United Way Leaders Share the Organization’s Life-Changing Impact in Central Alabama

President Jeff Stone with Drew Langloh and Rotarians Jay Brandrup, Trey Clegg, Katrina Watson

This week, the Rotary Club of Birmingham (RCB) welcomed a panel of leaders from United Way of Central Alabama (UWCA) for a program titled “United Way’s Life-Changing Impact in Central Alabama.” The panel featured Rotarian Trey Clegg, 2025 Campaign Chair; Drew Langloh, UWCA President & CEO; and Katrina Watson, UWCA Senior Vice President of Community Impact.

Clegg reflected on his three-decade journey of supporting UWCA, beginning with his early career at Brasfield & Gorrie. He emphasized the importance of this year’s campaign—which seeks to raise nearly $40 million to support integral programs.

Langloh and Watson highlighted how UWCA is both a vital safety net and a driver of long-term community change. Through its 79 partner agencies, UWCA provides critical support for families in crisis, while strategic initiatives target systemic challenges in education, childcare, and health. The panel shared powerful outcomes, including significant drops in chronic absenteeism and student altercations, career-readiness programs that are opening doors to employment, and initiatives that have drastically reduced veteran homelessness.

The panelists underscored that UWCA’s work is made possible by a community that unites to serve, helping Birmingham to continue building a stronger, more compassionate region.

About UWCA & Panelist Bios

United Way of Central Alabama’s (UWCA) mission is to increase people’s capacity to care for one another and improve their communities. We serve Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair and Walker counties, creating local solutions to enhance quality of life.

We build a great community and advance the common good by bringing people together to help others. By pooling our resources and working together, we pave the way for real, tangible change in health, education and financial stability.

There’s power in numbers, which means we accomplish much more when we come together as a whole. Our way — the United Way — is more powerful than any one entity or individual alone.

By partnering with us through volunteering or donating, you’re a part of something bigger than yourself, fulfilling your own life and the lives of others. If you’re in need of assistance, United Way can connect you with an organization that can help meet your specific needs. By letting us help, you’re joining a community that cares and forming meaningful relationships in the process.

Trey Clegg is a 1995 graduate of Auburn University with a B.S. in Building Construction. As Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Brasfield & Gorrie, Trey is also a member of the company’s Senior Leadership Group.

In his current role, Trey engages externally in government, community, and legislative relations while supporting the company’s real estate interests, office operations, and other internal corporate initiatives. During his 30-year tenure at Brasfield & Gorrie, Trey has previously served as a regional president, division manager, and chief estimator.

Trey lives in Mountain Brook with his wife, Collins, and their three children, Ford (25), Anne Carlton (23), and Libby (21). They are active members of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Homewood.

Drew Langloh has dedicated his career to the mission of serving the underserved through the United Way movement.

With his degree in social work from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Drew joined United Way in 1988 in Greensboro.  In 1991, he moved to Birmingham as Vice President, Resource Development for United Way of Central Alabama and completed his MBA at Samford University. He left Birmingham for Baltimore in 1999 to become Senior Vice President, Resource Development and Marketing at United Way of Central Maryland; and in 2004, became President and Chief Professional Officer at United Way of Delaware.

He returned to Birmingham in 2008 as President and CEO of United Way of Central Alabama, with a vision to elevate UWCA as a model for making lasting changes to complex problems. To solve today’s greatest challenges, he believes it takes nonprofit agencies, municipalities, corporations, foundations, academic and faith communities working together with a common focus.

Katrina Watson serves as Senior Vice President of Community Impact at United Way of Central Alabama. In this role, she oversees the distribution of approximately $30 million annually to organizations across United Way’s six-county service area. Katrina created and implemented LEARN United, Leadership, Education, and Readiness for Nonprofits, which provides nonprofit leaders with access to industry experts, best practices, professional development, and training.

Prior to joining UWCA, Katrina spent 10 years at United Way partner agencies, including five years as President and Executive Director of The Literacy Council of Central Alabama.

Katrina holds a bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis, a Master of Public Administration degree from UAB and a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Regent University. She is a Certified Fund Raising Executive and a National Certified Counselor.

Katrina is actively involved in the community, serving on the boards of Momentum Leaders, Rotary Club of Birmingham, and the Rotary Club of Birmingham Foundation.  She is a graduate of Harvard’s Young American Leaders Program, Momentum’s Executive Leaders Program, Alabama Leadership Initiative and Leadership Birmingham. Additionally, she has held leadership positions with the UAB MPA Alumni Society, Children’s Policy Cooperative of Jefferson County, Birmingham Public Library and Birmingham Change Fund. Nationally, she served on the Barbara Bush Foundation’s Equity & Access National Working Group, helping to create the National Action Plan for Adult Literacy.

Her accolades include being named a Rising Star by UAB’s National Alumni Society, receiving the UAB MPA Alumni Society’s Sam Gaston Excellence in Mentoring Award and being recognized as a Top Influencer Under 40 by Birmingham Magazine. The Birmingham Business Journal has honored Katrina as a Top 40 Under 40, Who’s Who in Workforce Development, Who’s Who in Nonprofits, an Executive of Influence and a Woman to Watch.

Katrina and her husband have two delightful children.