In Remembrance of Maureen Powers – Legendary Leader of YWCA Lancaster
The YWCA Lancaster community is deeply saddened by the loss of a legendary leader. Maureen Powers, former YWCA Lancaster CEO who dedicated more than 30 years to fulfilling the organization’s mission, passed away on Saturday, January 3, 2026, at the age of 77. Maureen’s outstanding commitment to YWCA Lancaster made an immeasurable positive impact on the organization and the lives of many in the Lancaster County community and beyond.
Through Maureen’s extraordinary leadership of YWCA Lancaster, she spent more than three decades serving the organization -- joining YWCA Lancaster as a board member in 1982 and serving as CEO for 29 years, from 1985 until 2014. She was an advocate for women’s issues, racial justice, and equal rights who fought to support social and economic policy to benefit women during her years of service at YWCA Lancaster and continuing in the years following her retirement.
A Leader in Transformation and Growth at YWCA Lancaster
Maureen Powers at the YWCA Lancaster Race Against Racism in 2007.
Maureen’s exceptional dedication to fulfilling the YWCA Lancaster mission of “Eliminating Racism and Empowering Women” was reflected in her transformative leadership and accomplishments, including the establishment of the YWCA Lancaster Sexual Assault Prevention and Counseling Center (SAPCC) and the creation of a racial justice program, among her many valuable achievements.
Included in her many accomplishments as CEO of YWCA Lancaster, in 2005 the organization received the first Racial Justice Award from the YWCA of the Mid-Atlantic Region. In 2009, YWCA Lancaster received the first-ever Champions of Diversity Award. This award was given jointly by the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Urban League of Lancaster County during the time of Maureen’s leadership.
As a leader of YWCA Lancaster, Maureen had the honor of attending the YWCA World Council Meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2007, which included representatives from approximately 100 different countries. A special memento from the council meeting in Kenya is displayed at YWCA Lancaster, as a vibrant fabric with the event theme of “Changing Lives, Changing Communities.”
Maureen’s professional career included working as a city planner in the City of Lancaster, in the public school system, and in higher education. Maureen was a graduate of St. Francis College in Loretto, Pennsylvania, where she graduated magna cum laude in 1969, receiving a bachelor’s degree in Spanish language and literature. In 1978, Maureen graduated from Penn State University’s Capital College (Penn State Harrisburg) with a Master of Psychosocial Science degree in community psychology.
Lifelong Commitment to Our Mission
In her retirement, Maureen’s dedication to YWCA Lancaster continued through her ongoing support, mentorship, and involvement in the YWCA Lancaster community. The current YForward renovation project of YWCA Lancaster was very meaningful to Maureen, as she attended the groundbreaking event in 2024 and supported this important initiative, which includes new affordable living spaces for women and families, and newly renovated counseling areas for clients of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Counseling Center (SAPCC).
As a devoted supporter of the YWCA Lancaster mission, the YForward Project helped to fulfill Maureen’s vision for the continued growth and success of the organization that she led for many years. Maureen was an integral member of YWCA Lancaster for decades, and at the YWCA Lancaster building on Lime Street, the newly renovated Maureen Powers Community Room is named in her honor.
A Lasting Legacy of Empowerment and Advocacy
Through her exemplary leadership, Maureen forever shaped YWCA Lancaster and improved the lives of many friends, colleagues, and community members across the Lancaster County region. She leaves an enduring legacy at YWCA Lancaster of commitment, integrity, and advocacy that lives on through the lives of those who had the honor of knowing her and working with her, and which will continue far into the future.