Meet Aileen
Mountain Strategies was founded by Aileen Gleizer in 2022 when she moved to Montana and merged her domestic and global work supporting mission-driven organizations. Aileen brings experience across global and local work in communications, strategy, media, program management, policy/advocacy, and fundraising. She specializes in global, humanitarian, and domestic public health and social justice. Aileen has worked for global foundations, Fortune 50 companies, local and federal government, U.S. nonprofits, and international non-governmental organizations.
She worked at Save the Children as the Senior Director of Programs and Operations Management, leading operations, finance, and communications for an over $230 million humanitarian health portfolio on a cross-functional global team. She worked with Merck for Mothers, Merck’s $500 million corporate social responsibility program on maternal health and MSI Choices (previously Marie Stopes International). In those roles, she managed programs in Africa and Asia, oversaw the U.S. policy advocacy portfolios, directed engagement with Congress and the Administration, and led strategic communications. She’s also worked on U.S. health programs, policy, and communications with Planned Parenthood, the Obama White House, the Baltimore City Health Department, and the National Institute for Reproductive Health.
She earned a Master of Public Policy in health policy and public management from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Arts from Brandeis University with coursework from the University of Amsterdam.
Meet Jen
Jenifer brings more than 20 years of leadership experience spanning nonprofit governance, strategic planning, fundraising, and public policy. She has served as an executive director, board chair, development director, and policy advocate, advancing mission-driven organizations across the Northern Rockies and beyond. Her expertise centers on organizational development, capacity building, and revenue strategy, with a particular focus on strengthening small to mid-sized nonprofits navigating growth and change.
As Executive Director of YWCA Helena, Jenifer led initiatives in civic engagement, community wellness, and policy accountability. At Helena Food Share, she directed development efforts that increased annual revenue by 25%, doubled recurring giving, and launched the organization’s first comprehensive development plan. At the Montana Community Foundation, she oversaw capacity-building for nearly 50 local community foundations statewide, designing and facilitating trainings aligned with national philanthropic standards and best practices. She also served as a State Representative in the Montana Legislature, where she successfully carried bipartisan legislation on human trafficking and served on the Judiciary and Health and Human Services Committees.
Jenifer holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Montana, with a minor in International Development and a focus on Southeast Asia. Her career reflects a commitment to strengthening democratic institutions, advancing social equity, and building resilient nonprofit organizations through strategic leadership and sustainable fundraising practices.