Lilly McGurk is a nonprofit leader with over twenty years of experience spanning the arts, university, and healthcare sectors. She is passionate about making the arts accessible to all and is dedicated to strengthening public-serving institutions through creative partnership development, philanthropic engagement, and inclusive programming that deepens community participation and fosters engaging connections.

At Planting Fields Foundation, her work includes shaping strategy for major public programs, exhibitions, festivals, and the Notes in Nature concert series—now in its second year with every concert to date selling out—and managing the largest film production in the site’s history, Netflix’s The Diplomat Season 3 finale, which ran for three months onsite and generated nearly $1 million in revenue, further supporting institutional sustainability.

A collaborative approach has led to dynamic partnerships with nonprofits, government agencies, corporations, and community groups, advancing accessible programming and expanding opportunities for public engagement. Highlights include managing Planting Pride: Revolutions on the Runway in 2026—the most successful in the program’s five-year history for both revenue and attendance.

In advancement positions across Planting Fields Foundation, Stony Brook University, and Northwell Health Hospice Care Network, she drove fundraising strategies that deepened community relationships, increased institutional capacity, and directly supported each organization’s mission.



Her service on the Westbury Arts Board is guided by experience in nonprofit leadership, cultural programming, and community engagement, all in support of Westbury Arts’ mission to nurture creativity, champion diverse artistic voices, and strengthen the community’s cultural landscape.