About - The Founder

Jay Gould, President of The Advancement Counsel Inc., is a strategic thinker and mission-centered leader with a singular passion for the ministry of Catholic parishes and schools. 

As a seasoned advancement consultant, Jay inspires teamwork, accountability and results with the Catholic diocese, parishes, schools, religious communities and organizations he works with.  As an inspiring and persuasive communicator and strategist at heart, Jay’s reputation is that of a proven solutions provider who understands the complexity of challenges facing Catholic institutions today. 

By embracing a collaborative approach with institutional leaders and advancement team members, Jay encourages a spirit of possibility rooted in creative, verified and time sensitive solutions. In his role as founder of the company, Jay is the architect and author of several advancement-related resources including  A Comprehensive Guide to Catholic Advancement, The Enrollment Management Funnel for Catholic Schools, Recruitment and Retention Tracking Software, Capital Campaign Prospect Management Software as well as dozens of professional papers, reports and Power Point presentations.

Specializing in a comprehensive set of integrated advancement programs (e.g. Commitment to Parish Life, Cost of Education Partnership, etc.), Jay empowers clients with the proven resources necessary to achieve new found and long-lasting success.  A client listing, testimonials and references are available upon request.

Prior to establishing The Advancement Counsel, Jay served as Director of Development at his alma mater, St. John’s Preparatory School, a Catholic all-boys college-preparatory school founded in 1907 by the Xaverian Brothers in Danvers, MA. A graduate of the University of New Hampshire, Jay served as First Vice-President of the University’s National Alumni Association and recently received the University’s Young Alumni Achievement Award.  Jay has served on the Board of Catholic Charities North in Massachusetts, has been a consistent and highlighted presenter at regional and national NCEA, CASE, and NAIS conferences, and also remains active in a variety of professional and service organizations.  Jay and his family reside in Massachusetts.