hilary gleason
founder, ceo
We all have a role to play in changing the world for the better. That power lies within us -- those who want to make a difference, then roll up their sleeves -- and within the collective, for we can go farther together.
At seventeen, I teamed up with a neurosurgeon from Duke Hospital to form a surgical partnership with Mulago, Mbarara and Mengo Hospitals in Uganda. Fifteen years later, I maintain a lead role in the program, traveling bi-annually to Uganda with medical teams from Duke and Stanford Universities.
While studying at the University of Tennessee (Go Vols!), I spent a summer studying soil science in the southern African country of Lesotho. After college, I worked with Global Health Corps and The United Nations Foundation, exposing me to international development issues on a larger scale. During my time at Global Citizen, I organized several large scale events, including a summit on extreme poverty and a trip to India for celebrity ambassadors supported the production of Global Citizen Festival, a 60,000 person music festival in Central Park, and Global Citizen Earth Day, a 250,000 person festival on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
I’m a lifelong music fan and believe passionately that we are going to need an amazing soundtrack for the hard work that’s ahead of us. Music inspires people across the world, and, with the right guidance, can be a beautiful vehicle for change. Starting level was a jump in the deep-end; since our launch in 2017, we have mobilized more than $1M to support education, the environment, mental health + more.
In 2019, our team spearheaded a task force of 100+ music industry professionals to create Backline: a 501(c)3 organization that provides mental health resources to the music industry. I now serve as the Executive Director of the organization, while continuing to consult with an amazing group of clients. As the world continues to turn, I am more fired up than ever to continue fostering communities and making a difference.