Gabrielle A. Gilliam

Gabrielle Gilliam is an independent consultant specializing in fund development and non-profit management. Her experience includes direct solicitation fundraising, high-level volunteer engagement, and strategic campaign planning.

Most recently, Ms. Gilliam served as vice president for development at the French-American Foundation where she oversaw all aspects of the Foundation’s revenue generating activities. She previously served as director of development and associate director for advancement and planning at Poly Prep Country Day School, an independent nursery-through-twelfth-grade school in Brooklyn. Her responsibilities included strategic campaign planning, major gift fundraising, and oversight of the parent annual giving campaign, including fundraising and volunteer management. Prior to joining Poly, she was the executive director of Bottomless Closet New York, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping low-income NYC women transition into the workplace. She oversaw all fundraising and programmatic efforts and, under her leadership, the organization saw a forty percent increase in income (year over year) as well as expanded program offerings.

Ms. Gilliam served seven years with United Negro College Fund (UNCF), where she was the area development director for individual giving, workplace giving, and foundation giving for the New York Campaign. In partnership with the national office, she helped raise five million dollars annually through major corporate and foundation grants, individual gifts, and workplace campaigns. She managed UNCF’s largest national, corporate workplace giving campaign; developed strategic plans and campaign materials for use in New York and area offices throughout the country; created and launched a Young Professionals volunteer group; and, working closely with the New York City Board of Education, secured funding for and implemented a major college admissions preparatory program. She also oversaw local programs and initiatives aimed at raising visibility among existing supporters and prospective funders and students. Prior to UNCF, Ms. Gilliam served as a Project Manager for a NYC-based special events firm, working on large-scale fundraising events for area non-profits. She also served as development director for City College of New York, and as development director for City Colleges’ schools of Science and Engineering.

Ms. Gilliam is currently the board chair for viBe Theater Experience, a non-profit performing arts and education organization that empowers teenage girls through the creation and production of original performances. Previous volunteer leadership experience includes service on the boards of The Women’s Alliance and the Harlem Jazz Foundation. She has moderated panels for Fundraising Day New York, sponsored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals. She also served on the New York State Association of Independent School’s Advancement Conference Planning Committee. She has led workshops for those conferences on topics including Capital Campaigns and Communications for Annual Giving Campaigns. Ms. Gilliam holds a BA from Vassar College and an MA from New York University, Tisch School of the Arts.