The Children’s Aid Society today announced the hiring of Sarah Gillman as chief financial officer and Sandra Escamilla-Davies as vice president for the Adolescence Division. Gillman will oversee all of the agency's financial matters, including the annual operating budget, payroll, purchasing, and the endowment, among other areas. Escamilla-Davies will lead an array of programs designed to help young adults prepare for college, career, and a successful, independent life. Both start with the organization on July 6.
“Sarah and Sandra bring decades of vital experience in their fields to our organization,” said Phoebe C. Boyer, president and CEO of The Children’s Aid Society. “With their addition, our management team is in an even better position to advance our mission and deepen our impact on the lives of children and families of our city.”
Prior to joining Children's Aid, Gillman was the chief operating and financial officer for the Ethical Culture Fieldston School, an independent k-12 school that serves 1,700 students. Before that, she was the CFO at National Resources Defense Council, a $125 million global environmental advocacy organization with nearly 500 employees. She held executive financial positions at Save the Children US, the Wildlife Conservation Society in the Bronx, and MBIA & Associates Consulting Services, and she served as a management consultant at KPMG Peat Marwick LLP. She has been an adjunct professor at Columbia University, where she earned her M.B.A. and an M.A. from Teachers College. She received her bachelor’s degree from Yale University.
“Not only does Children’s Aid have a rich history of changing the lives of kids and families in New York, but it does so from a position of financial strength,” said Gillman. “I’m incredibly excited to help sustain that strength and implement a long-term fiscal plan that ensures this organization will continue to have a major impact on the communities that most need it for generations to come.”
Sandra Escamilla-Davies has dedicated the last 20 years of her career working with organizations across multiple settings to create conditions in which NYC youth and families can thrive. She spent the last year advising nonprofits about leadership and staff development before she joined Children’s Aid. That followed nearly 15 years with the Fund of the City of New York's Youth Development Institute, the last five of which she spent as the executive director. Sandra has also worked at Hunter College (where she graduated with a B.A. in sociology), and the Center for Family Life. She earned her master’s in social work at Columbia University.
“Through my previous work I have come into contact with the staff and programs of Children’s Aid for years, so I am thrilled to join this team,” said Escamilla-Davies. “More than six thousand teens and their family members depend on this organization through the Adolescence Division—for college preparation, job training and internships, human sexual and reproductive education and health services, and much more—and I can’t wait to begin working with the other members of the division and the rest of the Children’s Aid team to help all these kids realize their potential and become successful, independent adults.”
The Children’s Aid Society is an independent, nonprofit organization established to serve the children of New York City. Our mission is to help children in poverty to succeed and thrive. We do this by providing comprehensive supports to children and their families in targeted high-needs New York City neighborhoods. Founded in 1853, it is one of the nation’s largest and most innovative non-sectarian agencies, serving New York’s neediest children. Services are provided in community schools, neighborhood centers, health clinics, and camps. For additional information, please call Anthony Ramos at (212) 949-4938/ (917) 204-8214, email anthonyr@childrensaidsociety.org, or visit www.childrensaidsociety.org.