Nancy Leahy, development director of the Grand Columba Council Boy Scouts of America, will be the 2024 recipient of the Ted Robertson Community Service Award, the Greater Yakima Chamber of Commerce announced Tuesday.

Over the years, Leahy has volunteered her time to the Rotary Club of Yakima, the Greater Yakima Chamber of Commerce, KCTS-KYVE TV (PBS), Yakima Youth Baseball, and other organizations outside of Washington.

Leahy is the current secretary of the Parker Youth and Sports Foundation in Yakima and served on the Yakima School Superintendent’s Advisory Board for twelve years.

“Nancy is a woman who has dedicated her life to service, leadership and community,” said Chamber board member Bob Gerst.

Leahy grew up in Lake Oswego, Oregon, and earned a degree in speech and hearing pathology from Purdue University. She has been a speech and hearing pathologist in Walla Walla and Richland and was named executive director of the Yakima Valley Hearing and Speech Center in 2010. She later became director of the Astria Hospital Foundation in Sunnyside.

“Yakima is so important,” Leahy said in making the announcement. “And there are things in Yakima that we can accomplish when we work together. That’s not possible anywhere else.”

“When Yakima works together, it always works. And I am so proud to come from this city.”

The Ted Robertson Award was established in 1989 by the Greater Yakima Chamber of Commerce to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the betterment of the Greater Yakima area.

Robertson is the former publisher of the Yakima Herald-Republic. His “legacy is one of quiet generosity, tireless effort and a deep commitment to making Yakima a better place,” Gerst said. “This award was created to honor individuals like Ted who are dedicated to improving Yakima through selfless acts and commitment to the common good.”

Leahy will be honored on November 7 at the Chamber of Commerce’s annual Ted Robertson Community Service Awards ceremony at the Yakima Convention Center.

Recent recipients include Phil English, Rich Austin and Gayle Brewer in 2023, Sister Kathleen Ross in 2022 and Joe Mann in 2021.