Learn about our speakers!
Moderated by:
- Marci Martinez-Howey (she/her), Associate Vice President of Culture and Community Building, United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley
With over 25 years of leadership experience across both corporate and nonprofit sectors, Marci is an experienced people manager who builds high-performing teams through empowerment, coaching, and collaboration. Marci specializes in creating workplace cultures where employees feel valued, engaged, and supported to excel. Her focus is on fostering inclusive environments that promote belonging, opportunity, and community connection, while nurturing leaders at every level.
Known for creative problem-solving, effective communication, and out-of-the-box thinking, Marci excels at building meaningful relationships, enhancing engagement, and inspiring collective success. Whether leading strategic initiatives, mentoring emerging leaders, or forging community partnerships, she remains committed to empowering people, strengthening culture, and driving meaningful, lasting impact.
Marci holds a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Muhlenberg College.
Panelist Include:
- Carol Andersen (she/her), CEO, Bloom for Women
Carol Andersen is a visionary nonprofit leader with more than 30 years of experience serving mission-driven organizations in healthcare, child welfare, membership, and advocacy. As CEO of Bloom for Women, she has grown a single home in rural Pennsylvania into one of the state’s most comprehensive anti-trafficking programs—now operating multiple residential homes, social enterprises, and a continuum of care that includes emergency crisis response, long-term restorative housing, pregnant and parenting services, independent living, and community outreach. Motivated by personal relationships with women trapped in exploitation—including one who tragically lost her life—Carol founded Bloom to provide sanctuary, dignity, and a pathway to independence for survivors rebuilding their lives.
Under her leadership, Bloom has developed several unique programs, including Bloom on the Inside, an in-jail support and reentry initiative, and Bloom Flourish Workforce Development, which equips survivors with career skills and economic mobility. A 2022 Lehigh Valley Woman of Influence, Carol is a respected voice on survivor-centered care and prevention, has presented to national audiences, policymakers, corporate leaders, and faith communities. She is committed to elevating survivor voices and advancing transformational change—ensuring that those who have endured exploitation are not only protected, but empowered to lead, thrive, and shape the future of the movement.
- Jose Rivera (he/him), Community Engagement Coordinator, United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley
Jose Rivera is a transformational community leader dedicated to equity, dignity, and opportunity. Born in Spanish Harlem and raised in Allentown, he turned lived experience into a driving force for advocacy and systems change. As the Community Engagement Coordinator at the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, he builds partnerships, expands affordable housing efforts, and elevates community voices. Jose’s journey embodies resilience, purpose, and the belief that strong communities are built through compassion and action.
Jose earned his Associate’s from Lehigh Carbon Community College, his Bachelor’s in Business Administration and Management from Muhlenberg College in 2023, and on August 26, 2025, he began his Master’s in Organizational Leadership at Muhlenberg. A graduate of the Real Estate Lab entrepreneurship program, he is committed to keeping housing affordable, reinvesting in his community, and ensuring residents have a voice in shaping their future.
- Christopher Watler (he/him), Executive Vice President, Center for Employment Opportunities
Christopher Watler serves as Executive Vice President at the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), a national nonprofit that helps people leaving incarceration advance their careers in 30 cities. In this role, Chris oversees CEO’s national fund development and communications efforts, along with select strategic initiatives that advance the organization’s mission, including the launch of CEO’s Inclusive Hiring initiative in 2019.
Previously, Chris served as Executive Director of21 CEO’s New York State programs, where he led the organization’s flagship New York City site and its Upstate New York offices. As a member of CEO’s executive team, he contributes to organization-wide strategy and provides leadership on internal diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
Chris brings more than 30 years of nonprofit leadership experience. Prior to joining CEO in 2016, he spent 20 years at the Center for Justice Innovation, including a decade as Project Director of the Harlem Community Justice Center. There, he led the development of nationally recognized, evidence-informed reentry programs for youth and adults, diversion initiatives for young people, and eviction-prevention programs for housing court litigants.
Chris holds a Bachelor of Science in political science from the State University of New York at Purchase and a Master of Public Administration from John Jay College.