Contact: gillian@boisebicycleproject.org

GILLIAN HORN

Development director

Hello BBP Community! I am thrilled to be joining this amazing team and look forward to leading fundraising efforts to further the mission of BBP. A little about me…

I was raised in Missoula, MT where I grew up skiing, hiking, swimming, and…biking! Admittedly biking was not an immediate love match. In fact, one of my first memories on a bicycle is at 5 years old, flipping over the handlebars of my small mountain bike into a shallow canal only a few yards into the first dark tunnel of the Hiawatha Trail. Traumatized, I ran the rest of the tunnel crying the entire way. I did recover emotionally and was able to ride the rest of the Hiawatha Trail without incident.

Although Missoula is a bike-friendly town, I didn’t experience the connective power of bicycling until moving to Boise for college. As a student with no money and no car, my Specialized Cruiser became my main mode of transportation carrying me to jobs, friends, and activities all over Boise. Those hours exploring the Greenbelt and navigating busy city streets helped me to feel connected to my new community and fall in love with the place I have called home for over a decade.

I was introduced to the Boise Bicycle Project in 2017 during my first year as an event manager at the Idaho Botanical Garden and was completely captivated by the spirit of everyone who attended that final Tour De Fat. After the event I remained connected to BBP through relationships with staff, professional partnerships while at IBG, and as a supporter inspired to give annually during the Adopt a Dream Bike campaign. During my time at IBG, I was inspired to push the envelope and enhance the experience of the events I planned because of the work being done at BBP.

After 4 years at IBG and helping the organization successfully navigate the COVID-19 Pandemic as their Event Director, I was ready to make a change. I joined a local startup working at the intersection of philanthropy and technology where I gained invaluable experience advising on fundraising strategy and designing a digital product for a new generation of donors. When that job ended, I was thrilled to be offered the opportunity to join BBP as their Development Director. My passion for fundraising and the mission of BBP seemed like the perfect fit.

I live in the Northend with my husband and our 2 dogs. During the summer I spend my free time rafting, camping, mountain biking, and perfecting my pickleball serve. In the winter you can find me on my skis at Bogus or on the cross country trails…or in the parking lot with a cold refreshment in hand!