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The Pleasanton Downtown Association announced Tuesday morning that it has selected events director Gabrielle Welk as the organization’s new executive director.
Welk will be the fourth person to take over in the role following the initial departure of Laura Brooks, the PDA’s former longtime leader who now lives out of state but has been serving as interim executive director for almost two years until a new permanent successor was named.
According to a press release from the PDA, Welk will officially step into her new position starting March 17.
“I am deeply honored to be given the opportunity to continue serving the Pleasanton Downtown Association and its community,” Welk said in the press release. “I look forward to leveraging my four years of experience with the organization to further our mission to develop and promote a vibrant downtown.”
Welk has served as the PDA’s event director for the past four years. According to her LinkedIn, she joined the organization in May 2021.
In its press release, the PDA said Welk’s experience combined with her current position as events director made her the ideal candidate for the executive position.
“Her marketing and event expertise, leadership skills, commitment to downtown Pleasanton, and experience with the organization’s members and partners make her an exceptional individual for the role of executive director,” PDA officials said.
The selection of its new leader comes after years of instability in the PDA’s leadership team.
Brooks originally left the PDA in 2019 to start her own consulting business and move to Alabama. At the time, she passed the torch to then-events and marketing manager Tiffany Cadrette, who served as executive director for about a year and a half before she stepped down after taking a new job.
Cadrette was briefly replaced by Zac Grant whose tenure ended after only seven months on the job. Similarly, Bridget Karl — who was hired for the executive director position in October 2022 — and the PDA also parted ways after roughly seven months back in 2023, which led to Brooks stepping back in on an interim basis until now.
With Welk set to take over, the PDA stated it is confident that under her leadership, the organization will succeed and have positive impacts in the community.
“She is excited about ushering in the next season of the PDA and continuing the great work this organization has always done,” PDA Board President Angel Moore said in the press release. “As a Board, we feel confident in our hiring decision and are excited to support Gabi and the PDA every step of the way.”
The news of the PDA’s internal promotion also comes on the heels of a January City Council meeting where those on the dais directed the PDA to work with downtown property owners and businesses in order to reinvigorate Main Street.
“This is an exciting time for the PDA, and I am prepared to lead the organization into a new era of innovation and impact,” Welk said in the press release. “Being born and raised here, I am proud to have called Pleasanton home and am excited for what is to come.”
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