Desirae Davis is Vice President and Principal Consultant at Gobel Group. We recently conducted an interview with her regarding her background and experience.
- How would you describe your consulting expertise?
In my previous work, I connected needs and passions at the individual level of the clinician with donors, and I think I brought those skills into the consulting role here at Gobel. I think my past experience gives me a unique perspective, because I know what an ideal environment looks like, and I’m always striving to create it.I support the growth of a partnership between the development professionals we work with and their clinicians. Every environment requires a different approach, and whether it’s educating and engaging in a one-on-one setting or in large group environments, I enjoy customizing the delivery so it’s as impactful as possible every time. I love the challenge of navigating those kinds of relationships and I consider it one of my strengths.
- What excites you about working with Gobel Group’s clients?
I’m most excited about being able to support clients in their execution of their strategic vision. I love feeling as if I was able to effect change in a positive way for them, by opening these communications with clinicians and engaging them in conversations where sometimes, just by being that third party, you’re in a unique position to ask questions that no one internally can comfortably address. In short, I like to see the work we do positively affect the work they do.
- What excites you about leading the Client Engagement team?
This is a brand-new role for me, as I just stepped into it in 2019.I think what’s most exciting is the immense challenge the position presents. There are so many small details and so many moving parts, and everything must be just right in order to make every engagement as meaningful and as successful as possible. Ultimately, our goal is to provide our clients with extraordinary experiences. And that’s what we aim to do every single day. With client engagement, it’s not just about meeting the deliverable – it’s about accomplishing the full scope of the work. It’s about figuring out how to help the client in every possible way. And I think that on the Client Engagement team, we have a great group of individuals, each one striving to deliver remarkable experiences, all the time, every time.
- What do you find most rewarding about your work?
I think I most love the customization aspect. At Gobel, we provide best practice recommendations, but I get the most fulfillment from working with the client to fully customize these recommendations to address their goals, so the implemented strategies and outcomes can have the greatest impact.I love having the opportunity to understand the client as an individual organization, and to figure out how to make their individual experience the most meaningful, so that they can realize their overall goal.
- What are a few personal details you could share?
My husband and I got married in Boston, and we’ve been together for almost seven years. We have a five-year old son named Asher, and a two-year-old girl named Juliet, and they definitely keep us busy with their sports and activities. My husband and I have our work cut out for us, chasing them all over the place – they’re both very energetic. We like to travel as a family – usually to Cape Cod, or the Adirondacks, or Florida beaches.In my “free” time, I also sit on two boards in the Rochester area: at the Center for Dispute Settlement, which is dedicated to providing peaceful resolution and mediation service, and at the Kirkhaven Transitional and Long-Term Care Center, a local senior living facility.
