NEW YORK, October 17, 2022 — Barnard College welcomes Sarah Gillman as the new Senior Vice President for Strategic Finance and Operations, just as Barnard embarks on the construction of two new projects — the Francine A. LeFrak Foundation Center for Well-Being and the Roy and Diana Vagelos Science Center. In this role, Gillman will develop long- and short-term financial and operational strategic plans and frameworks. She joins the College during an exciting period of bold innovation and growth, and will provide leadership in finance, capital projects and facilities, and information technology (BCIT). She will jointly supervise Community Accountability, Response, and Emergency Services (CARES) with Executive Vice President of the College and General Counsel Jomysha Delgado Stephen. Gillman will join Barnard on November 14.
Gillman brings 25 years of experience in finance and operations and a track record of successful strategic planning to this new role, where she will help to establish and assess priorities involving the College’s overall operations and budgetary resources to ensure that planning, action, and measures of success are properly aligned to advance Barnard’s distinctive mission. She will also collaborate closely with numerous campus constituent groups across campus.
“As I begin my final year at Barnard, I know that Sarah will be a key member of the President’s Senior Staff and advisor to the senior leadership by maximizing our financial resources and developing the physical environment of the College,” said President Sian Leah Beilock.
Gillman joins the College from the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG), where she has served as chief financial officer since 2019. Gillman led NYBG’s pandemic financial crisis mitigation following its shutdown and secured multimillion-dollar pandemic relief. Prior to leading NYBG, she was the CFO for Children’s Aid and chief operations and financial officer for the Ethical Culture Fieldston School.
“I am thrilled to join the Barnard leadership team and bring together strategic finance, capital projects, operations, and technology, all in service of the Barnard vision,” said Gillman. “It is an exciting time ahead.”
Gillman earned a bachelor’s degree in British studies from Yale University, where she also served as captain of the women’s sailing team. She earned her MBA from Columbia University and a master’s degree in educational administration from Teachers College.
She is the treasurer and a member of the board of trustees for Rainforest Trust and active in several other organizations.
About Barnard College
Barnard College provides a singular educational experience, as a world-renowned college focused on excellence across the arts and sciences, with all the academic resources of Columbia University and the City of New York as an extended classroom. Founded in 1889, Barnard was one of the few colleges in the nation where women could receive the same rigorous and challenging education available to men. For more information on Barnard College, contact Barnard Media Relations at 212-854-2037 or mediarelations@barnard.edu. To learn more, follow Barnard on social media on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.