Ed Wilson, GBH’s new chief development officer, grew up in a British military family and has lived all over the world. In his career, he’s continued that global life, working for environmental and conservation nonprofits.
But for the last 25 years he’s been anchored in Boston, after moving here for what he thought would be a one-year stint for Earthwatch, a nonprofit that connects people with scientists worldwide to conduct environmental research and learn about preserving the planet.
And for all of those two decades plus, GBH has been an important touchstone for him, his wife Imogen, and their children Titus and Tallulah. “I've always had a deep appreciation for what GBH does,” he said. “The quality, the integrity, and the authenticity have always been really important to me.“
Now that he is leading GBH’s efforts to build philanthropic support, he wants to make sure the resources of GBH are available for generations to come. “As the media landscape continually evolves, it's really important that people don't take GBH for granted,” he said. “There has never been a more important time for public media.”
Wilson said he has always been attracted to organizations that are going through transformation, as GBH is. At Earthwatch, where he was president and CEO, he worked to manage its expansion and diversify its revenue base. He was surprised to find that he thrived on fundraising, which he’d never done before.
“I grew up in an English family where no one spoke about money. It was very impolite and frowned upon to even mention the subject. But I found I loved fundraising — because it’s all about relationships. I've always been fascinated with people. Finding the alignment between what people care about and what organizations can achieve is just really fascinating and very fulfilling.” He later served as chief of development and strategic partnerships at The Trustees of Reservations.
He brings that experience to GBH as it works to invest in new programs and ideas to reach new audiences.
“What sets GBH apart is the depth of the relationship we have with our community. It’s so important that we recognize that people want to do much more than just write a check. They want to be engaged, contribute by serving on committees, and network with like-minded people. That benefits GBH and the individuals that support us.”
GBH’s offerings also set it apart, he said.
“I love the programs that we're producing not only because of their insight but also because of the diversity of the content and who's making them,” he said. “I’m concerned that more and more people seem to be tuning into fewer and fewer voices and getting a more siloed view of the world. It is incredibly important to keep people's perspectives broad and much more open-minded.”
Learn more about ways you can give to GBH here.
