Skip to content
  • Apply Now
  • Events
    • Graduate Admissions Events Calendar
    • Marxe Community Events Calendar
    • Faculty, Staff & Administration Calendar
  • Schedule a Visit
  • Ask a Question
Baruch college | Baruch College-logo Baruch College-logo City University of New York CUNY-logo

Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs

Menu

    About
    • Spotlight on Marxe
    • Marxe Rankings
    • Faculty and Staff
      • Full-Time Faculty
      • Part-Time Faculty
      • Senior Administration and Staff
    • Centers and Institutes
      • Center for Nonprofit Strategy and Management (CNSM)
      • CUNY Institute for Demographic Research (CIDR)
      • New York Federal Statistical Research Data Center (NYRDC)
      • Howard J. Samuels State and City Policy Center
      • Center for Equality, Pluralism and Policy (CEPP)
    • Graduation Data
    • Assessment
    • Administrative Resources
    • Marxe Newsletters Archive
    • Contact Us
    Academics
    • Master of Public Administration
      • MPA Curriculum
      • MPA Student Handbook
    • Executive MPA
      • Executive MPA Curriculum
    • Master of International Affairs
      • MIA Curriculum
      • MIA Student Handbook
    • Master of Science in Education in Higher Education Administration
      • MSEd Curriculum
      • MSEd Student Handbook
    • The Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs (BSPA)
      • BSPA Curriculum
    • Certificate in Public Communication
    Admissions
    • Graduate Admissions Requirements and Process
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    Student Resources
    • Academic Advisement
      • Graduate Advisement
      • Undergraduate Advisement
    • Career Services
    • Quantitative Student Support
    • Writing for Public & International Affairs
    • College Resources
    Global Initiatives
    • For Marxe Students
    • For Faculty
    • For Foreign Students
    Student Opportunities
    • Scholarships
    • Student Employment Opportunities at Marxe
    • Study Abroad
    • The Washington Semester
    Alumni
    • Get Involved
    • Alumni Testimonials
    • Marxe School of Public and International Affairs
    • Marxe Community Spotlights
    • March 2021 Alumni Spotlight

    March 2021 Alumni Spotlight

    Jeanette Gisbert, MPA ’08

    jeanettegisbert

    In this month’s alumni spotlight, Jeanette Gisbert (MPA ‘08) tells us about her recent promotion to Executive Director at Volunteer New York! and her work at the nonprofit.


    Congratulations on your recent rise to the level of Executive Director of Volunteer New York! Can you tell us about any critical short- and/or long-term goals you have?

    Becoming a new Executive Director in the time of a global pandemic has presented several unique opportunities. My short-term goals are to ensure the health and safety of the Volunteer New York! team. Our people are our greatest asset and their health, physical and mental,  is critical to accomplishing our mission. I’m also focused on ensuring that our community understand that even in a COVID world where so much has had to be cancelled or postponed, that – Community has not been cancelled. Volunteer power is still needed. To that end, Volunteer New York! has been working closely with our community partners to help them pivot to virtual programming and to be able to continue to incorporate volunteers safely.

    What unique challenges has Volunteer New York! met in the wake of the pandemic outbreak this past year?

    Like every nonprofit or small business, Volunteer New York! has had to adapt and respond to our community’s needs. Early on, in April 2020, we were one of the first organizations to operationalize a virtual volunteer recognition/fundraiser. Since then, many organizations have looked to our event as the roadmap for implementing a world class virtual event.

    Although the world has changed dramatically over the last year, our mission—to connect volunteers who are eager to help with fellow nonprofits meeting critical needs—remains steadfast.

    Volunteer New York!’s work has not stopped. In fact, we’ve expanded and adapted our services, resulting in an increase of more than 100% in individuals who have raised their hand to help. Volunteers have shown that community has not been cancelled.

    Volunteers helped small business owners secure PPP loans, acted as a lifeline to essential services for the immunocompromised, bridged the education divide as e-tutors, and committed to our intergenerational call buddy program to prevent social isolation for seniors.

    We are proud of what we have accomplished and know there is still more to be done.

    You live and work in Westchester, where Volunteer New York! is based. Tell us about the challenges of employing Volunteer’s goals and strategies in Westchester.

    Westchester a community of tremendous wealth but it also has pockets of need. We are always working to educate our community that there are ways for them to support and connect to their local community through volunteerism and that Volunteer New York! can make it easy for them to find a meaningful opportunity.

    What was your experience at the Marxe School like? What skills did you pick up from your time in the MPA program that you still rely on today? 

    I really enjoyed meeting peers who were as passionate about and committed to making a contribution to the world as I was.  It’s hard to pick just one skill – I use all of them daily!


    Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs 135 East 22nd Street (Lexington Avenue and 22nd Street) (646) 660-6700
    Marxe 2022 Public Affairs Badge
    Facebook Twitter Youtube Instagram LinkedIn
    • Contact Us
    • About Our Site
    • Privacy
    • Site Map
    • Text Only
    Baruch College | One Bernard Baruch Way
    55 Lexington Avenue (at 24th Street) | New York, NY 10010
    646-312-1000
    CUNY logo
    CUNY logo