For over 20 years, Gary Cunningham has served as the top leader of philanthropic, health care, public policy and educational organizations. Currently, he serves as vice president, chief program officer for the Northwest Area Foundation. In this capacity he is responsible for carrying out the foundation's mission to support efforts by the people, organizations and communities to reduce poverty and achieve sustainable prosperity. The Northwest Area Foundation serves an eight state region which include Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon.

Prior to his work at the foundation, he served as chief executive officer for NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In this capacity, he led a reinvention and renewal effort creating the one of the largest and most successful integrated community health and human service organizations in Minnesota.

Cunningham also served as the director of planning and development for Hennepin County, Minnesota. Where he oversaw research and policy development, strategic planning and directed the Hennepin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority. As director of planning and development, Gary was the architect of the Hennepin County Affordable Housing Incentives Fund. This fund leverages private and public dollars to substantially increase affordable housing opportunities for low and middle income people. At Hennepin County, Gary also created and led the nationally recognized Hennepin County-African American Men Project (AAMP). AAMP has helped hundreds of young men recommit to their families and communities. Gary has written and lectured extensively throughout the United States on the plight of African American men.

He also served as county administrator for Scott County, Minnesota; acting operations administrator and executive director of human resources for the Minneapolis Public Schools; and associate collegiate program leader and research fellow at the Humphrey Institute for Public Affairs. In addition, he has been a manager/consultant for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, and the City of Minneapolis.

In 1992, he received a master's degree in public administration from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government after being awarded the Bush Leadership Fellowship. He received a bachelor's in public policy from Metropolitan State University in Minneapolis.

Highlights of awards and community recognition include "Walk the Talk" Award - Minnesota Mental Health Action Group, Presidential Citation - Minnesota Psychological Association, the 2007 Rising Star Award for Community Building - Sons of Bransford , 2006 Public Leadership Award - Humphrey H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs , Distinguished Service Award - Minneapolis Commission on Civil Rights/Minneapolis Dept. of Civil Rights, Distinguished Service Award U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and outstanding achievement awards from both Hennepin and Scott Counties.

Cunningham served as past chair of the Citizens League, former board member of the Midtown Greenway Coalition, a founding board member of WISE charter school and co-chair of the Minnesota Mental Heath Action Group. He is currently a trustee of the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview, a member the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs Advisory Council and a board member of the Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity.