The Board of Directors of PEAK is pleased to introduce Dave Espinoza as its Executive Director.  As PEAK enters its 27th year of providing 4-year scholarships and mentoring for high school students from disadvantaged backgrounds with average academic performance, Dave joins with a mandate to expand the mission by serving an even greater number of deserving students.

Dave joins PEAK from a career in Business Transformation at Cushman & Wakefield. This unexpected career transition happened after Dave spent a year as a mentor to a PEAK freshman scholar. Inspired by his mentor experience along with the mission of PEAK, Dave decided, with the full support of his family, to pursue the Executive Director role.  In Dave’s words, “I want to trade in a career for a vocation!”

“I am excited to start this new role and be fully engaged with the PEAK community,” Dave noted.    “I have seen that PEAK’s work combining scholarships and mentoring changes not just the students we serve, but also their families and their communities. The change can truly be generational. I cannot think of a better way to make an impact in Chicago and beyond.”

In addition to his hands on experience as a mentor, what makes Dave such a great fit as PEAK embarks on this next phase of growth is his 20 years of progressive business management experience“ commented PEAK’s Board Chair, Craig Dean. “Dave has a deep background of service to multiple non-profit organizations. This combination will be invaluable in serving PEAK’s constituents while also achieving aggressive growth goals.”

While Dave enjoyed his success in the private sector, he was ultimately drawn back to the non-profit world. His passion for creating positive change is evident not only in his professional career but also in his volunteer work with St. Teresa of Avila Church, where he recently supported a program assisting individuals re-entering society after long periods of incarceration.

Dave’s career began with the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF), where he honed his skills in international human resources at a time of significant growth for the organization. This experience instilled in him a deep commitment to positive social impact as well as the need for robust systems to support an organization’s capacity to deliver.

He then transitioned to the private sector, working with leading firms like Mercer Consulting and PricewaterhouseCoopers.  Most recently, at Cushman & Wakefield, Dave led a dynamic team focused on innovation and operational excellence.  His achievements include pioneering a Citizen Development program that generated significant value in a short timeframe.

Leading PEAK to the Next Level

We are confident that Dave’s combination of leadership skills, strategic thinking, and hands-on approach will be invaluable as we guide PEAK through its next chapter.  We are excited to see him leverage his expertise to empower our scholars and mentors, while broadening the impact of the PEAK organization.