Lymaris Albors

Lymaris Albors is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Acacia Network, the leading Hispanic-led nonprofit in New York State and one of the largest in the nation, serving over 150,000 individuals every year through integrated programs in the areas of health, housing, economic development, social services, and cultural revitalization.

Prior to her appointment as CEO in January 2022, Lymaris excelled in the executive career track, advancing through progressively responsible leadership roles since joining Acacia Network in 2012. While serving as the Chief Operating Officer, Lymaris established a remarkable record of driving profitable and sustainable growth through financial discipline, refining processes and systems, and establishing operational cadence which propelled the organization to thrive through change and laid the groundwork for the organization’s long-term vision.

As CEO, Lymaris oversees network-wide operations, managing an annual operating budget of approximately $500 million and a portfolio of over 100 affiliates across six states and Puerto Rico. Leveraging her significant acumen in program management, capacity building, quality improvement, and strategy design and implementation, Lymaris is also responsible for cultivating and expanding Acacia’s partnerships across the public, private and nonprofit sectors to build on the organization’s longstanding legacy and carry forward its mission to address quality-of-life disparities across vulnerable communities of color.

During her tenure at Acacia Network, Lymaris has devised and launched key initiatives aimed toward building a solid foundation for continuous organizational expansion by focusing on four main pillars, which she believes are critical to long-term success: Quality, Integration, Accountability, and Equity. A change agent with profound dedication to strategic growth, financial sustainability, and operational excellence, she implemented best practices across the organization, restructured the Finance and Housing Departments, created the Procurement Division, and redeveloped Policies & Procedures that exceed industry standards.

In addition to promoting network-wide integration and organizational restructuring during a period of exponential growth, Lymaris has prioritized the renegotiation of contracts and agreements to better position the organization, the diversification of funding sources, and the recruitment and cultivation of top talent across the Network.

Among other achievements, Lymaris spearheaded the transition of new, high-impact affiliates into Acacia Network, and managed its expansion into Puerto Rico. Under her leadership, Acacia has further diversified its housing portfolio through joint ventures with the largest for-profit developers in the State. In addition, Lymaris has championed cultural, diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives across the network, and ensured that all services across the organization are delivered through a trauma-informed lens. A passionate advocate for arts & culture as an integral part of community development, she also nurtured and developed Acacia’s cultural arm, Loisaida Center, into a self-sustaining affiliate of the organization.

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Lymaris moved to New York City to pursue graduate studies at Fordham University. Driven by her passion to effect change and improve health outcomes for underserved populations, she soon began her work at Cicatelli Associates Inc. (CAI), a firm dedicated to tackling health disparities worldwide. After a fruitful tenure at CAI, she transitioned to the William F. Ryan Women and Children’s Center, where she drove quality improvement initiatives.

Lymaris earned a Master’s Degree in Public Communications from Fordham University and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Puerto Rico. She is a Fellow of the 2014 Executive Leadership Program of the National Hispana Leadership Institute (NHLI), an Executive Program comprised of a diverse group of Latina professionals working across the nation in the public and private sectors. She also holds an Executive Leadership Certificate from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard Business School, and an Executive Leadership Certificate from the Center for Creative Leadership.

An award-winning executive, Lymaris is a recognized and lauded leader in the business sector and the community. She has received numerous honors for her leadership, including Crain’s Notable Hispanic Leaders & Executives 2021, the Latino Social Work 2021 Leadership Award, and recognition by the New York City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, among many others. She is also a Board Member of the Legal Action Center (LAC).