Brad Hermes named Chief Financial Officer

Brad Hermes has been named the first Deaf senior financial leader in Gallaudet’s 157-year history, in the newly-formed role of Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer. Said President Cordano in her announcement on July 14, “Brad brings to Gallaudet an impressive and proven track record, as well as an enthusiastic commitment to Gallaudet’s mission.”

Brad comes from Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD), where he served as their CFO for the past eight years. He also served as treasurer of the CSD Board of Directors. During his time at CSD, Brad built a team of 12 Deaf financial professionals and led a system-wide implementation of new accounting, human resources, and payroll systems along with financial planning and analysis tools which greatly enhanced real-time reporting and visibility into CSD’s financials. He also helped establish the first-ever Deaf-led Social Venture Fund that invests in and supports innovative companies in the Deaf community, creating a framework for investment growth supporting the non-profit organization’s mission.

A certified public accountant (CPA), Brad brings more than 18 years of experience in financial management and oversight. He has advised and maintained client relationships in a variety of industries, including nonprofit, government, healthcare and technology—both nationally and abroad. Prior to working at CSD, Brad held senior auditing positions at KPMG LLP. 

d holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in professional accounting from The University of Texas at Austin, where he played football for the Longhorns. He has also served as a board member and treasurer for the Texas School for the Deaf Foundation. 

“I am very excited about beginning the next stage of my career at Gallaudet,” Brad says. “My eight years as the CFO at CSD were immensely rewarding and provided me with strong experiences and a deep skill set, along with an ability to cultivate collaborative relationships across the signing ecosystem to achieve strategic and financial goals. I look forward to working with President Cordano and the Executive Leadership team in the coming years.”

Brad begins his new role on August 9. We look forward to his joining us! We also thank Lisa Clarke for her service as interim Chief Financial Officer.