(Lancaster) -- At the end of January, a new president will take the reins of the United Way of Lancaster County for the first time in more than two decades. The organization's current president, Susan Eckert, is stepping down after leading the nonprofit for 25 years. Eckert had originally planned to pursue a career in education, an area that attracted much of her attention during her tenure at the United Way of Lancaster County. "When I finished college, I decided I wanted to be a teacher. So, I went to Boston College to get a master's in special education and taught for a period of time," she says. "But, I discovered that teaching might not have been the right match for me." After working for several years in college admissions, Eckert married and moved to Lancaster County. She began her career in the nonprofit world as the executive director of the YWCA of Lancaster, before she transitioned to her current position at the United Way. In the latest installment of our "Beyond the Bio" series, Eckert reflects on her time with the United Way of Lancaster County with WITF's Megan Lello.

Eckert discusses her time with the United Way, as well as the importance of early childhood education: