Emilia Gilbert, 34
Senior director of development, LSU College of Science
Emilia ‘Emi’ Gilbert hopes her greatest achievements are yet to come. But so far, she has already accomplished quite a bit. She is the first African-American woman to lead the development effort for a college or unit at LSU, she helped lead renovation projects and secure multimillion dollar gifts, and she helped create the LSU Springfest recruitment program. Aside from her work at LSU, she has run in the New York Marathon, which she decided to pursue after watching it on TV one day. At this rate, she’s well on her way to her dream job of working for First Lady Michelle Obama someday.
THREE MAJOR PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
1) Leading a renovation project that has really changed a space on campus—every time I walk through it I smile.
2) Becoming the first African-American woman to lead the development effort for a college or unit at LSU.
3) Securing my first multimillion-dollar gift.
VOLUNTEER AND COMMUNITY AFFILIATIONS AND INVOLVEMENT
Star Hill Baptist Church, Junior League of Baton Rouge, UP Elementary School, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Leadership Baton Rouge, LSU-Summer Scholars Program and Black History Month Committee
WHAT ACTOR/ACTRESS WOULD PLAY YOU IN A MOVIE ABOUT YOUR LIFE?
Nia Long
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST JOB, AND WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM IT?
Aside from babysitting, I was a teller at a bank. Both taught me to be responsible, how to carefully handle something that was precious to someone else, to be compassionate, and to pay close attention to detail.
NAME ONE BOOK THAT HAS INSPIRED YOU PROFESSIONALLY.
Daring Greatly—Brené Brown
WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD, WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP?
A U.S. Ambassador
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE FOR A BUSINESS LUNCH IN BATON ROUGE?
DiGiulio Brothers
WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT?
I like to think my greatest achievement is yet to come, but one year I watched the NYC marathon on TV and decided I would run it. It took a few years to get in, but I finally ran it and it is a good reminder to be patient and of the ridiculous things I am capable of accomplishing.
WHAT RITUAL DO YOU DO TO GET PUMPED UP BEFORE A BIG MEETING, PRESENTATION OR PITCH?
I try to get to a quiet place and say a prayer.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST FULFILLING MOMENT IN YOUR CAREER SO FAR?
Being part of the team that helped create the LSU Springfest program in 2003—it’s a recruitment weekend for underrepresented students, and it is still going strong.
WHAT WAS YOUR PROFESSIONAL “AHA MOMENT?”
Several years ago I remember giving a report to the CEO of a Fortune 500 company and thinking to myself midway through the presentation, “You really know what you’re talking about!”
WHAT IS YOUR BEST PRODUCTIVITY HACK?
I get the most done on days when I answer emails before I get out of bed in the morning.
WHAT DID YOU LEARN THE HARD WAY?
That despite my best efforts I can’t do it all, I can’t make everyone happy, and I have to be OK with that.
WHAT ABOUT YOUR JOB WOULD SHOCK CUSTOMERS OR CLIENTS IF THEY KNEW ABOUT IT?
How few alumni support LSU academics (only 10.8%), what a difference it would make if everyone gave a little each year (even a few dollars makes a difference), and how much state funding for higher education has decreased in the last five years.
WHAT’S A WEIRD RULE AT YOUR JOB THAT YOU KNOW IS ONLY THERE BECAUSE SOMEONE WAS DUMB ENOUGH TO DO IT IN THE FIRST PLACE?
We have several rules in our dress code that I don’t love…
MAC OR PC?
Mac
WHEN DO YOU TEXT AND WHEN DO YOU CALL?
I call if the text would be more than a sentence or two.
HOW LOW WILL YOU ALLOW YOUR REMAINING BATTERY LIFE GET (IN %) BEFORE YOU HAVE AN ANXIETY ATTACK?
I’m not really anxious, but around 20% I look for my charger.
WHAT APP GETS YOU THROUGH THE DAY?
Spotify
HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU HIT THE SNOOZE BUTTON?
Once, maybe twice
BREAKFAST AT HOME? BREAKFAST ON THE GO? BREAKFAST AT YOUR DESK? NO BREAKFAST AT ALL?
Breakfast at my desk
IS THE GLASS HALF EMPTY OR HALF FULL? WHAT’S IN THE GLASS?
Always half full. Before 5 p.m., water, ideally.
WHAT’S YOUR MOTTO?
Everything will be fine in the end, and if it is not fine yet it is not the end.
WHAT’S YOUR IDEA OF PERFECT HAPPINESS?
Being at the beach on a beautiful day with my friends and family.
WHEN DID YOU REALIZE YOU HAD GROWN UP?
When the kids I used to babysit started going to college. I now owe some of them graduation presents…
WHICH LIVING PERSON DO YOU MOST ADMIRE?
Michelle Obama.
WHAT TRAIT DO YOU MOST DEPLORE IN OTHERS?
Self-centeredness.
WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST EXTRAVAGANCE?
I probably spend more money eating out than I care to realize.
WHAT TREND DO YOU REALLY WISH WOULD MAKE A COMEBACK?
Is the afternoon nap a trend?
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE JOURNEY?
How I ended up in Baton Rouge and how that has shaped my life and the person I’ve become so far.
ON WHAT OCCASION DO YOU LIE?
When I put my friends and family on hold “for just a second.”
WHEN AND WHERE WERE YOU HAPPIEST?
I like to think I’m pretty happy right now.
WHICH TALENT OR SUPERPOWER WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO HAVE AND WHY?
I’ve always said I would like to be able to see the future, but that is a very bad idea because I’d probably work really hard to change it.
IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT YOURSELF, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Last year I realized that I’m not good at doing nothing. I could use lessons on how to sit still and rest.
WHAT’S YOUR MOST TREASURED POSSESSION?
My family and friends.
WHAT DO YOU MOST VALUE IN YOUR FRIENDS?
I have an amazing group of friends. They are supportive, successful, creative, focused, fun people and they keep me balanced, help me keep things in perspective, push me to grow, and force me to be honest with myself.
WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT THE ’90s?
The lack of responsibility that existed in my life—in retrospect, my parents were really deliberate about allowing my siblings and me to be kids, and I really appreciate that.
IF YOU HAD TO BE A TEACHER OF SOMETHING, WHAT WOULD YOU TEACH?
Probably social studies or literature
WHAT SONG GETS YOU READY FOR A BIG MEETING OR MOMENT?
All of the Lights, Kanye West
WHAT IS YOUR GO-TO KARAOKE SONG?
Proud Mary, Tina Turner
IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME 20 YEARS, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOURSELF?
To be less concerned about when I ‘should’ do things—comparison is the thief of joy.
WHAT USELESS PIECE OF INFORMATION WILL YOU NEVER FORGET?
In high school we memorized the names of all the U.S. presidents in order. I can still do it.
WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH EVERY TIME YOU THINK ABOUT IT?
It’s probably a story about someone’s kid—I think children are hilarious.
NAME THREE THINGS ON YOUR BUCKET LIST.
1) Visit all 50 states by age 35 (I’ve got nine states to go).
2) Visit all seven continents by age 40 (I’ve got 3 to go).
3) Work for Michelle Obama.
