Gabriela Gómez

Advancement Manager

Gabriela is a first generation New Mexican, Mexican-American.  She grew up in downtown Albuquerque and graduated from UNM with degrees in Biological Anthropology and Spanish.

Gabriela joined the Albuquerque Community Foundation in 2012 after working in both the nonprofit and private sector.  Gabriela is part of the Philanthropic Services team of the Foundation and provides overall support in carrying out the Foundation’s Development Plan.  She serves as a point of contact for donor development, donor relations and fundraising for the organization.  She also serves as Liaison to the Future Fund – the Foundation’s giving circle for professionals in their 20s and 30s.

Meet Gabriela...

• Red or green? Depends on the dish.  I love smothered red on Huevos or Enchiladas, but you can’t beat the green rajas in a Breakfast Burrito. 
• Mountain or River?  Aren’t we lucky that we live in a city with both?!  I live in the valley and love jogging on the Bosque trails or open space, but it’s a short drive to the Sandias and spending the day in the “great outdoors” is therapeutic.  
• Comedy Club or Dance Club?  Either one.  Laughing and Dancing are both instant mood boosters!
• Hometown: Albuquerque
• High School Mascot: Sartans…yea…Do you know what a Sartan is?  The name is derived from the Italian “Sarto” which is translated as “Tailor.”  Go St.Pius Sartans! lol
• If you could have lunch with anyone alive or dead, who would it be?  Geez!  How about a five-course meal?  I could meet just about anyone because I’d probably be there just for the food.
• If you didn’t work for the Foundation, where would you work?  Hmmm, I would have a different profession for each day of the week.  Maybe on Monday I would be a dog walker, Tuesday a Barista, Wednesday a Baker, Thursday a Researcher, Friday a Social Worker.  I would combine all my favorite things: Dogs, coffee, baked goods (eating in general), knowledge, and helping others.  I would like to fit exercise somewhere in the mix too.  This is a hypothetical question after all!
• Name three songs you would include on your soundtrack of life:   The following songs do not reflect my life but rather are ones that I remember very clearly listening to during certain periods of my. “Cecilia” – Simon & Garfunkel: Saturday mornings while my dad was making breakfast,  “Another one bites the dust” – Queen: hanging out with my cool older brother while he had the volume on full blast.  “Paloma Negra” – Chavela Vargas: Nothing quite like the first heartache.
• What is a skill you’d like to learn? Anything that involves using my hands to create, fix, or change things.  I would love to learn how to fix my car or be a home improvement genius.  I want to learn to paint, sculpt and draw (I took sculpture in college and it was my hardest class).   I would also love to use my hands to heal or comfort someone who is sick – whether it is as simple as holding a hand or performing surgery.  At least the former doesn’t require 8+ years of training.
• If you could witness any event of the past, present or future, what would it be?   Tough one!  If I could just be a fly on the wall?  Not necessarily an active participant?  I would like to see how early man lived – the discovery of fire and the development of language, storytelling and writing.  Then – Ancient Greece/Rome/Mesopotamia.  Mesoamerica!  The Renaissance.   I think the only period I would like to fast-forward through would be the Dark Ages…Bubonic Plague?  No thanks!
• Where’s Waldo? Not sure, but I did find his binoculars.