Believe in You: An Interview with Debrah Giles

"Don’t let others’ expectations of you dictate who you are or how you show up." - Debrah GilesEpisode Summary: In this episode, BlackFemaleProject Founder Precious J. Stroud talks with philanthropy professional Debrah Giles about her career journey through the corporate and philanthropic worlds. Debrah discusses the biased treatment she’s received, how she shifted her perspective to depersonalize those experiences, and the rewards of the work and support of community that’s kept her grounded through it all.This episode is sponsored by: Marcus Crawford (Become a sponsor today: www.blackfemaleproject.org/donate)GUESTDebrah Giles is a philanthropic and non-profit management professional who serves as a Senior Program Officer for the East Bay Community Foundation in Oakland, CA. She specializes in supporting initiatives within EBCF that foster education and youth development. In her role, she serves as the Senior Program Officer for the Clorox Company Foundation’s Responsive Grantmaking Program and continues to lead the work that focuses on boys and men of color.Prior to joining the East Bay Community Foundation, for nearly 15 years Debrah worked for Sun Microsystems in their Global Community Development Group (Foundation). At Sun Microsystems, she managed all aspects of their national and regional grant-making programs and developed strategies to improve their grant-making procedures. During her tenure with Sun Microsystems, she also developed and guided major funding programs, including their international disaster relief program, multi-year educational grants, and global gift matching programs. Additionally, she was responsible for regional and field management for both community relations and volunteer projects.Debrah received her bachelor’s degree in Business Management from St. Mary’s College. She is a native of Oakland.Follow @GilesDebrah.HOSTPrecious J. Stroud, BlackFemaleProject FounderPrecious envisions a world where marketing images and messages uplift the dignity of Black women, and harmful stereotypes are no longer present. She launched PJS Consultants in 2014 to address the communications needs of leaders and organizations who value justice. Her clients enjoy elevated brand recognition and awareness because their stories stand out. Learn more at www.pjsconsultants.net #workforgood.RESOURCESEast Bay Community Foundation https://www.ebcf.org/Bay Area Blacks in Philanthropy https://www.facebook.com/BABIPCA93/ Join Us:https://blackfemaleproject.org/subscribeFollow Us:Instagram: https://instagram.com/blackfemaleprojectFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackfemaleprojectLinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blackfemaleproject/