At the start of 2022, Lymaris Albors was appointed as the new CEO of Acacia Network, the largest Hispanic-led nonprofit in New York State and a leading provider of social services throughout New York City. She is the first woman to lead the organization since it was established 20 years ago. Here, she shared her journey with us.
Tell us a little about Acacia Network and why it is important.
Acacia Network is the largest Hispanic-led nonprofit in New York State and a leading provider of social services in New York City, where we are headquartered. We serve over 150,000 individuals annually through integrated programs that span primary care, mental health and addiction services, as well as supportive, affordable and transitional housing — and much more.
We are a robust network comprised of over 100 affiliates and related entities that operate throughout New York City, Buffalo, Albany, Syracuse and Dunkirk, as well as in Connecticut, Maryland, Tennessee, Georgia, Arkansas and Puerto Rico.
Our work has always been important but is particularly suited to this moment. There is a shortage of affordable housing in New York and across the nation, including Puerto Rico. There is a raging opioid epidemic throughout the country. And of course, there is the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve been addressing these crises on all fronts.
What drew you to Acacia Network?
I was born and raised in Puerto Rico. I originally came to New York to pursue my master’s degree and, although I had not intended to stay more than a couple of years, I fell in love with the city and with the Bronx, especially. I began to build my career here, which included work at a Federally Qualified Health Center and with entities in the social services space related to Acacia Network.
I cared very much about a trauma-informed approach to services and about my community and people, both here in New York and at home in Puerto Rico. Acacia Network was a natural fit. Our founder and current president, Raul Russi, was Acacia’s CEO at the time, and his vision compelled me. Russi built Acacia Network as a vehicle for rescuing and protecting community-based assets, especially Bronx-based community centers and initiatives that he understood to be the legacy of Puerto Rican, or Nuyorican, pioneers.
Many of the organizations within our network have encountered themselves on the brink financially, and Acacia’s affiliate model enables them to survive and thrive. Acacia does not re-brand our affiliates. Rather, we preserve their original identities and histories and their grassroots, community-based expertise informs our own.
With over 100 affiliates under our umbrella, I dare say the Loisaida Center is my baby, because I helped affiliate it the year that I joined Acacia. Although as an arts and culture organization, Loisaida might seem like an outlier in our portfolio, I deeply believe in the healing power of the arts to address trauma. And it’s important to note, our community is more than the hardships and inequality we have faced. We also have a rich cultural heritage that is worthy of celebration, preservation and pride. One of my earliest projects with Acacia Network was to rescue the Loisaida Center and nurture it into a self-sustaining arm. Today, it is financially stable with a $1 million operating budget and preparing to present its 35th annual Loisaida Festival this summer.
Can you tell us about your journey and your various roles that led you to become CEO?
I joined Acacia Network one decade ago in 2012 and was hired to take on key strategic initiatives. Russi used to call me his “Navy SEAL” because he could deploy me on any number of missions which I would tackle with head-on determination.
I became chief operating officer and worked to drive profitable and sustainable growth for the organization through financial discipline, diversification of our funding sources and by refining processes and systems of quality control as our work scaled. I restructured various departments, created our procurement division and managed Acacia’s expansion into Puerto Rico. I was appointed CEO this year and now have the pleasure to work alongside our president and prior CEO, Raul Russi, who mentored me for this opportunity across a number of years.
I have my master’s in public communication from Fordham University. I was a fellow in the 2014 Executive Leadership Program of the National Hispana Leadership Institute (NHLI) and hold an Executive Leadership Certificate from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard Business School and from the Center for Creative Leadership. I serve on the board of the Legal Action Center (LAC).
Can you tell us more about the values and goals that drive Acacia Network?
At Acacia Network, we meet people where they are, without judgment, and begin connecting them to the services and programs we offer that best suit their needs. Our goal is to integrate care in service of the whole person, the whole family and ultimately, to uplift the whole of our community.
We also prioritize trauma-informed care and culturally competent services. I am very proud that Acacia Network is led and staffed by people who come from and reflect the communities we serve and who speak their languages. Approximately 90% of our board of directors and executive leadership are people of color. That is rare in the nonprofit sector. Furthermore, 85% of our workforce identifies as Black and/or Latinx. This is no accident. We have grown from the grassroots up to become the $500 million nonprofit we are today, and we are successful because we understand and respect those we serve.
How can our readers help Acacia Network carry out its mission?
We are a 501c3 nonprofit and rely on donations to fund our work. If your readers are so moved, I would encourage them to please visit our website, acacianetwork.org, to make a donation, subscribe to our mailing list and follow us on our social media accounts @acacianetwork.
What are your hopes for the future of Acacia Network?
In becoming CEO this year, I have inherited a beloved community treasure. I feel great responsibility for upholding the institution’s integrity and legacy. That means ensuring its continued growth with transparency, accountability and the highest quality of service. I want to position Acacia Network as best in class so that we remain a trusted source for health, housing and addiction services through the next 100 years.
