Deirdre Gordon

Deirdre Gordon joined the Foundation staff in 2025 and serves as the Vice President of Philanthropic Engagement, partnering with donors to meet their philanthropic goals and building relationships across external constituencies to secure funding for the Triangle region’s most pressing needs.

With a career in higher education and nonprofit leadership spanning 25+ years, Deirdre most recently served at a national nonprofit focused on career development for veterans and active-duty military spouses. Her work has focused on creating access and opportunity for others through fundraising leadership roles at Duke University and the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill across the humanities, STEM, and athletics. Deirdre is active beyond her professional roles in the nonprofit community across a number of initiatives including housing affordability, social justice, and public education. Deirdre earned a B.S. in Biology from Duke University.

Deirdre proudly claims the Triangle as her home since her childhood included many moves both within the United States and abroad. She lives in Durham with her partner Michael, sweet dog Sydney, and the occasional permutation of five beloved young adult children in their blended family.