Ileana Kniss, United Way of Central Florida

Ileana Kniss was born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico and moved to Lakeland, FL when she was 7. As a longtime resident, Ileana is a graduate of Lakeland High School. She went on the earn a BA in Communications from the University of Central Florida. Ileana has more than 13 years’ experience in fundraising/development and community relations. In 2017, she joined the Peace River Center team as the Director of Community Relations and Development. Ileana’s career experience after college brought her to the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce. She went on to further her career in fundraising at the Community Foundation of Greater Lakeland (now GiveWell Community Foundation); Lakeland Regional Foundation and Polk State College Foundation.
Ileana is a past-president of the Kiwanis Club of Lakeland and the Polk County Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals; a graduate of Leadership Lakeland Class XXX; and a graduate of Polk Vision’s Leadership Polk. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, running, time outdoors and giving back to the community. Ileana enjoys being a boy mom to two boys 14 and 11, and is married to her high school sweetheart, Gregg.