Friday, August 4, 2006

Amy Weintraub is accustomed to juggling multiple tasks as a community activist and advocate for justice and health issues.

The East End resident believes such a background will help her step into her new role as executive director of Covenant House. For the next few months, she will work alongside Barbara Ferraro and Pat Hussey, both former nuns who have led the organization for the past 25 years.

"I am very excited and motivated but also just humbled and delighted that I was selected," said Weintraub, who has served on the Covenant House governing board. "My plan is to continue moving Covenant House in the same direction of serving people of the Kanawha Valley with the fewest resources and the greatest needs."

Covenant House, a 13,000-square-foot facility on Shrewsbury Street, is a collaborative effort of 35 congregations of various faiths. Programs help more than 30,000 people a year in 32 counties.

Ferraro, 62, and Hussey, 57, are returning to their native Massachusetts at the end of the year to be near family and interview for other jobs.

Weintraub, 38, will officially begin her full-time job on Jan. 1 at a salary between $55,000 and $65,000.

She feels confident about her new, demanding job.

"I have a lot of experience in juggling multiple tasks," she said. "I've been involved in many programs, paid and not paid. It will be interesting to focus all my energies on one movement. Organizing activities for the East End Association allowed me to learn many issues facing inner city families."

Work on justice and health issues has given her insight to obtaining access to government programs.

"In the last couple of years, I have worked in fundraising," she said. "I can help Covenant House build resources."

Weintraub, a native of Spencer, has lived in Charleston since 1999. She earned a bachelor's degree from Emory University in Atlanta, where she majored in religion and political science. She then did some graduate work at New York University.

She is married to Charleston lawyer and Charleston city councilman Marc Weintraub. They are the parents of Jeremiah, 7, and Caroline, 4.

She was chosen for her new position by the Covenant House board of directors.

David Sudbeck, board president, said the board has mixed feelings about Ferraro and Hussey leaving the area. "For the past 25 years they have led this organization with integrity, energy, commitment and passion," he said. "They leave us on a solid financial foundation and with many, many organizational manuals in place.

"At the same time, we have great confidence in Amy who has demonstrated a similar commitment to justice," he said. "We can not dare compare Amy Weintraub to Pat and Barbara; however, we trust she will walk a comparable path but to her own cadence."

Ferraro said she is pleased with the decision of the board.

"It is a little ironic and very sobering for me to realize Amy will lead Covenant House at the same age I was when I arrived in Charleston in 1981," she said. "I trust that she will continue a tradition of caring for the most vulnerable, while working for social change. Her youth, vitality, tolerance and respect for people of different religions, races, economic classes and sexual orientation will serve her well as she continues to learn on this journey."

Hussey said much work is still to be done for peace and justice and she believes Weintraub will pursue that mission.

"Having observed her over the past few years, in the political and interfaith community, she is driven, well-prepared and does the right thing," Hussey said.