Spotlight: Meg Gaito – director of development

Growing up in the camp world, Meg Gaito knew she wanted to work in youth development and be a camp director. This passion led her to a job at the YMCA’s Camp Sea Gull/Seafarer as Extended Season staff and as a Marketing and Development fellow.

After her stint there, Meg moved on to become the full-time Youth and Outreach Director for the Y. During the Annual Campaign for the Y, Meg found her love for philanthropy. The YMCA Annual Campaign raised funds to support their community through scholarships and different programs. The Annual Campaign is “a great way to connect people with different passions of youth, sports, fitness, and community.”

With this newfound interest, Meg chose to further explore a career within fundraising and external relations. My favorite part about my role is connecting with people and hearing their stories. I love finding out how we can get them more connected through giving and engagement,” Meg said she loved connecting with different people and “hearing their stories of how the Y impacted their lives.”

In 2020, Meg transitioned to the NC Youth Outdoor Engagement Commission as a Fundraising and Grants Manager. There she learned more about grants and how to fundraise creatively during the Covid-19 pandemic. Most recently, Meg worked for a land trust in Western North Carolina where she was able to learn how to work closely with philanthropists who made significant donations to the land trust.

Although she loved her job in Western North Carolina, as a Raleigh native, Meg felt the Triangle calling her back home. In January, Meg joined the Advancement team at Campbell as the director of development.

When asked about her favorite part about joining Campbell, Meg said, “So far, [it’s] the community and my team. Whenever I talk to friends who went here or alumni I meet, they always tell me that they hope I feel at home here as they did.”

One of Meg’s primary responsibilities will be managing giving to the Fund for Campbell. The Fund for Campbell provides flexible funding for the University such as scholarships and campus enhancements.

When Meg is not in the office, you can find her dining out with her supper club. Meg also enjoys finding local, small coffee shops, and when it’s warm, she “will be near the closest body of water, be it the pool, lake, or ocean.”

Fun facts about Meg: Meg is not her full name, but rather a nickname that comes from her initials. She has been skydiving over Monterey Bay and has a tattoo that she got along with her 84-year-old grandmother at one of the oldest tattoo shops in the world while traveling in Jerusalem.

The University Advancement team is excited to have Meg on board and appreciates her talents and excitement for philanthropy at Campbell.