Liane Moody has been named Meals on Wheels Yolo County Executive Director effective April 13. Moody will be departing from the Short Term Emergency Aid Committee (STEAC) in Davis. Photo courtesy of MOW Yolo County

YOLO COUNTY, CA (MPG) – Davis-based nonprofit professional Liane Moody will take the helm as the executive director of Meals on Wheels Yolo County (MOW Yolo) effective Monday, April 13. She replaces present Executive Director Joy Cohan, who’s retiring on Friday, April 3 following more than four years of leadership.

Currently, Moody is the executive director of Short Term Emergency Aid Committee (STEAC), a nonprofit providing low-income Yolo County families and individuals assistance with basic necessities. She has served STEAC for seven years, doubling the organization’s budget via fundraising activities aimed at simultaneous program growth and fiscal stability. 

“Liane has proven her ability to grow a nonprofit organization by identifying needs and utilizing her collaborative and communications skills to achieve positive outcomes,” said Bridget Levich, chair of the MOW Yolo Board of Directors. “The MOW Yolo Board is thrilled to welcome Liane and looks forward to working with her to continue organizational growth, and the opportunity to engage and nourish yet more food insecure, isolated seniors in Yolo County.”

During Cohan’s tenure as executive director, MOW Yolo experienced more than 350 percent growth in the number of seniors connected with meals and social contact, a 5,300 square foot institutional meal production facility was established, and social enterprise was introduced as a viable revenue stream to supplement private philanthropy. These efforts emerged from the Board of Directors’ development of a multi-year strategic plan, which now will guide the objectives and outcomes of Moody’s oversight of the organization. 

“I could not be more thrilled to have this opportunity to continue the incredible work that Joy and the Board, staff, and volunteers at MOW Yolo have done to ensure that all food insecure seniors in our county are fed and supported,” Moody said. “Their commitment to bold and tireless work to expand to meet senior needs with innovation and collaboration has made a real impact upon vulnerable members of our community. I look forward to leading this dynamic team, building upon MOW Yolo’s successes, and helping unite our community to care for the most vulnerable for years to come.”

Fortifying Moody's approach will be her ongoing participation in the Leadership Longevity Fellowship offered by New Sector Alliance. The nine-month program launched last June, bringing together 16 mission-driven professionals from across the United States for an innovative leadership development experience focused upon career and life design, health and wellness, and creating a supportive community of peers.  

“I'm excited to bring back to Yolo County and to MOW Yolo the knowledge gained from these professionals nationwide,” Moody said.

Prior to arriving at STEAC, Moody was the project coordinator for the ¡Intercambio! Adult Language Exchange Program for five years, serving both Spanish and English-speaking parents at Davis’ Marguerite Montgomery Elementary School in coordination with the Davis Joint Unified School District and UC Davis. The program was honored by the City of Davis in 2017 with the Thong Hy Huynh Award for Excellence in Community Involvement.  

Moody also is a trained volunteer conflict mediator and has served on the Homeless Poverty Advisory Committee/Community of Care for Yolo County board, which manages HUD homelessness funding and administers the annual Homeless Point in Time Count. She was educated at Princeton University and the Harvard Graduate School of Education and worked in the Boston area earlier in her career.

“The family of nonprofits providing social services in Yolo County is close-knit, and as such I have known Liane and her solid work and reputation to uplift our community’s most vulnerable for many years,” Cohan said. “In fact, we have been collaborating over the past several years on cost-efficient joint food purchases to benefit both STEAC and MOW Yolo. It’s with great confidence and peace of mind that I’m transitioning MOW Yolo’s leadership to her, and I’m excited to witness her vision for MOW Yolo’s future come to fruition in the chapter that lies ahead.”

To ensure a seamless executive transition between Cohan and Moody, MOW Yolo has launched a “Transitions” fundraising initiative. To learn more about the campaign and offer support, visit https://mowyolo.org/donate-2/, or contact MOW Yolo at [email protected] or 530-662-7035.