Paula Ross, CFRE (she/her)
Ms. Ross is a nonprofit executive with proven success in operations leadership, finance, governance, and development. Currently serving as the President & CEO at the Gaithersburg Germantown Upcounty Chamber, Ms. Ross is a dedicated advocate for the Montgomery County business community in matters of economic development, workforce development, and professional advancement. Prior to joining the staff at the Chamber, Ms. Ross cemented her nonprofit career in arts leadership, first as the Executive Director at Metropolitan Ballet Theatre & Academy (MBT) in Montgomery County for nearly a decade, and then as a consultant to nonprofit arts organizations in Interim CEO, Interim CFO, Strategic Planning, and Development consulting functions. One of those consulting appointments was as Interim Managing Director and then Interim CFO at Imagination Stage in 2021/22.
Paula is a 2014 recipient of a Montgomery County Executive’s Award for Excellence in the Arts & Humanities and a graduate of the Leadership Montgomery Class of 2014. She is an avid volunteer in the local community, and holds board and leadership roles in several other local organizations including Imagination Stage and Committee for Montgomery. She has also volunteered at her undergraduate alma mater Allegheny College, where she was proud to give the commencement day address to first-generation graduates in 2022. In 2019, she ended a one-year term as Chair of the Montgomery County Arts Advocates, a consortium of arts executive leaders. She also enjoyed her work on the steering committee for the County Executive’s Ball for the Arts & Humanities for several years. She is currently an active member of the Maryland Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.
Paula holds a Master’s Degree in Management from Harvard University, with accompanying graduate certificates in Nonprofit Management and Strategic Management. Her Bachelor’s degree is from Allegheny College. Other professional development work includes a Professional Certificate from University of South Florida’s Muma College of Business in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace, and she has held the CFRE credential since 2022.
Paula lives in Germantown, MD with her husband and two children, all of whom are now expert volunteers at nonprofit functions.
For more detailed information about Ms. Ross’ professional and academic experience, please visit www.linkedin.com/in/paulaross.