Hillside has announced the appointment of Cindy Odom as Chief Advancement Officer. Odom will join Hillside effective Monday, December 13.
In her executive position, Odom will lead the coordinated efforts of Hillside’s Foundation and Communications & Marketing teams. She will provide a strategic vision for all fundraising activities and programs, including developing and executing philanthropic strategies, promoting Hillside services to varied constituencies, and generating new interest in and support for Hillside’s community-oriented mission.
Odom has more than 20 years of experience in developing and implementing innovative strategies and building community support for nonprofit organizations. This includes a past tenure at Hillside: From 2016 through 2018 she led Hillside’s six-county Western Region as Executive Director, and served briefly as Interim Chief Advancement Officer before accepting the role of Chief Community Impact Officer at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo.
She has also held a variety of executive leadership positions with regional and national Girl Scouts organizations: first as Chief Executive Officer of the Girl Scout Council of Buffalo and Erie County; then as CEO of Girl Scouts of Western New York; and finally as Council Leadership Strategist for Girl Scouts of the USA in New York City.
“It’s wonderful to have a distinguished leader such as Cindy Odom return to Hillside, and especially in this vital executive role,” said Maria Cristalli, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hillside. “Although much of our funding comes from government agencies, our ability to innovate and grow requires strong philanthropic and community support. Cindy’s experience, and her passion for Hillside’s mission, make her the ideal choice to advance our message within the communities we serve, and beyond.”
Richard Gangemi, MD, Chair of Hillside’s Board of Governors, praised Odom’s appointment. “Hillside services benefit not only thousands of youth, adults and families every year, but also the entire communities in which they live and work,” he said. “Cindy Odom is uniquely suited to building a transformative coalition of widespread support for this important organization—and helping Hillside touch even more lives in the years to come.”
Odom holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Canisius College and a Master of Science degree in Multidisciplinary Studies Human Service Management from the State University of New York College at Buffalo. She lives in Buffalo, NY.