Mary Phillips has deep experience in philanthropy. She leads the firm’s consulting practice and serves as philanthropic advisor to foundations, families, and individuals. Mary specializes in philanthropic program design, governance, trustee education, planning for transitions, retreats, start-ups, and foundation management. Mary co-founded GMA in 1982 and served as President and CEO from 2007 to 2023.

Mary is active in the non-profit community and has presented, facilitated, and written for the Council on Foundations, Exponent Philanthropy, and the National Center for Family Philanthropy among other local and national philanthropic associations and donor service organizations. She is a founding member and immediate past chair of the Steering Committee of the National Network of Consultants to Grantmakers, a learning community for consultants dedicated to increasing and strengthening philanthropy.

Mary is a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy,^®  holds a Master of Science in Management from Regis College, and is a graduate of Emerson College with a B.S. in Business and Organizational Communication.

Mary enjoys swimming, yoga, volunteering for community initiatives, taking Edx courses, and being a mother of one, grandmother of two, and aunt of 21. Her experience as a member of a very large family is the underpinning of her interest in healthy family dynamics.