Dan Gould

I'm the executive director for alumni relations and annual giving at the University of Colorado Denver, where I develop connections and instill pride in a network of 92,000 graduates from Colorado’s only public, urban, research university. I'm invested in the evolution of alumni relations as a vast, professional field that embraces an amalgam of community building, technology, data, marketing, branding, and philanthropy. I'm also a fourth generation Chicagoan who has previously held roles in alumni relations at the University of Chicago and Loyola University Chicago where I helped reimagine and grow innovative programming, communications, and engagement efforts.

As a manager, team leader, mentor, coach, and teacher I enjoy motivating people to more deeply explore their professional practices and engage in conversation that challenges convention and routine. While at University of Chicago, I led my team as a top contributing unit to a public campaign engaging 125,000 alumni. I was also a facilitator of the non-profit Leadership Institute through YNPN Chicago, which cultivates ambassadors for the continued growth of the social sector and its emerging leaders. I believe that creating a work culture that embraces both fun and professionalism is one of the most important things a manager can provide for their team.

My educational background includes a master’s degree in Education from DePaul University and undergraduate degrees in English and Music Performance from the University of Iowa. I'm a frequent presenter at conferences and workshops on alumni relations, career development, volunteer management, and digital networking.