Unity House names new leaders

Darlene Podolak becomes CEO; Amy Durkin hired as COO

Unity House, a local nonprofit that provides housing and other supports for more than 700 people with disabilities, has a new chief executive.

Darlene Podolak became the organization’s CEO on January 1 after serving more than eight years as its chief operating officer. She replaced Liz Smith, who retired Dec. 31 as the nonprofit’s fourth CEO.

Podolak started her career at Unity House as a direct support professional in 1992. She helped open the organization’s first group home for people with developmental disabilities in 1993. Later, as a program manager, director and then COO, she helped lead Unity House’s growth and its person-centered work culture. Podolak has a master’s degree in management from Keuka College and a bachelor’s degree in music therapy from SUNY Fredonia.

“Darlene helped build this organization into what it is today,” said Ken Knight, president of Unity House’s Board of Directors. “There are so many people in our community who need our support. Under Darlene’s leadership, I see Unity House growing responsibly to meet that need.”

Unity House leaders worked for more than a year to ensure a smooth leadership transition, starting in November 2024 when the board unanimously approved Podolak’s appointment as CEO. Amy Durkin, who replaces Podolak as COO, started at Unity House in September 2025.

Durkin has a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Towson University, and brings more than 20 years of nonprofit operational experience to Unity House. She previously provided clinical services and served on leadership teams at Liberty Resources, Hillside Children’s Centers and Huntington Family Centers.

“Amy is well-prepared to support the program directors and their teams to move our strategic plan forward,” Podolak said.

Podolak said her work as CEO will be guided by Unity House’s mission – to empower and enrich the lives of people in recovery, coping with a mental illness, and/or diagnosed with a developmental disability. Key to delivering on that mission, she said, is making Unity House the area’s top employer for people who want a rewarding career.

“I’m advocating relentlessly to make sure our direct support professionals receive the pay, training and support they need,” Podolak said. “This is essential work, and I want everyone who works here to feel valued.”

Podolak said she will enlist Unity House supporters in a statewide campaign to ensure that state funding for DSPs keeps up with inflation. She is also asking Unity House donors, community partners, and volunteers to deepen their commitment to the cause.

“Unity House is part of what makes our community strong,” Podolak said. “I’m asking folks to put their time, their ideas and their money where their values are.”

For more information, please contact Director of Marketing and Development Kelly Buck at 315.253.6227 x 313 or Kelly.Buck@UnityHouse.org. For more on Unity House, visit www.UnityHouse.org

Unity House empowers people with mental illnesses, developmental disabilities and substance use disorders. Every day, Unity House helps more than 750 adults in nine central New York counties learn the skills they need to lead fuller, more independent lives. Founded in 1977, the nonprofit employs about 350 people who provide transitional and permanent housing, as well as rehabilitative, respite and employment services. Through innovation, education and advocacy, Unity House is freeing our community of misconceptions associated with disabilities.