An accomplished figure in the fields of public service and fundraising, Diana Byron Roberts developed her ability to build and nurture relationships with people at a young age. Often reflecting on her upbringing, she saw firsthand her mother struggling with severe mental illness and being institutionalized, leading to her becoming independent by six years old. Traversing five different schools before sixth grade too, such adaptability early on served her well through her formative years, culminating in two years with the Peace Corps in Washington and Tunisia from 1966 to 1968. For her accomplishments in this capacity, she earned press coverage and the opportunity to meet President Lyndon B. Johnson. In addition, she worked for Nelson Rockefeller in New York and has been raising funds for the Vincent Club within Massachusetts General Hospital since 1965.

Wielding a Bachelor of Fine Arts in communications from Drake University, plus subsequent coursework at Hunter College and Simmons University, Ms. Roberts demonstrated her expertise in fundraising at Boston Medical Center and Milton Academy. Notably, from 1985 to 1991, she raised the first $1 million, paving the way for the institution to grow significantly. She later served as a Major Gifts Officer and Senior Major Gifts Officer at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee from 2008 to 2018. Her most notable achievement in this role was her involvement in a $31 million campaign for the conservatory—work she was extremely passionate about, during which she spent significant time with students in the musical theater and dance departments. The successful campaign resulted in a complete renovation of the theater.

Since 2018, Ms. Roberts has been active as the Director of Institutional Advancement at Gore Place Society, a nonprofit that owns and operates a historic museum and 45-acre estate in Waltham, Massachusetts, where she also works as a docent. Additionally, she has proven herself a gifted writer over the years, having authored “Farrago: A Memoir of Markie and Me,” an extremely and impactful personal account of her relationship with her mother growing up, in 2013. She also wrote a novel based on her time in the Peace Corps, called “Spare Parts: A Rollicking Ride Through the Late 60s and 70s” in 2018 and a follow-up in 2024 titled “Missing Parts.”

Looking toward the future, Ms. Roberts aims to publish another book and focus on her writing career as well as enhance her foreign language skills. Additionally, she’s committed to continuing her role at the Forbes House Museum, where she finds fulfillment as a volunteer in sharing knowledge with visitors. She has also long played a significant role in her church community—focused on the support and connection it provides for people—and strives to maintain her civic endeavors.  She has five children from a blended family, including two daughters and three stepchildren.