2020 Annual Report

In 2020, Gadsden State hired Jessica Brown as the College’s very first resource development officer. She is responsible for the planning, development and management of an aggressive and comprehensive resource development strategy to secure and steward donated monetary and in-kind donations through major gifts and an annual giving campaign as well as individual, employee and corporate gifts. 

A member of the Public Relations and Marketing Department, Brown oversees the Cardinal Foundation as well as the Gadsden State Alumni Association. 

“It has certainly been challenging to take on a brand-new role during a pandemic,” she said. “But, I’ve enjoyed my time so far at Gadsden State. It has been a year of productivity in that we have been able to strategize and solidify the policies and procedures of not only the campaign but of the support organizations as well.”

Brown earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Jacksonville State University in 2007. Her concentration is in public relations with a minor in business and technical writing. In 2008, she started her career as the resource development marketing director at the United Way of Etowah County, where she still serves as a volunteer. In 2017, she took the position of marketing and communications coordinator for Family Savings Credit Union. 

A fixture in the community as a volunteer, steward and supporter, Brown has been a member of the United Way’s Young Leaders Society / HYPE since 2010. She has served as the president of the Cheaha Chapter of the Young Professionals Group, fundraising chair for the Council on Aging’s Behind the Green Door fundraiser and volunteer chair for East AlabamaWorks Worlds of Work. She chairs the planning committee for The Chamber of Gadsden’s Student Leadership Etowah. In 2019, she was chosen the winner of AARP’s National Show Your Love Volunteer Contest, an honor given to those who go above and beyond for their community. 

At Gadsden State, she serves on the Events Committee and oversees the Swoop Sprint 5K, the annual fundraiser for the Cardinal Foundation. 

Brown hopes to kick-off the annual major gifts campaign, known as Rethinking Innovation Together, in late-2021. 

“We are busy identifying donors for the Cardinal Foundation campaign,” she said. “I intend to develop and oversee multiple fundraising initiatives to meet annual goals. I know I have my work cut out for me, but I’ve never backed down from a challenge. This is an exciting time for me and for Gadsden State. Great things are coming!” 

Click here to learn more about the Cardinal Foundation and Gadsden State Alumni Association.