Damon Shoholm

Partner

Damon has been a leader in the non-profit/philanthropic sectors for the past 16+ years developing a strong reputation in leadership development, civic engagement and facilitation training programs and services. During that time he has served as the Grantmaking Director for the Bush Fellowship at Bush Foundation (2021 to 2023), Director of the James P. Shannon Leadership Institute, Program Manager for the Neighborhood Leadership Program and Program Staff for the Youth Leadership Initiative all programs of the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation (2007 to 2020).  In addition, Damon is grateful to have served as an adjunct professor at the University of St. Thomas since 2012 as part of the Aquinas Honors Seminar and the Justice and Peace Studies Program.

Damon has come to a critical understanding of self that serves as the foundation for his own engagement across communities. He sums it up in the statement, "I support the change makers among us." Not only does he feel this is a better description of his work, it gets to his core belief that we can all be a change maker, leader or influencer no matter where we are positioned in organizations or community.

Damon believes strong leadership development to be about creating the conditions for effective reflection and analysis that serves to increase the capacity of individuals in most effectively living into their best self. Damon feels it is a privilege to work with individuals as they do the deep, personal work of understanding self in order to better serve others.

“ “Many times, the answer to a question is…a better question.””

Education

Damon holds a M.A. in Applied Leadership from Augsburg University, and his 7-12 Social Studies Teaching Licensure (inactive). He completed his B.A. in History from Metropolitan State University which means you’ll also find him dropping quotes from figures long past on a regular basis. In addition, Damon participated in the 2016-17 Humphrey Policy Fellows Program of the University of Minnesota, holds a qualification as an Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) Qualified Administrator and has spent countless hours applying lessons and methodologies learned via the Art of Hosting and Technology of Participation (ToP) facilitation methods certifications. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor with the University of Saint Thomas Aquinas Honors Scholars and Justice and Peace Studies Programs and co-authored the book, “Neighborhood Leadership”, which documented the 20 year anniversary of the Neighborhood Leadership Program of the Wilder Foundation.

Recognition

  • Selected as a 2017 Kingston Fellow, Amherst H. Wilder Foundation

  • Keynote Speaker: 2019 Corporate Volunteerism Council (“CVC”)-Twin Cities and the 2018 Minnesota Council of Nonprofits’ Greater Minnesota Nonprofit Summit

  • Podcast Guest Speaker: League of Minnesota Cities, City Speak Podcast (November 2019) and Jack’s Caregiver Coalition (December 2019)

  • Champion to Change Network Fellow of 2018 Change Network Program

  • Mentor for New Sector Alliance RISE Fellow 2015 (Summer) and 2016 program years

  • 2016-17 University of Minnesota, Humphrey School Public Policy Fellow

Civic Leadership

  • Board member, Vice Chair, Shannon Leadership Institute (2021 to Present)

  • Board Director, The Citizens League (2018 to 2023); Member, Public Policy and Nominations Committee

  • Board member, Eagan Wave Soccer, (2020 to 2021)

  • Member, Sprockets Leadership Advisory Group, (2017 to 2021)

  • Member, Selection Committee for Humphrey School Public Policy Fellow (2017, 2018, 2020, 2021 & 2022)

  • Member, F.R. Bigelow Foundation's Linking Leaders Task Force (2016 to 2018)

  • Board Director, Minnesota Alliance With Youth 2012 to 2018; Completed service as Board Chair

  • Appointed Co-Chair of the City of Saint Paul's Second Shift Commission, (2009 to 2012) leading to the creation of the Sprockets afterschool youth network intermediary.

  • Board member, River Heights Charter School (2006-2007)

Fun Facts

  • Damon married his high school sweetheart and they live in Apple Valley raising two amazing daughters and six furry family members (3 dogs, 2 guinea pigs and 1 cat).

  • Damon is an avid golfer but his real sporting love is soccer. You are likely to hear something of soccer when you speak with Damon for any length of time as he played at various levels throughout his life, has coached youth high school and club soccer since 1997 and credits his soccer related relationships with changing the trajectory of his life.

  • He has coached across nine seasons with the Minneapolis Washburn Boys Soccer program and coaches a girls team with a local community club. He's a Minnesota United and Minneapolis City SC Season ticket holder, a community owner of Minnesota Aurora FC and a massive Tottenham Hotspurs fan!