Annie Cleary Joins Brooklyn Org As Chief Development Officer

Brooklyn Org today announced that Annie Cleary has joined the organization as Chief Development Officer. In this role, Cleary will lead Brooklyn Org’s fundraising and development strategy, advancing the organization’s mission to mobilize people and resources to build a more equitable and just Brooklyn.

Cleary is a mission-driven nonprofit leader with extensive experience mobilizing resources, cultivating partnerships, and strengthening community-rooted organizations across New York City. She joins Brooklyn Org from Partnership with Children, where she served as Chief Development Officer, leading fundraising, communications, and external affairs for a $16 million organization providing trauma-informed mental health services and healing-based arts education in more than 40 NYC public schools. In this role, she supported more than 20,000 children and families each year and helped sustain the organization’s significant footprint in Brooklyn.

Annie’s career has centered on expanding access to opportunity for children and families. Prior to Partnership with Children, she led strategic partnerships and resource development at Empatico, a global ed-tech initiative of the KIND Foundation focused on helping young people build empathy and understanding across lines of difference. She also served as Director of Development at the Partnership for After School Education (PASE), where she oversaw all aspects of fundraising and donor relations and cultivated cross-sector partnerships to strengthen afterschool programs across New York City.

In addition to her organizational leadership roles, Cleary has consulted with several Brooklyn-based nonprofits supporting mental health, the arts, and community well-being, helping organizations strengthen development infrastructure, sharpen strategy, and deepen donor engagement. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of Not Another Child, a grassroots organization dedicated to restoring healing and stability to families impacted by gun violence.

Dr. Jocelynne Rainey, President and CEO of Brooklyn Org, said, “Annie brings deep expertise, strategic vision, and a values-driven approach to building the relationships and resources our communities in Brooklyn need. Her commitment to strengthening organizations that serve children and families, combined with her deep ties to Brooklyn, makes her an invaluable addition to our leadership team as Brooklyn Org continues to grow its impact across the borough.”

Cleary is a graduate of The George Washington University, where she studied International Affairs and Anthropology with a concentration in Global Public Health. A proud Brooklyn resident, she lives on the border of Bed-Stuy and Clinton Hill.