Derek is part of the Community Impact team. He works directly with the Community Sharing Fund and the J. C. and L. A. Duke Employees’ Assistance Fund, and supports the Foundation’s initiatives and community affiliates.

Derek hails originally from the Pacific Northwest, but has called the Twin Cities home for the past nineteen years. He holds a master’s degree in applied cultural anthropology from Northern Arizona University and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Puget Sound. Prior to joining the Foundation, Derek managed and developed volunteer programs at M Health Fairview and worked as an employment counselor and consultant under the auspices of the state’s workforce programs.

Over the past several decades, Derek has also cultivated a side career as a music critic writing for online and print publications. Jazz is his passion, but his ears are open to and curious about all kinds of organized sounds. Outside of work, Derek enjoys exploring and experiencing other cultures, volunteering, connecting with friends and keeping abreast of current events.