A former chief marketing officer at Alexandria, Virginia-based United Way Worldwide filed a $12 million lawsuit against the charity Wednesday.
Lisa Bowman says she was retaliated against, and eventually fired, after reporting sexual harassment to management within the organization, which calls itself “America’s favorite charity.”
WTOP has learned from sources familiar with the suit that attorneys for Bowman say, in the Circuit Court of Alexandria, that Bowman was harassed, subjected to a hostile work environment because of her gender, and later retaliated against for complaining about the unlawful conduct, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
“The reality is, we all know what happens when we aren’t silent. My values are grounded in the belief that silence equals complicity. And I couldn’t, in good conscience, be complicit in covering up what was happening,” Bowman said during a news conference Wednesday after filling the lawsuit.
From November 2015 to February 2020, Bowman was employed by United Way as executive vice president and chief marketing and communications officer, reporting directly to the charity’s president and chief executive officer, Brian Gallagher.
In late 2020, approximately three years after the #MeToo movement gained prominence, Bowman and two other female executives told their stories to HuffPo — previously the Huffington Post — saying leadership ignored their reports of harassment, and that each filed a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the federal agency that investigates civil rights claims in workplaces.
In the suit, Bowman’s attorneys Maureen Carr and Allison Riddle detail Bowman’s interactions with a male colleague, who she told human resources repeatedly leered at her and made inappropriate comments about her appearance.
Bowman said her interactions with the male colleague began in October 2017, when Gallagher asked her to interview the man for a new role.
Bowman has said when the colleague arrived, he stood very close to her, within what she considered her personal space. She recalls the man told her she was intimidating.
When the man told Bowman they would no doubt tangle, Bowman said if they had a disagreement, it would be solved professionally behind closed doors. The male colleague said he would enjoy that scenario.
Bowman said she voiced her concerns about the interviewee’s behavior and commentary to Gallagher, but her boss soon hired the man for the new role anyway.
Bowman said she attempted to speak privately with the man about improving their working relationship, after repeated comments about her appearance and an invitation to stay with the man at an Airbnb during a business trip.
She said he had a pattern of pacing back and forth outside her office, several times a day, even though they worked on different floors and her office wasn’t near an office the male colleague would have reason to visit. Bowman said her employees took notice of his presence.
By February 2019, Bowman said the male colleague had, on several occasions, blatantly scanned her body up and down several times, while making comments about her clothes and body. Over time, she began taking precautions to not be alone with the male colleague.
When Bowman spoke to Gallagher about the male colleague’s behavior, she said she was told she needed to learn to get along with him. Bowman claims she told Gallagher the issue wasn’t about getting along, but was instead about unacceptable behavior that put United Way Worldwide at risk.
In October 2019, Bowman said she made her final attempt to resolve work issues with the male colleague privately, but he became passive-aggressive and bullied Bowman by yelling at her, dismissing her concerns and insulting her.
After reporting the unsettling interactions to at least three female members of management, Bowman says human resources took no meaningful action, and her previous standing and responsibilities with the charity started to wither.
Employees who had been assigned to her team were moved to the male colleague’s team. At approximately the same time, as Bowman was being pushed aside, her alleged harasser was promoted.
During a meeting on Jan. 9, 2020, Gallagher told Bowman, “I don’t need you,” and said a newly hired executive would be the charity’s top marketing person.
While human resources agreed that Bowman’s last day with the charity would be Feb. 21, 2020, she was abruptly fired on Feb. 6.
“Since that time, my career has been destroyed. I’ve had job offers rescinded. ‘Your background is amazing, but we can’t take a risk with you, Lisa.’ Recruiters told me that their client isn’t interested because of what happened. I sat across from the CEO in an interview where I was one of two final candidates and was told to my face, ‘I’m willing to give you a job, if you will assure me that you won’t come here and be a problem.’ Here’s the ironic thing. I’m not a problem, and the problem was never addressed,” Bowman said.
In addition, she said that because of United Way’s actions she’s suffered and continues to suffer from pain, mental anguish, embarrassment, humiliation, stress and anxiety.
In March 2020, Bowman filed a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, alleging discrimination based on sex, resulting in harassment and a hostile work environment, as well as retaliation, under Title VII.
In February 2021, Gallagher resigned from United Way Worldwide, three days after a law firm hired by the nonprofit concluded United Way had demonstrated no “actionable” sexual bias.
Nearly four years later, on March 7, 2024, the EEOC notified Bowman and United Way Worldwide that it was closing its investigation and providing a Notice of Right to Sue, which allowed Bowman 90 days to file a lawsuit.
“I shouldn’t have to worry about where, or even if, I will find the next source of work as a result of this. I shouldn’t have to worry about if I can afford medical insurance, my mortgage, food on my table and my legal bills. I shouldn’t have to lie awake at night fighting back tears at what has happened to my life. I should be able to hold my head high, knowing I did the right thing,” Bowman said.
In an email, a United Way spokesperson said the organization does not comment on pending or active lawsuits.
“United Way Worldwide is committed to fostering an environment free from discrimination and harassment,” the statement from the organization said. “We remain focused on building sustainable and equitable futures for communities worldwide so all can thrive.”
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