Gabrielle Fialkoff

Creating meaningful, large-scale impact, opportunity, and growth—that’s what makes me tick. I love to tell a compelling story for mission-driven organizations. I have a keen eye for assessing dynamic environments and developing a strategic vision that brings together employees, stakeholders, and partners. But the thrill for me is also in the execution—making that implementation sing. I am personally invested in my work, and I will move mountains to get things done.

I have honed these skills over 25 years working across sectors as Commissioner of the NYC Parks Department, Senior Advisor to the Mayor of New York and running a business for 15 years. I understand the complexities and demands of the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Whether advising the former mayor of NYC on how to unleash the power of public-private partnerships, innovating a platform to employ more than 100,000 urban youth in summer jobs, running the nation’s largest parks department, or growing my family business into an industry leader, I thrive on the energy that comes from changing lives for the better, bringing partners together to achieve shared goals, and building a collaborative culture.

My passion for this work, and my successes, are underscored by my belief that every decision should be a strategic one, that transformative goals can be achieved through innovative partnerships, and that crafting a big-picture vision that motivates key stakeholders will deliver high-impact results. What does this look like in practice?

• As Commissioner of NYC Parks Department, I focused on increasing equitable access to park resources across the city, securing $425M to fund the second phase of the Community Parks Initiative to restore and renovate 100 derelict community parks in the city’s neediest neighborhoods

• Understanding that government alone could not solve NYC’s inequality crisis, I pioneered a new approach to city government by establishing the Mayor's Office of Strategic Partnerships. Enlisting the business, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors, we created hundreds of high impact public-private partnerships.

• I grew my family business, Haskell Jewels (sold 2017), from an early-stage entity into an industry leader through licensing and acquisitions. As EVP/COO, I oversaw all aspects of day-to-day operations, leading the company through 14 years of exponential revenue growth, building from 10 employees to over 300.

 I am a political junkie and started my career working on political campaigns, first as a fundraising professional for President and Secretary Clinton and later as the volunteer Finance Chair for Bill de Blasio’s winning mayoral campaign of 2013.

Across all these experiences, I have brought my passion for partnership building and a commitment to improving the lives of New Yorkers.