Gina Hall — Vitaes Contributors

Gina Hall is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) and nonprofit leader who has built her career helping mission-driven organizations raise money, grow their reach, and make a real difference in their communities. From major gift campaigns to corporate partnerships and government grants, she brings a rare mix of strategy and people skills that keeps donors, board members, and community partners all moving toward the same goal. If you're curious about careers in nonprofit work, fundraising, or community engagement, Gina's path shows how leading with purpose can turn into a powerful and lasting profession.

Their story

Who are we to judge. Notes from a Non profit CEO

19 min

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Key quotes

“My dad told me, and being African American is like, you got to be the smartest cookie in the cookie jar, so just keep getting your education.”
Gina Hall, Executive Director, Uplift Northwest

“I was looking for fulfillment. I was looking for a role where I could truly make a difference utilizing who I am. I bring Gina to my job. I am Gina.”
Gina Hall, Executive Director, Uplift Northwest

“You learn to overcome. You learn to rise above. You learn to do workarounds. And so it's unfortunate, but it makes me — to me, it's like, I'm glad I'm African American. It makes me a better person.”
Gina Hall, Executive Director, Uplift Northwest

“Be who you are today and be the best at it and then see what opportunities you don't even know unfold. Let life unfold. Be open, be fluid. Enjoy the ride.”
Gina Hall, Executive Director, Uplift Northwest

“On that day for that particular individual, I gave him a conversation and I acknowledged him. No judgment. Who are we to judge?”
Gina Hall, Executive Director, Uplift Northwest

Career highlights

Get your education, and then keep going — be a lifelong learner.

Gina's dad told her as a Black woman she had to be 'the smartest cookie in the cookie jar.' She went back to finish her undergrad at 30 as a single mom, and credits her credentials plus lived experience for making her competitive for executive roles.

Don't make a top leadership role your first leadership role — build up to it.

Gina is direct that running a nonprofit at this level tests your integrity, problem-solving, patience, and interpersonal skills all at once. She recommends getting experience first and having honest people in your corner before you step into the big chair.

Find an organization whose mission actually aligns with who you are.

Gina took a pay cut to move into this role because she was looking for fulfillment, not just a paycheck. She says when the work aligns with your core beliefs, it stops feeling like work.

Stay open and let life unfold — a relationship or volunteer experience from five years ago can open a door today.

Gina was recruited to Uplift Northwest partly because of her long reputation at Goodwill. Headhunters had contacted her multiple times over the years. She encourages students to be their best in every role rather than fixating on one end goal.

Learn to rise above discrimination without becoming numb to it.

Gina shares that as a Black woman she's encountered microaggressions and been passed over for roles she was overqualified for. She stopped letting certain comments slide as she matured, using them as teaching moments instead, and credits her upbringing for not letting those experiences define her.

When making a career pivot, be selective — don't apply out of desperation, apply with intention.

When COVID disrupted her VP role at Goodwill, Gina talked to her husband and trusted colleagues before making a move. She only applied for roles that could use everything she'd built, and waited for the right fit rather than jumping at the first option.

Student summary

Gina Hall is the Executive Director of Uplift Northwest, a nonprofit in Seattle that helps people experiencing homelessness and poverty get job training, clothing, showers, and wraparound support so they can enter the workforce. She leads the whole organization — setting vision, managing teams, meeting with the mayor, and also stopping to have a real conversation with someone crying on the sidewalk outside the building. That range is exactly what makes her role so powerful and so demanding.

Gina's career path was anything but a straight line. She started as a flight attendant, worked for the City of Tukwila for 10 years across departments like Parks and Rec and the Police Department, then went back to school as a single mom of a three- and four-year-old, living with her parents at 30 to finish her degree. She worked her way up through small nonprofits, eventually becoming VP of Community and Donor Relations at Seattle Goodwill after 13 years there. When COVID disrupted that role, she took a step back, got selective, and landed the top job at Uplift Northwest through a national executive search.

Gina speaks directly about being a Black woman in leadership — the microaggressions, the times she was likely passed over because of her race, and how she learned to rise above without becoming numb to it. Her parents raised her with a clear message: get your education, be the best cookie in the cookie jar, and don't let anyone else's limitations define you. That foundation carried her through divorce, career pivots, and a global pandemic.

Her advice to students is grounded and real: don't rush into a top leadership role before you've tested yourself. Take every experience seriously — volunteer work, side projects, relationships — because you never know what will open a door five years from now. Be fluid, be curious, and let life unfold. The salary for a role like hers runs $130K–$160K, but she's clear that the real reward is purpose — getting to be fully yourself and make a real difference every single day.

For students of color considering careers in nonprofit leadership, community development, or social impact, Gina's story is proof that a winding path with real-life experience and a strong sense of purpose can land you exactly where you're meant to be.

Gina Hall(she/her)

Their story

Who are we to judge. Notes from a Non profit CEO