Sign In
Free Newsletter
Amy Michelle Gross
President, France-Merrick Foundation
President since 2013 of the 60-plus-year-old France-Merrick Foundation, a Baltimore County organization whose stated mission is to “enrich the quality of life across Baltimore and beyond through grantmaking and collaborative efforts,” Amy Michelle Gross has a graduate certificate in Urban Education from Johns Hopkins University and an MSW in Community Organizing from the University of Michigan.
“I focus on getting things done – clearly understanding everyone’s role and how they contribute to the overall team and then everyone doing their part,” Gross said when asked what makes her successful at work.
“I also care about doing the work well and care about those who benefit from it. It is important to have a relationship-focused approach with staff, board and in the community though, because life is not all about what you have done, but also how you have made people feel while doing it,” she said.
Asked what has strongly tested her mettle during her career and what she learned from it, Gross cited balancing the demands of her job while having two young children at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“What I learned about myself is that I need to find joy in stressful times, and I can do that through relationships with others – whether it is to collaborate with colleagues across philanthropy … or giving a child (well, my child) snuggles in the middle of the day,” she said.
