meet gisele
“A leader’s role requires balancing multiple priorities at once, ensuring that our work is always grounded in our vision and mission, while being nimble enough to adapt to, and even precede changes in politics, policies, funding trends, and, most importantly, the factors most directly impacting the youth we serve.”
Steadfast advocate, visionary, and transformational leader are just a few words most often used to describe Gisele. With over two decades of experience and expertise in the criminal justice system, Gisele has served as the CEO of exalt since 2016.
Through sheer determination and commitment to transformational change, Gisele has been laser-focused on transforming young people’s lives through education, employment opportunities and criminal justice reform. She began her journey in the organization with an operating budget of $950,000 in 2016 and grew that to over $8 million. She has raised almost $30MM, inclusive of a $5MM grant from Mackenzie Scott and over $4MM in accumulated surplus. In FY22, she completed a 3-year strategic plan, which included moving exalt to its first headquarters in 2019 and further expanding the physical space at 17 Battery by the end of 2022. During this phase, exalt pursued and successfully secured government support, including both a significant New York City operating contract and a New York State capital grant for the new headquarters. She tripled the number of staff, grew its internal capacity and infrastructure to successfully transition the organization to its midlife cycle. Gisele's leadership has enabled the organization to experience continued growth, having served over 2,000 youth in 5 years, and a strong financial position to take the organization to the next level. Starting in FY24, Gisele will lead a 3-year strategic plan, with a $25MM budget, to deepen the organization’s impact and replicate the exalt model nationally. She will further diversify the base of exalt’s support with a Federal engagement strategy. In alignment with Gisele’s vision and the new strategic plan, she has successfully grown and diversified exalt’s Board of Directors with outstanding and committed individuals who will contribute to the sustainable growth of the organization while enhancing the Board’s governance and expertise.
Always assessing risks and opportunities, she has carefully modeled, tested, and implemented policies and procedures that have resulted in moving the organization from a startup model to a highly functioning, well-established one, with our youth at the center of everything she does. Her vision and execution have resonated across all levels of government and society, allowing Gisele to be recognized and sought after as a leader, speaker, and educator. She has been recognized and supported by government officials at the city, state, and federal levels, and by advocates in the private sector, including Google, JP Morgan Chase, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
She has also leveraged her expertise and vision by giving back to other organizations through service. Her service includes roles with the Rockefeller State Preserve, Trinity Church Wall Street, Sterling Foundation, Chief Network, and as a board member with SparkYouth NYC.
On October 11, 2023, Gisele was honored with the 2023 Community Impact Award by SparkYouth NYC, and on October 17, 2023 she won a prestigious NYC Imagine Award in the Leadership category, which spotlights innovation and recognizes exemplary nonprofit leaders advancing their organizations. Moreover, Gisele, along with exalt, was recognized by Brooklyn D.A. Eric Gonzalez at the 2023 Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration for the impactful work in the lives of youth. Furthermore, she contributed as a guest speaker on Advocacy and Policy at the Hispanic Leadership Institute offered by the Hispanic Federation and hosted by the Fund for the City of New York in October, 2023.
Under Gisele’s leadership, exalt has also been recognized by Spark Prize as an outstanding pioneering nonprofit organization deeply committed to advancing racial and social justice; was named NYU-Steinhardt Internship Partner of the Year in 2019; and was selected runner-up for the Nonprofit Excellence Awards for best management practices. Gisele has been recognized as one of the “Responsible 100” by City and State New York Magazine as one of NY’s most effective executives, thought leaders, visionaries and influencers, who are setting new standards of excellence, dedication and leadership by improving their communities and making transformative change. Recently, she was one of two Latinx to join the Robin Hood Power Fund which was established to address a critical funding disparity for nonprofit leaders of color by elevating leaders who are reflective of the communities they serve.
Gisele is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Education in Leadership and Innovation from NYU Steinhardt. She holds a Master’s of Public Administration in non-profit management from Pace University and studied at the graduate level at Oxford University, where she researched U.S. vs. U.K. juvenile justice systems.