Gilman was a reporter for WPR who specialized in criminal justice, war and veterans’ issues, and cultural and ethnic issues. Gilman has lived in many places, both in the United States and abroad. He’s spent time, ranging from weeks to years, in Japan, Thailand, India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Israel, and Italy. In the United States, he’s lived in Massachusetts, Washington, D.C., Illinois, Florida, California, Racine, Wausau, and Madison. Before he got into broadcasting, Gil worked as a social worker in a group home for Vietnamese refugee boys in Washington, D.C. He also spent several years as an English as a Second Language teacher. Gil attended UW Madison as an undergraduate from the fall of 1973 to the fall of 1976.

Gilman has been on the Farley Center Board since 2010 when Gene Farley recruited the first Farley Center Board. Gilman has been vice chair and is now the Farley Center Board Chair.