D.J. Close - Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation
Thirlby Co. Leader to Learn From: June 2024
June 1, 2024
In March of 2023, D.J. Close joined Delta Dental of Colorado as the deputy director of their foundation. Just months later, D.J. was promoted to the executive director role, guiding the foundation’s impact strategy through philanthropy, impact investing, coalition building, evaluation, and policy, while overseeing operations and team success.
D.J.’s notable tenure in the corporate social responsibility (CSR) space has given him insights on leadership, collaboration, and company culture. “The saying that culture eats strategy for breakfast has never resonated more,” explained D.J. “CSR is a value add to any corporate culture but it does not replace good leadership.”
Read on to learn about D.J.’s journey into the CSR space, the evolution he’s witnessed, and what D.J.’s. learned about becoming a dad.
OUR INTERVIEW WITH D.J.
Today you serve as the executive director of the Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation. Tell us about your journey into the CSR (corporate social responsibility) space.
I was a political science major interested in social movements and how you organize people. My first job out of college was the El Pomar Foundation, a private foundation in Colorado Springs, CO. During the second year of my Fellowship (in 2011), I asked if they would write a grant to cover my salary to work under Joe Garcia, during his time as Lieutenant Governor of Colorado under Governor Hickenlooper. I got to work under Joe for a year, focusing on early childhood education. It’s where I learned about engaging communities, listening to people, and brainstorming possibilities.
My time at Serve Colorado led me to work at Mile High United Way (Denver, CO) for about six years running the Colorado Reading Corps. From there went to DaVita to do corporate giving. I especially wanted to go back to the foundation or corporate giving world after working in the nonprofit sector and seeing the struggle to constantly fundraise and educate other donors on your mission. That was where my passions formed - bringing nonprofits, for-profits, and governments together to bring about social change. No sector can do it alone.
What is your favorite part about working in the CSR field, and what is your greatest challenge?
My favorite part is how it has evolved over the last 10 years. It used to be about a CEO writing a check in their office and handing it off to an org. Now it’s a multi-year engagement strategy, thinking about community, volunteerism, and product integration into social issues. Improving the whole ecosystem.
Part of this is related to how corporations are now viewed by consumers. In the 2021 Edelman Trust Survey, for the first time ever, businesses were the only institution seen as both competent and ethical, becoming the most trusted source. Employees and consumers now hold corporations to a higher level of accountability because they want to make sure the companies they support match their value system. This has forced some companies to take stands on issues they may or may not have known much about - some companies have done this well, and some have not. That is where CSR came in. It’s about understanding your expertise, values, and what issues make the most sense for a business to engage on.
As far as my least favorite part goes, like any new team or sector, you are figuring out how to articulate your value proposition - to the business, how you're saving money, recruitment, retention, and brand halo. I think it can be equal parts science and art. We're trying to improve a social issue and do it through a lens that the business is uniquely positioned to impact. It is a puzzle that no one has figured out.
What have you learned about the connection between CSR and corporate culture?
The saying that culture eats strategy for breakfast has never resonated more. When you go into the office and you walk by your whole team and go into your cube and sit down without checking in with your team or saying hello, that is not leadership. CSR is a value add to any corporate culture but it does not replace good leadership. You need the leader of the team at the nonprofit event volunteering. The second a team member doesn’t feel valued or wants to leave the organization is when the needle stops moving. The irony is, everyone wants to move the needle.
Next month, you and your husband are becoming dads! Tell us about your journey so far into parenthood, and your key learnings through the surrogacy process.
I think I always wanted to be a dad. I went through a phase where I didn’t know it would be a possibility. Through my partner, I discovered I wanted to. We’ve been on the family journey for two years - finding an egg donor, surrogate, and going through all the processes. The world would look very different if all parents had to go through the mental and physical exams we've been through.
While we’ve definitely had our hard moments, now that it’s here I can’t imagine what a nine month planning period looks like for other couples. We've had two years to mentally, emotionally, and financially prepare. I’ve also been amazed by how much people want to be involved - friends, coworkers, and our neighbors from three doors down. It's been a gift.
