What would you tell your friends and colleagues about SVP Denver?

I would tell them two things. First, I feel that SVP Denver provides its partner members with an opportunity to be supported in their efforts to be of service, and at the same time to be challenged and encouraged to grow. Second, the organization is not set in stone. I believe it’s an organic organization, and it is changing and growing. There is a kind of dynamism here that is rare in membership organizations.

How did you learn about SVP Denver?

I moved to Denver last summer and was determined to take root here as quickly as possible. A former employee told me about Rob Kellogg, the executive director of SVP Denver. When Rob and I met, I was excited by the organization’s history, but also inspired and curious about its new initiatives and the direction it was headed under his leadership. First, I was attracted to the SVP Denver Service Leadership Group. I’ve spent part of my career working in non-profits, and I know how stressful it is to be in a leadership role. I was excited by the vision to support these non-profit leaders. Second, I was also excited by the Social Impact Investor Group (SIIG). I want to invest in organizations making a social impact, and the group is helping me learn how to effectively deploy my money to have the greatest impact in the world.

What has your experience in the SIIG been like?

I am very passionate about racial awareness and inequality issues. When SVP Denver provided me with an opportunity to invest in Achroma, it really resonated for me. The start-up tech firm creates algorithms that help to remove racial bias from mortgage loan making. Ideally, this will help people of color and other marginalized groups have an opportunity to buy property who may have been excluded in the past due to racial discrimination.

What else have you learned since joining SVP Denver?

SVP Denver introduced me to The Denver Foundation, versus the other way around. I have been invited to their events, and they are assisting me in acting on my passion for racial injustice through my Donor Advised Fund (DAF). I have also found it to be valuable and pleasurable to connect with the other SVP partner members. It is not a competitive environment, so I feel like we can relax and be our best selves.

What’s a fun fact about yourself?

Here are two: This summer I went on a 17-day silent meditation retreat, and I climbed Long’s Peak (elevation 14,256 feet) six times between 1978 and 2016.

Click here to learn more about David.