Denver Institute for Faith & Work is excited to welcome Drew Yancey as vice president for Leadership Partners. Alongside his role as VP of Leadership Partners, Drew is a business advisor helping clients solve challenging problems at the nexus of risk, strategy, and innovation. He has more than a decade of strategy consulting and executive leadership experience across multiple industries. Drew has a master of divinity degree from Denver Seminary, an MBA from Texas A&M University, and a PhD in religion from the University of Birmingham (UK). He is an adjunct professor of theology at Denver Seminary and author of Transforming Enterprise. I recently talked with Drew about his background and what's ahead for Leadership Partners.
Q: How has Denver Institute personally shaped your own spiritual and professional journey?
A: In countless ways. I have been privileged to be part of the Denver Institute community from its beginning. Over that time period, I have experienced what feels like almost every possible professional high and low. Denver Institute has kept me spiritually grounded, helping me see Jesus at work through every twist and turn of the journey.
Q: You’re professional background straddles both academia and the business world. How does your theological training influence your current work in investing, consulting, and exit planning for executives?
A: Both worlds have deeply shaped each other. I have come to believe that there are two fundamentally different ways to approach theology—explaining God and exploring God. Increasingly, I find the latter to be a freeing way of experiencing the presence of God in work, especially since my career has taken me into a variety of domains.
Q: What is Leadership Partners?
A: Leadership Partners is the future of the faith-and-work movement. As Denver Institute’s impact has expanded, we have a growing number of people who want to be involved in shaping the broader faith-and-work conversation. Leadership Partners is a way for a curated group of business and finance executives to generously leverage their financial, social (networks), and human (talent) capital to advance the Denver Institute vision in Colorado and beyond. Our desire is to provide an on-ramp for more business and financial executives to become highly engaged stakeholders and to offer our generous supporters encouragement in their own spiritual, business, and city leadership.
Q: How can people get involved in Leadership Partners?
A: The backbone of the group is a quarterly luncheon where partners can learn about the key issues facing Colorado and meet other like-minded Christian leaders. We welcome those who are interested in Leadership Partners to connect with myself or Jeff to find out more!
Q: What are you most excited about Denver Institute’s future?
A: That’s easy—the DIFW team! Only about 10% of non-profits exist beyond five years. Heading into its eighth year, Denver Institute is the strongest it has ever been. The team that Jeff has brought together is truly remarkable, positioning the organization for continued growth and broadened impact.
Jeff Haanen is a writer and entrepreneur. He founded Denver Institute for Faith & Work, a community of conveners, teachers and learners offering experiences and educational resources on the gospel, work, and community renewal. He is the author of An Uncommon Guide to Retirement: Finding God’s Purpose for the Next Season of Life and an upcoming two-book series on spiritual formation, vocation, and the working class for Intervarsity Press. He lives with his wife and four daughters in Denver and attends Wellspring Church in Englewood, Colorado.
