United Way of Central Indiana announces new COO, vice president of government relations

INDIANAPOLIS – United Way of Central Indiana on Wednesday announced two new members of its leadership team.

Gina Ashley has been hired as United Way’s chief operating officer, and Sam Snideman will be the vice president of government relations.

Ashley takes over part of the role previously held by Gina Miller, who left United Way in August to become the president and CEO of the Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership. Miller was United Way’s chief operating officer and chief financial officer.

Snideman replaces Anne Valentine, who was named chief of staff to Indiana Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch earlier this year.

Ashely began her new role in September, and Snideman started in October.

Ashley will lead United Way’s strategy, operations and business matters. She comes to the nonprofit from the state Department of Workforce Development, where she held numerous roles, including chief of staff, chief unemployment insurance and workforce solutions officer, and chief strategy officer. She has served as a Marion County magistrate judge, deputy general counsel for the state Department of Child Services and as a private attorney. She has a law degree from Indiana University Maurer School of Law and a bachelor’s in political science and criminal justice from Indiana University.

Snideman will lead United Way’s public policy and government relations work. He previously worked as the policy director for the state Department of Workforce Development. Before that, he was the director of government relations at Ball State University for nearly seven years. Snideman also has served as a senior policy analyst and director of alignment and readiness for the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, where he helped develop Indiana’s College and Career Ready Standards for English/language arts and math. He has a doctor of education degree in higher education from Ball State University, a master’s in political science from Texas A&M University and a bachelor’s in political science from Indiana State University.