of America’s largest Blue Cross Blue Shield insurers and a growing regional hospital and physician network. Kenya brings more than 20 years of leading community affairs, philanthropic and nonprofit management to the enterprise. Her role at Highmark Health involves overseeing community affairs for all markets in Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia, and New York. The community affairs team takes care of corporate giving, grants and sponsorships, community programs, employee volunteerism, and the Highmark Foundation.

Before joining Highmark Health, Kenya served as the director of global impact citizenship at BNY Mellon, as well as the President for BNY Mellon Foundation of Southwestern PA. During her tenure at BNY Mellon, Kenya created a social innovation challenge that had a significant impact on under-resourced communities known as UpPrize. Kenya’s creation of UpPrize exceeded $2.5M in investments, grants and technical assistance to social entrepreneurs and tech-startups.

Kenya has always been committed to the communities she serves, and as result has given her support to United Way as a donor and a volunteer. She believes that the power of United Way is that they mobilize and connect people to resources that improve community health, in addition to providing critical financial support. There has been proof of the importance of these connections in recent years due to the COVID-19 and economic crises.  

Kenya’s affiliation with the United Way started when she served on the committee for 21 & Able, a program that helps young adults living with disabilities transition smoothly from the last day of high school to the first day of adult life by increasing employment, housing opportunities and other support. She was asked to serve on this committee because of her work leading BNY Mellon’s Pathways Program, a signature initiative with similar goals focused on youth aging out of foster care.

As a current member of United Way’s Women’s Leadership Council, she has found connections with others that have the same passion for solving problems to improve the health and wellbeing of vulnerable communities. Kenya said, “Being part of this powerful network of women who are working together to improve people’s quality of life and reduce disparities in marginalized communities is impactful. I am honored to be a part of the council.” 

In addition to being a member of the WLC, Kenya serves on the Allegheny County Criminal Justice Reform Progress Panel at the University of Pittsburgh Institute of Politics. She is also a member of the Grants Distribution Committee for the Fred J. and Shirley H. Jordan Foundation, and a board member for The Advanced Leadership Institute (TALI).

To learn more about United Way’s Women’s Leadership Council, contact Lynne Popash at lynne.popash@unitedwayswpa.org in Allegheny County, Terri Dominick at Terri.Dominick@unitedwayswpa.org in Westmoreland County or Sherrie Dunlap Gallagher at sherrie.dunlapgallagher@unitedwayswpa.org in Butler County.