Darrious Hilmon

Darrious Hilmon has nearly 30 years of demonstrable experience in marketing and communications, strategic fund development, and events management. As Executive Director of Chicago Access Network Television (CAN TV), he provides global oversight of the five-station television network, serving as the lead champion for digital literacy, access and equity, and the active engagement and partnership of community partners and other key stakeholders needed to ensure that community access remains relevant for viewers, producers, and guests. In addition to his role as Executive Director, Hilmon is host of the popular CAN TV Signature Program In the Arena airing Tuesdays at 7p on CAN TV19.

Most recently, Hilmon served as Executive Director the Chicago State Foundation, where he was charged with advancing the interests and welfare of Chicago State University through partnership development, stewardship of university assets and identification and solicitation of financial support from individuals, corporations, and foundations.

Hilmon has also served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for the Chicago Urban League (CUL), overseeing fund development, outcomes-driven programs and design and implementation of cross-functional initiatives, including CUL’s Race and Equity Initiative, and Centennial Campaign. Hilmon hired and led the fund development team responsible for delivering the most successful annual fundraising campaigns in the civil rights organization’s 101-year history.

As Chief Development & Marketing Officer for Youth Guidance (Chicago), Hilmon oversaw fund development activity, as well as the agency’s marketing and communications initiatives. In addition to winning the highly-coveted Neighborhood Builder Award from Bank of America, Hilmon was the chief architect of Youth Guidance’s efforts to cultivate significant partnerships with the Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls and Chicago White Sox. 

Hilmon has also served as Marketing & Development Director for Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit, leading the team responsible for winning the Neighborhood Builder Award from Bank of America (the first Detroit non-profit to ever win the award), and the Achieving Excellence Award from DTE Energy.

A graduate of the University of Michigan, Hilmon is the Essence® best-selling author of the novels, 5 Dimes (Penguin/NAL; 2003) and Divalicious (Penguin/NAL; 2004), and the anthology, Mad Love (AuthorHouse; 2005).