We caught up with the brilliant and insightful David Grimsland a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

David, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We love heartwarming stories – do you have a heartwarming story from your career to share?

As we have for the past many, the Big Red F Group and Imagine! provided a full Thanksgiving meal to families served by Imagine. I had the honor of greeting families as they walked through the door. The depth of appreciation the families expressed cannot be overstated. One family explained that they had been struggling so much with their young daughter that they didn’t have the energy to cook a Thanksgiving dinner – mom’s favorite meal of the year. The mom teared up as she explained that though they live less than a mile from her family, her parents could not tolerate her autistic daughter’s behaviors and they were no longer invited to family gatherings. This was the first time they had not been alone for a holiday meal in 6 years.

Because of strong community partnerships and the generosity of donors, families like these feel loved, wanted, and included during the holidays.

David, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I moved to Colorado in 1987 from New Jersey after graduating from The Art Institute of Philadelphia. I worked for sixteen years at the Daily Camera, where I handled many jobs. From Production Artist to Regional Sales Manager, I worked my way up the ladder and eventually left in 2005 to accept the role of Director of Sales & Marketing for Boulder Weekly.

After getting married in 2000, my wife and I became parents of triplets in 2005. Two identical brothers and one fraternal brother. It was not until several years later that we discovered that our fraternal son, Nikolai, would be diagnosed with autism.

At that time, I joined the Autism Society of Boulder County as a Board Member. I soon realized that there was a community of support around us, and I enjoyed very much contributing to our mission, educating others, and building awareness in the community. I enjoyed raising funds and sponsorships for ASBC and soon realized that it was time for a significant career change. Since print media was in decline, I decided to put my energy towards a career in nonprofit management.

In 2023, I joined the Imagine! Team as Executive Director of the Imagine! Foundation. For more than 60 years, Imagine! has supported tens of thousands of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in achieving their full potential.

My son Nikolai receives services through Imagine!, which has enabled countless opportunities we feel very fortunate to receive. So, I couldn’t be happier about being on board to support our mission. I’m so proud of the work we do and the clients we serve.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Never give up. Not long after our children were born, I needed to take a second job as my wife was home full-time with the triplets. I worked on the weekends doing construction and took a full-time job cleaning office buildings at night. In 2008, we considered foreclosing on our house as times were tough, and we, like many others, were underwater. We pushed even harder, and I reconnected with friends in the music business. I found work as a pianist and eventually started my own business playing piano shows. That is still a source of income for my family, and I feel fortunate that we’ve been able to stay in our home and provide for our children. Two of them are now studying engineering at CU, and the other is looking to attend UNC in the not-so-distant future.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

The Soul of Money. By Lynne Twist. As a first-time Executive Director, I enjoyed this very much; through personal stories and practical advice, global activist Lynne Twist demonstrates how we can replace feelings of scarcity, guilt, and burden with experiences of sufficiency, freedom, and purpose.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.imaginecolorado.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imagine_colorado/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ImagineColorado
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/imagine-/mycompany/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ImagineColorado