David Mercado is the Senior Director of Operations for United Way of North Carolina, where he provides strategic leadership for NC 211, statewide contact center operations, and a growing portfolio of direct-service and navigation programs. Over the past two years, David has helped transform NC 211 from a struggling system into one of the top-performing 211 contact centers in the country, driving significant improvements in service delivery, operational efficiency, partnership development, and community impact.
Under his leadership, NC 211 has expanded its resource database from approximately 13,000 to more than 17,000 verified services, strengthening access to critical resources for communities across all 100 counties. His focus on performance, accountability, and customer experience has resulted in sustained operational excellence, including a 98% service level and an average hold time of less than 25 seconds.
A cornerstone of David’s leadership has been building strong partnerships across North Carolina. He has developed and strengthened relationships with all 47 Local United Ways, while also placing a strong concentration on collaboration with local Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs), state agencies, community organizations, and other public and nonprofit partners. Through these relationships, David works to ensure that NC 211 is positioned not simply as a call center, but as a critical part of the state’s human-services and emergency-response infrastructure.
David’s vision is centered on transforming 211 from a transactional contact center into a comprehensive navigation center—one that goes beyond providing information and referrals to actively helping individuals navigate complex systems, connect to services, and receive meaningful follow-up and support. This approach incorporates technology, data, specialized navigation, closed-loop processes, and strategic partnerships to create a more connected experience for individuals and families seeking assistance.
In his role, David provides strategic leadership and oversight for programs including NC 211, AARP Caregiver, Digital Navigation, Rural Health Transformation, Ride United, and Continuum of Care (CoC) initiatives for Regions 1 and 6. Through these programs, he continues to expand the role of 211 in areas such as healthcare navigation, transportation, homelessness response, digital access, caregiver support, disaster response, and other critical community needs.
Prior to joining United Way of North Carolina, David led the New Jersey 211 contact center, where he built a high-performing operation focused on quality, consistency, operational performance, and customer experience. He also brings extensive private-sector contact center expertise and is a business owner, operating a fitness gym where he provides specialized training.
Across every aspect of his work, David is passionate about building high-performing teams, developing meaningful partnerships, challenging traditional service-delivery models, and creating systems that make it easier for people to get the help they need when they need it most.
Outside of work, David enjoys spending time with his wife and children.