Director of Corporate Partnerships

AnnMarie Gabaldon brings 35 years of leadership experience in sales and marketing to her role as director of corporate partnerships at Feeding San Diego. In her role, AnnMarie is the major driver of corporate gifts to the organization, helping to expand Feeding San Diego’s impact through meaningful corporate partnerships and sponsorships that advance Feeding San Diego’s mission. Under her leadership, AnnMarie’s team has exceeded its fundraising goals, securing millions annually to power hunger-relief programs.  

Prior to joining the organization in 2025, AnnMarie served as director of event sales and philanthropy at the San Diego Business Journal, where she helped businesses, primarily nonprofits, grow through targeted marketing, thought leadership, and sponsorship opportunities with the trade publication. During her tenure, AnnMarie led sponsorship sales and cultivated partnerships through the Cause Conference, deepening her connections within San Diego’s nonprofit community and inspiring her to pursue a mission-driven career. 

In her work at Feeding San Diego, AnnMarie is driven by the knowledge that every dollar raised is more than just revenue – it becomes two meals that nourish our neighbors, protects the environment by redirecting food waste, and creates a community where no one goes hungry. 

Before the Journal, AnnMarie held managerial roles in advertising at many of the San Diego region’s well-known newspapers, including the San Diego Union-Tribune, Rancho Santa Fe Review, Del Mar Times, Solana Beach Sun, Carmel Valley News and La Jolla Light. She began her career at the North County Times where she oversaw classifieds and other advertisements for 15 years. 

AnnMarie is also the co-founder of an event marketing company called Girls World Expo. She operated the one-day event focused on teen girls and partnered with print, radio, and TV media outlets through a revenue-sharing model before selling the company in 2020. 

Beyond hunger relief, AnnMarie has supported the Mitchell Thorp Foundation, an organization that supports families with seriously ill children. In 2015, she earned a North County Philanthropy Council award for her volunteer service. She later served a three-year term on the foundation’s board of directors. 

Born in the Bronx, New York, AnnMarie moved to California as a child, settling in San Diego when she was 11 years old. AnnMarie graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a B.A. in English before returning to San Diego permanently. 

She and her husband, Joe, raised two daughters who have gone on to have successful careers of their own. 

When not at work, AnnMarie enjoys spending time by the ocean, hiking, traveling, and appreciating the incredible community right here in San Diego.