After a decade of leadership at Pikes Peak United Way, Cindy Aubrey announced Friday she will step down this year, as soon as the board of directors hires a new CEO.

“God placed me here, and I think now it’s time for me to pass the torch on to someone else,” she said.

While Aubrey might do some consulting or part-time work, a new granddaughter primarily will occupy her days after she leaves the post.

“It’s really important to me to give this time back to my family,” she said. “I’ve never had the opportunity to do that because I worked while my son was young, and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Aubrey said she never thought she’d be the CEO of a nonprofit. She aspired to become a comedy writer but instead ran the newsroom at KOAA-TV News 5 for nearly 10 years, and then worked as chief communications officer for former Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach.

She joined the staff of Pikes Peak United Way in 2015 and was named CEO in 2017.

“Under her guidance, the organization has achieved remarkable milestones and made a lasting impact on countless lives,” board president Dan Nordberg said in a statement. “We are grateful for her dedication, vision and tireless efforts in advancing our mission.”

During her tenure, Aubrey led the local affiliate through an evolution.

“We realized the business model was antiquated,” she said. “We took a really good look at our agency that’s 100 years old and has a strong brand and asked how do we use that brand and serve the community in the best way possible.”

A new direction emerged after community listening sessions.

While Pikes Peak United Way has retained its model of raising and distributing money to help support 28 other local nonprofits and continues to offer its 211 hotline that provides referrals for rent, utilities, food and other assistance, the organization also built and operates the Family Success Center in southeast Colorado Springs.

Located in a remodeled elementary school in Harrison School District 2, the center opened last year with an array of services for residents of the historically low-income neighborhood.

Aubrey considers seeing that dream become a reality after nearly four years of planning as the biggest achievement of her United Way career and the most fulfilling.

“We are surprised by the number of people who are seeking services — it’s much greater than we anticipated — and we are discovering more needs,” she said.

As residents use the Sunnyside Market, an on-site food pantry run by Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado, they learn about what else is at the center, such as job placement through Goodwill Industries, GED and English as a Second Language courses by Harrison D-2, a childcare center that’s opening this month, afterschool sports activities from Colorado Springs Sports Corp. and other programs.

Such a center wasn’t in the business plan but has become an integral part of what Pikes Peak United Way does for the community, Aubrey said.

Aubrey also implemented a food giveaway every two weeks at Mitchell High School, which now serves an average of 300 families at each distribution.

The organization also stepped up during the three-year pandemic by creating and leading a disaster-response plan with its partner agencies to provide emergency resources countywide.

The board will begin a search next week for Aubrey’s replacement to oversee the staff of 24 and will work with an executive search firm.

“We are thinking by the first of September the process will be complete, and I will transition with the new person for as long as needed,” Aubrey said. “I have learned a lot about leadership, and this has been a privilege and an honor working with the board, staff, volunteers and donors.

“We hear a lot of negative news, but we have so much good going on in our community — so much that people never see or hear about — and I feel like I’ve had a front row seat to see a lot of the miraculous work that happens because of our nonprofits.”