Getting to Know Gary Bagley

New Executive Director Gary Bagley and Board President Gail Harris talk about his appointment and what's ahead for New York Cares.

Q: Gail, tell us about the Board's decision to appoint Gary as New York Cares' new Executive Director.

Gail: The entire Board is excited about having Gary as our new Executive Director. There was remarkable interest in the position when it was first posted. Over several months, our search firm screened over 200 applicants and the board interviewed many impressive and well qualified people. When it came time to make a decision, it was absolutely clear to us that we had the best person in house. Gary possesses the leadership skills, vision, and passion for our work that we think is necessary for New York Cares to have an even greater impact in New York and to be the role model for volunteerism and citizen engagement in this country. The fact that the best candidate came from inside New York Cares is a tribute to the organization and the fantastic staff.

Our board is very committed to the organization and half of the board members were involved in the process. We couldn't be more delighted with the outcome. Gary is a visionary in the field and we know that New York Cares will thrive under his leadership.

Q: Gary, what first attracted you to New York Cares?

Gary: Volunteering has been a passion throughout my life. Being able to work in an organization that empowers other individuals to make the kind of difference in their communities that I had been able to make in mine is a rare opportunity and a tremendous gift. I also saw huge potential for New York Cares to grow programmatically, and my background running youth programs at Young Audiences and TADA! was a perfect fit.

Q: How would you describe New York Cares' role in the city?

Gary: We make possible the impossible for thousands of people each year. Agencies are desperate to work with more volunteers in better ways. Individuals want to volunteer. Both groups lack the time, and often, the resources to make that happen. We create, plan, and manage volunteer programs to enable city agencies and nonprofits to fulfill their missions through services delivered by our teams of volunteers. New York Cares brings people together to strengthen the city 365 days a year.

Q: What have been some of the highlights of the last 4.5 years?

Gary: It's been a busy time – I'm proud of quite a few things:

• Our Team Leader conference is an annual highpoint for me. Our Team Leaders are a dedicated group of 700 individuals who make it possible for our 10,000 volunteer projects to happen each year. Every volunteer is a hero in my eyes, and our Team Leaders are super heroes.
• Seeing our volunteer base grow by 60%, from 27,000 in 2004 to 43,000 today, and being a part of making that happen.
• Dramatically increasing our work in Queens and deepening our commitment to serve people in need in all five boroughs.
• Launching an initiative to increase the number of daytime volunteer projects and engage more older adult volunteers.
• Expanding our award-winning Youth Service Clubs, which enable high school students at NYC public schools to participate in service projects while learning about important social issues.
• Becoming the largest provider of volunteer programs to the corporate sector.

Q: What makes New York Cares unique?

Gary:  From volunteers and Team Leaders, to our staff and Board, we are a group of people with a true passion for our mission and a commitment to excellence. That dedication drives all that we do.

The organization also embraces open communications: by this, I mean a spirit of shared learning and growing that exists at all levels of the organization. We work as a team, we innovate, occasionally we make mistakes, and we work hard to do things better than before. I have great respect for my colleagues' diverse talents – our work is very rich. Words that come to my mind when I think of New York Cares are passion, heart, operational excellence, and can-do spirit.

Q: What are some of the challenges facing New York Cares?

Gary: Like everyone, of course, we're concerned about the economy and our ability to continue to secure the resources we need to maintain and grow our services. I'm especially concerned because agencies need our help more than ever as they face these same challenges. Their resources are under more pressure, and they rely on our project planning and teams of volunteers to fulfill their own missions. We have a waitlist of agencies needing our programs and volunteers. On the volunteer recruitment side, orientation sessions for new volunteers are overbooked – in this environment, more people want to volunteer than ever before. We're working to meet the needs of our agency partners and this incredible desire to volunteer.

People don't always understand that a limiting factor for our growth is access to funding. We can marry agencies and volunteers in powerful ways through our volunteer programs, as long as we have the financial support to hire staff to plan and manage the processes and maintain our technical infrastructure, such as our Web site. The coming year or two will be a challenging time for everyone, and we hope New York Cares stays at the top of people's lists when they make hard decisions about giving. Every dollar donated to New York Cares is an investment in our city – in all our futures.

Q: What's next for New York Cares?

Gary: Our overarching goal is for New York Cares to grow so we have the capacity to assist every one of the 1.5 million New Yorkers in need. We also want to help the thousands of local nonprofit agencies learn how to use volunteers more effectively and understand how they can benefit from the many skills volunteers can bring.

Q: Do you see anything for New York Cares beyond the five boroughs?

Gary: From its inception, New York Cares' work has been groundbreaking. We led the way for the creation of an entire network of volunteer organizations, the Hands On Network. I would also like see New York Cares recognized nationally for delivering exceptional community impact and providing leadership to other volunteer organizations across the country.

Q: How will New York Cares' volunteer services evolve going forward?

Gary: A major focus will be on client-based volunteer programming: things like helping New York City students be better learners and grow into adults with more potential for success, and helping adults in need get the support and new start they need to move forward in their lives and support their families. I also expect our Youth Service Clubs to grow as we help a new generation of volunteers make a difference in New York City. What's also exciting is that as new needs emerge, we'll have the opportunity to think creatively about developing new ways to address them – that's how our VITA Tax Prep program started, for example.

Q: On a personal note, how does it feel to take on this new role at New York Cares?

Gary: I'm absolutely thrilled to have this opportunity. During my time at New York Cares, I've been incredibly inspired by our volunteers' impact in the community.

I've been a volunteer on our Early Morning Reading program at P.S. 145 M and a Team Leader on New York Sings, a project where volunteers sing to and with residents of seniors' homes and assisted-living facilities. Being a part of our work keeps me in touch with how critical volunteers are to making life better for our fellow New Yorkers and building a strong community. I've also seen that a great volunteer experience is one where clients, the agencies that serve them, and volunteers each come away having been transformed in some way. My schedule will be hectic as I take on this new role, so it's especially nice to know our programs are designed so I can volunteer again when I've settled in!

Q: So tell us a little about what you do when you're not working at New York Cares or volunteering.

Gary: I'm an avid bridge player. You'll find me at the Manhattan Bridge Club a couple times a week.

Q: What did your friends and family say about your appointment?

Gary: My mother was delighted – she thinks our Board is a very smart group of people. And she asked if she could answer a Winter Wishes letter. She took two more for my sisters!

Read the official press release.