Feb. 26, 2026
BY JOHN BAILEY
The Catawba County United Way (CCUW) recently hired Pashence Sparks as the agency’s new Director of Finance.
Sparks has a solid background in the field, graduating from Lenoir-Rhyne University with a BS in pre-medical and then going on to earn an MBA from the university. She also earned a certificate in general accounting from Catawba Valley Community College.
Overall, Sparks brings 9 years of work experience in the financial field to the CCUW. She’s held various positions including senior financial analyst, lead capital markets analyst, regional director of operations, director of external financial reporting, chief financial officer and more recently Finance Director at the Community Foundation of Burke County.
Sparks’ first day with the Catawba County United Way will be March 9.
CCUW Executive Director Mark Bumgarner is excited to welcome Sparks to the agency.
“From the first interview, I realized how talented and passionate this young woman is and was so excited at the possibility of her being part of our team,” Bumgarner said. “I can’t wait to see what the United Way and Pashence do together.”
The Catawba County United Way is 501c3 nonprofit focused on building relationships to support its local community with collaboration, compassion and purpose, acting as a connecting point between needs and resources.
Learn more at ccunitedway.com.