Members’ Corner: Gabby Winsky
Name
Gabby Winsky
About You
A fun fact people usually don’t guess about me is that I played NCAA Division III basketball in college, and staying active has stuck with me ever since. You’ll find me in a workout class, on a hike, or out biking most weeks. When I’m not moving, I’m probably planning my next trip, trying a new restaurant, or cooking something at home.
About Your Work
I love that this work lets me build real relationships with clients and communities, not just check boxes on a project plan. Every solution we create involves creativity and collaboration, and I get to see the tangible results firsthand. Helping a community become the best version of itself and watching that positive change reach the people who live and work there keeps me energized about this field.
About Your Organization
Since 2002, PPR Strategies has helped place-based organizations tell their stories and grow. We’re based in Frederick, Maryland, with additional offices in Virginia, New Jersey, and Georgia, though Maryland will always be home base for us. What I love about our work is the range of clients we get to support, from economic development organizations and tourism offices to small businesses and nonprofits, and the fact that we never take a cookie-cutter approach. Every client gets a strategy built around what makes them different, because that’s what actually drives lasting impact.
About Your Current Role
Day to day, I support project management and help shape the strategic approach on our projects. I love sitting down with clients, getting to know them, and understanding their goals so I can think creatively about solutions that take them to the next level. I also support business development, which means I get to look for new opportunities where we can bring our expertise to new clients and new projects. My background also includes federal government contracting experience with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense. That work sharpened my project management skills, gave me strong stakeholder engagement and navigation experience, and instilled a systematic, continuous improvement lens that I bring to every project today.
About Your Economic Development Journey
I got my start in economic development as a graduate assistant at BEACON, the Business, Economic, and Community Outreach Network at Salisbury University, while earning my MBA at the Franklin P. Perdue School of Business. That experience introduced me to the world of consulting. I loved the variety of clients and projects, the fact that no two days were ever the same, and the feeling that I was contributing to something larger than myself. I could see the real impact our work had on clients and their communities, and the collaborative, close-knit nature of the industry continues to inspire my work.
