Born and raised in Colorado, VJ believes wholeheartedly in cultivating a healthy civic community to make Denver the best place to live. He chooses to work with The Civic Canopy based on a shared belief that collaboration is the key to a thriving community ecosystem. VJ is a Program Manager with Moonshot edVentures where he supports diverse networks of leaders to design learning environments for the future. Previously, he worked for the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation and oversaw Impact Denver and the Colorado Leadership Alliance while heading the Leadership Foundation’s initiatives around inclusion and diversity. Throughout his professional career, VJ has engaged with leadership programming at different levels, most recently as a fellow with El Pomar Foundation and a Civic DNA Fellow. In addition, he is a member of the Colorado Academy Alumni Board and volunteer and alumnus of the Chinook Fund’s Giving Project. A proud Daniels Fund scholar alum, he received a bachelor’s degree in Africana Studies from Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina. He is also an alumnus of the Urban Leadership Foundation of Colorado’s Connect Leadership Program.