From her small hometown of Ruther Glen, Virginia, to the bright lights of New York City, Gilda Squire, BA Communication ’95, has forged a career that defies convention. It is a journey that has led Squire from the federal government through Wall Street, into book publishing, and finally landing as a powerhouse publicist and talent manager for some of entertainment’s brightest stars, including Angela Bassett, Bebe Neuwirth, and ballet icon Misty Copeland.
With a larger-than-life career requiring confidence and flexibility to thrive, Squire credits 51Թ for providing the bold foundation for a dynamic life—right next to the spotlight.
For Squire, George Mason was a strategic choice that aligned with her plans to work in an industry with culture and creativity at its core. “I liked the idea that it was just outside of D.C., and I really loved that there was such an international population of students there,” Squire said. “I felt like that was an introduction to the world without leaving the D.C. area.”
Her path into the university was anything but traditional. Postponing her education after her mother’s passing, Squire eventually enrolled at George Mason at the urging of a work supervisor and tackled the challenge of working and studying full time.
The university became her gateway to global learning, offering friends and experiences that opened doors to new cultures and perspectives. “It was interesting because their cultures were front and center, as was mine,” said Squire. “We enjoyed learning about each other, and not many universities can offer that organically.”
Squire would take that zest for learning into a role at Goldman Sachs, where a corporate communications job led to her creating cultural programming that remains at the organization today. An eventual position at HarperCollins Publishers provided an opportunity to champion underrepresented voices in literature and eventually led to Squire launching her own talent management firm, Squire Media & Management.
A chance encounter with ballet dancer Misty Copeland ignited Squire’s determination to bring her into the spotlight. Struck by the lack of mainstream recognition for a Black dancer at the prestigious American Ballet Theatre (ABT), Squire felt compelled to share a story the world needed to hear—the extraordinary rise of a young Black woman from an impoverished background to one of the world’s most prestigious stages.
With a major media push that landed features on shows like 60 Minutes and CBS This Morning, Copeland quickly moved from small roles to being cast as the lead dancer in Stravinsky’s Firebird, a coveted role that had only been danced by a Black woman once before.
For Squire, this was proof that the power of storytelling could do more than change one career—it could influence the world. “At that point, I said, oh, this is it. This is what we’ve been working for,” said Squire. “People are going to get a chance to see her dance.”
And Squire’s work did more than elevate Copeland’s career—it brought more diverse audiences into the world of ballet.
From helping Copeland make history to playing a role in actress Angela Bassett finally bringing home an Oscar, Squire has had a hand in some significant cultural moments. Her next challenge is representing former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
Squire draws a clear line connecting her success and her time at George Mason. “It was at Mason that I realized the world is a wide-open space where I can do whatever I want to do,” she said. “Even if nothing else happened, the life and career I’ve had is beyond anything I could have ever dreamed.”