United Way Veteran Joins Roanoke Valley Staff

Christopher L. Rouse has joined the staff of United Way of Roanoke Valley as Vice President of Development. He brings 16 years’ experience with United Ways in four other cities, most recently in his native Albany, New York .

Rouse, a 1988 graduate of Skidmore College, has held positions in resource and volunteer development as well as community investment during his United Way career. In addition to United Way of Northeastern New York, Rouse has worked in Raleigh, North Carolina, Cincinnati, Ohio and Kansas City, Kansas.

He will be responsible for directing resource development, focusing on the community campaign as a key strategy in achieving the United Way mission to improve lives and strengthen the local human care network.

Throughout his career, Rouse has been active with community organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters and the 15-Love Youth Tennis Foundation, started in 1990 by Richmond native and tennis legend Arthur Ashe and others, that brings free tennis instruction to inner city families in many urban areas.

United Way of Roanoke Valley is southwestern Virginia ’s largest philanthropic organization, serving more than 80,000 people annually in Roanoke, Salem, Vinton and the counties of Botetourt, Craig and Roanoke. During 2004, supporters raised $6.3 million that supports a network of 65 human service programs operated by 27 partner agencies.