Carol Hudock Palcic
Executive Director of the YWCA Westmoreland County, Mayor of Southwest Greensburg
ywcawestmoreland.org, swgreensburg.org

When she was hired in 2021 as executive director of the YWCA Westmoreland County, Carol Hudock Palcic was told there was only enough money to keep the doors open for another two years — but that wasn’t going to stop her.

“I accepted this as a personal challenge, and we are now in year three and continue to move forward,” she says.

In 2024, the YWCA Westmoreland County, which is one of 194 associations across the country, is celebrating 65 years of serving the area while creating opportunities for women and girls, including helping them lead purposeful lives, and striving for a community that values diversity.

“The YWCA Westmoreland County has evolved to work on issues that are at the forefront of women’s lives today; technology education in preparation for employment advancement; literacy English as a Second Language and economic empowerment through our Thrift Shop, PA Workwear and Working Women’s Closet programs, [as well as] programs that ignite positive change for social and racial justice,” Palcic says. “We also have a girls field hockey program and a robotics program for middle school girls.”

A Greensburg native and married mother of two, Palcic currently serves as mayor of Southwest Greensburg. Previously, she held a seat on the Southwest Borough Council.

“In 2018, the mayor resigned from his elected position. I was asked to step up and fill this position,” she says. “The council voted 6–1 in favor of the appointment, and I became the first female mayor to serve in Southwest Greensburg.”

Determined to see the association thrive, Palcic also steered the YWCA Westmoreland County through pandemic-related struggles. Last year, the association — which partners with other local nonprofits to maximize impact on the community — served more than 16,000 individuals through its various programs, and those numbers continue to grow.

“We operate as an organizational team, supporting one another and making every day a positive experience for the staff and the individuals we serve, as well as ensuring we are on track with our strategic plan,” Palcic says.

For the last 29 years, Palcic has overseen the Greensburg Thanksgiving Turkey Trot, an annual 5K race that draws more than 2,500 walkers and runners. She also serves as the board treasurer for the Greater Greensburg Sewage Authority.

“I am blessed to have an amazing staff, and each one of them takes enormous pride in their work — making sure anyone who needs services is receiving them,” Palcic says. “It is important to me that I constantly set a positive example every day to everyone I encounter.”

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