Community Action Pioneer Valley Announces Lev BenEzra as New Executive Director

GREENFIELD — Community Action Pioneer Valley (CAPV), the federally designated anti-poverty agency serving Franklin and Hampshire counties, announced that Lev BenEzra has been selected as the organization’s new executive director following an extensive search.

BenEzra will succeed Clare Higgins, who retired in July after nearly 14 years of leadership. BenEzra will begin her new role on Oct. 27. She brings 15 years of senior leadership experience in the nonprofit sector, with particular expertise in partnership development, fundraising, strategic leadership, and operations.

Her appointment comes at a critical time as CAPV continues its vital mission to assist people with low incomes to achieve economic stability and security, while navigating an increasingly complex landscape of community needs and funding challenges.

“Lev’s combination of external leadership experience and familiarity with CAPV positions her well to build on our organizational strengths while guiding us through new opportunities ahead,” said Charity Day, board of directors chair. “Her demonstrated commitment to equity, collaboration, and community aligns with our values and mission.”

Since 2019, BenEzra has served as executive director of the Amherst Survival Center, where she led the organization to become the largest direct-service food security organization in Western Mass. Under her leadership, the center now provides 1.5 million meals annually to more than 11,000 people across the region. Her tenure at the center was marked by growth and resilience. She successfully navigated the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic while simultaneously tripling the scale of food and nutrition programs, expanding critical partnerships, enhancing fundraising efforts, and improving the overall participant experience.

BenEzra is no stranger to Community Action Pioneer Valley. From 2008 to 2019, she served as program manager and then department director of CAPV’s Youth and Workforce Development programs. During her previous tenure, she successfully grew the department, strengthened program outcomes, and built lasting partnerships across the region.

Her community involvement extended beyond her direct role, as she co-chaired the Communities that Care Coalition and actively participated in numerous other regional coalitions and CAPV internal committees, including strategic planning initiatives. This experience provided her with comprehensive knowledge of CAPV’s operations, values, and community partnerships.

BenEzra holds a master’s degree in management of mission driven organizations, providing her with specialized expertise in the complexities of leading purpose-driven organizations. Her deep understanding of the Pioneer Valley region, combined with strong relationships with community partners and legislative delegations at both state and federal levels, positions her to advance CAPV’s advocacy and service delivery efforts effectively.