June is Pride Month. What does it mean to you personally?
For me, it’s about taking a moment to reflect on where we are and to be proud of it. After I first came out in 2010, there was a period where if someone had asked me if I could go back in time and choose to be straight I would have said yes. Today if someone asked me the choice again, I would choose to be gay. Pride Month has given me an opportunity to think about what it has afforded me. My mom is the happiest mom in the world - she has two sons now and a grandkid on the way.
Switching gears to our seven leadership questions - how would you define confidence?
Confidence is something about choosing a path and going down it. It’s that inherent ability to take one step and then the other, and know it will be muddy and the path will not be fully paved. Confidence is pushing you down that path.
It gets a lot harder when you think something outside of you is the problem of you and your happiness. When you learn that you are the problem to achieving your happiness, then doors open that you never knew existed before. All of a sudden, you’ve walked into a room with 100 more doors that are cracked open because you already made the decision of where you want to go.
What is your mission or purpose in life?
Something around empowering individuals and communities to improve the circumstances around them.
What is your greatest superpower as a leader?
I am very approachable. I can get someone to open up and engage, and show them that because of that engagement the end product is better. And then the next time an issue comes up, they’re already at the table.
What do you think is the most important skill a leader must have to successfully manage people?
Perseverance. You can’t give up on working on someone if it doesn't work out the first time. Going back to the table more than once to understand what you did wrong, or why they didn’t want to engage. You have to persevere.
What is something that might surprise people about you?
I am a limbo champion. I am oddly good at limbo. Limbo champ.
What advice would you have for someone who is struggling or feeling stuck right now in their life or career?
I would link it to CSR and knowing the best way to help yourself is to help someone else. If you can go volunteer or go to an event that benefits your community, you’re going to feel better. You’re going to meet someone who is going to encourage you to take the next step.
What is one piece of advice you would give to your younger self?
Be proud today instead of thinking how proud you’re going to be someday.
Anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I came to Denver in 2006. I have loved it - the growth, opportunity, and community. And maybe it’s starting a family. But for the first time, I don’t feel Denver is at its best. There has been so much change between COVID and new leadership.
What I’d say is, whether you agree or disagree with our civic leader, we have to get engaged. This city is going to come back to being that sparkle if we all engage. We have to figure out how to get it back. COVID made us take a break and we coasted on it. We've got to step back into the center and engage in the system. The same goes for other cities too.
About D.J. Close
D.J. Close is a civic and social impact leader with a proven track record in cross-sector partnerships. His background in philanthropy, nonprofit, government and private business have all focused on addressing inequities in Colorado communities.
He joined the Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation (DDCOF) in the Spring of 2023 and is responsible for guiding the foundation’s impact strategy through philanthropy, impact investing, coalition building, evaluation and policy while also overseeing operations and team success.
Prior to DDCOF, Close was Director of Giving and Executive Director of the DaVita Giving Foundation - a Fortune 500® Health care company. Before joining DaVita, he worked at Mile High United Way and started the Colorado Reading Corps, an AmeriCorps program focused on K-3 grade literacy. Prior to Mile High United Way D.J. worked in The Office of Colorado Lt. Governor Joseph Garcia, and is a graduate of El Pomar Foundation’s Fellowship program.
A graduate from the University of Denver with a degree in Political Science and Leadership, D.J. has a deep passion for civic engagement and believes the greatest impact occurs when private, public, philanthropic and nonprofit organizations engage together with the purpose of achieving a common goal.
Born and raised in Durango, Colorado, D.J. lives in Denver with his husband Sinjin and dog Herschel. Follow D.J.’s work on LinkedIn.
About This Feature
Leaders to Learn From is a standing feature in The Thirlby Company’s monthly newsletter that recognizes outstanding leaders in our community who demonstrate our company’s core values. You can learn about our other honorees here, or subscribe to our newsletter to receive this feature and more inspiring content in the future.
