Grace C. Bonilla, Esq. is President and CEO of United Way of New York City (UWNYC), where she leads efforts to advance economic mobility, strengthen community well-being, and expand equitable access to opportunity for New Yorkers across the five boroughs.

Under Grace’s leadership, UWNYC has launched and scaled initiatives focused on food security, education, healthcare access, and child and family well-being. These efforts have included distributing more than 14 million pounds of food to families in need, providing over 230,000 books and 5,000 stocked backpacks to New York City public school students, and expanding preventative healthcare access to more than 100,000 community members. UWNYC has also partnered with community-based organizations to deliver health education and wellness programming to over 50,000 New Yorkers. In addition, Grace has helped position UWNYC as a leading advocate for investments in childcare, universal afterschool, emergency food assistance, and accessible healthcare services.

A lifelong New Yorker and dedicated public servant, Grace previously served as Senior Vice President for Latin America at Covenant House International, where she led efforts supporting homeless and vulnerable youth across the region. In 2020, she was appointed by Mayor Bill de Blasio as the inaugural Executive Director of New York City’s Taskforce on Racial Equity and Inclusion, created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to that role, she was appointed Administrator of the Human Resources Administration within the New York City Department of Social Services, where she oversaw one of the nation’s largest social service systems.

Grace continues to play a leading role in New York City’s civic and nonprofit landscape. She serves on NYC’s Workforce Development Board, co-chairs the NYC Commission for Universal Afterschool, and is a statutory member of both New York State’s Nonprofit Advisory Committee and the Child Poverty Reduction Advisory Council. Most recently, she served as co-chair of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s transition team. She lives in Queens with her husband and three sons.