Director of Operations & Community Engagement 

Gabriella Rossi is the Director of Operations & Community Engagement Gabriella is the Director of Operations & Community Engagement for Essence Development, where she focuses on business operations as well as community outreach and engagement. Before joining Essence, she was a project manager at Related Companies, where she specialized in operations and played a key role in developing the Hudson Yards Hiring Network and the West Side Community Fund in collaboration with community partners. Gabriella holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Bryant University and a Master of Science in Management Systems from New York University. She is actively involved as a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Harlem Education Activities Fund (HEAF), serves as the Chair of the Bryant University NY Alumni Chapter, and is a member of Manhattan Community Board 1. Gabriella works closely with community advocates and organizations to oversee partnerships and bring additional resources to the communities that Essence serves. Her interests include following baseball, tennis, reading, and traveling.