Lesleigh Irish-Underwood

Lesleigh Irish - Underwood was named Chief Brand and External Relations Officer in Febuary of 2021. In this new role, Ms. Irish-Underwood is responsible for the stewardship and execution of MetroPlusHealth’s brand strategy, including product marketing, strategic communications, media relations, community and government relations, member experience, special events, and data-driven marketing innovation.

Ms. Irish-Underwood joined MetroPlusHealth from United Way of New York City (UWNYC), where she served as SVP and Chief Marketing Officer, and was responsible for innovating growth-driving marketing solutions, accelerating company-wide digital capabilities, and building loyal donor engagement. Throughout her tenure, she oversaw UWNYC’s B2B and B2C brand awareness initiatives, implementing creative marketing and communication strategies that strengthened UWNYC’s internal business plan and significantly increased annual revenue.

Prior to her transition to the nonprofit sector, Ms. Irish-Underwood was a 25-year veteran of the consumer publishing industry, where she held leadership roles at the Knopf Publishing Group of Random House, Pearson, and Kensington Publishing. She is a member of the CMO Council’s North American Advisory Board—comprised of prominent marketing executives and thought leaders from a diverse range of industries—the Brooklyn Tech Alumni Foundation Board, and Brooklyn Community Board 5. A graduate of Stony Brook University, she was named one of The Network Journal’s 25 Most Influential Black Women in Business in 2018.