The Respect Together family experienced a difficult loss. Maureen Powers, a powerhouse in the fields of women’s rights and racial equity, died January 4, 2026. She was 77.
For decades, Maureen was a champion for justice, dignity, and safety for all survivors of sexual violence. She was the CEO of YWCA Lancaster from 1987 to her retirement in 2014 (27 years), where she led the organization with vision and heart, advancing critical sexual assault support services. Powers founded YWCA Lancaster’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Counseling Center, an accomplishment she often described as one of her proudest at the YWCA.
Powers first became a board member of Respect Together in 2016, where she gave her time and wisdom to help guide statewide advocacy, survivor-centered policy, and collaborative efforts to end sexual violence across Pennsylvania. Through every board meeting, initiative, and conversation, she brought unwavering dedication and deep care for communities and survivors alike.
When asked about the first time she saw Powers as a natural changemaker, Joyce Lukima, COO, of PCAR, a division of Respect Together, had this to say:
“When she spoke of her decision to share her story of survivorship with the goal of using the experience as a survivor to speak up for others.”
– Joyce Lukima, COO, PCAR – Respect Together.
Powers was a beacon of gentle guidance through a topic that was once only whispered about behind closed doors. Maureen Powers was a crucial voice in ensuring those conversations were brought to the light of the public and that the survivors receive justice.
“When her term with the board was up, she didn’t have to come back. She did come back in our time of need, and her contributions were invaluable. That’s just the kind of person that she was.”
– Jen Grove, COO, NSVRC – Respect Together
When she joined our board, she acted with conviction. It was her strongly held belief that sexual assault prevention was everyone’s responsibility which guided her work on our board and throughout the Lancaster community. Community prevention, she felt, was key to a safer future.
“Our challenge is to repay the generosity of the community with programs that are current and effective and that meet the needs of the community as they emerge,” Powers told the Lancaster New Era shortly after being appointed to her YWCA executive role.
Powers’ innovative thinking, fearless leadership, and go-getter attitude made her someone our staff deeply admired. She always acted with moral integrity, and that immeasurably preserved our mission. Powers was a natural leader:
“Maureen shared her lessons learned around leadership, and Robert’s Rule of Order. I remember the first time she talked about the process in a Board meeting. I have to laugh because I find myself reminding Board members of the processes. Maureen’s style wasn’t like a “finger wag,” Maureen just made it [an] easy to understand processes, and how it helps to strengthen the foundation of an organization. I will always carry that with me.”
– Yolanda Edrington, CEO, Respect Together.
Our thoughts go out to all who had the privilege to know and love her, especially her two sons, Matthew and Ethan Kauffman. Moving forward, we pledge to honor her memory by reaffirming our shared commitment to making all our communities safer from sexual abuse, assault, and harassment.