Christopher Arlen Email & Phone Number

Lakewood, Co

Develop and present targeted training and professional development programs to foster positive relational and leadership dynamics for nonprofit and governmental organizations. Provide management consulting services to increase collaboration and cooperation within diverse workgroups. Present facilitative leadership and critical communications skills training for the U.S. Department Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, the Colorado Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, and the Colorado Statewide Independent Living Council. Develop community-based outreach initiatives for First Baptist Church of Denver. Facilitate statewide policy summit on behalf of the Colorado Governor’s Office. Key Accomplishments:Developed and implemented the #RethinkBapist and #PeopleLikeUs campaigns to promote FBCD as an inclusive and welcoming community at Denver’s Gay Pride festival, distributing 4,000 items and meaningfully engaging 450 individuals.Mediated a nonprofit governance dispute, cultivating and recruiting 12 new board members, and generating a $25,000 contribution in support of the organization.Selected by the Colorado Nonprofit Association to present Stewardship: The Heart of Governance at two successive Annual Colorado Nonprofit Conferences.

Lakewood, Colorado, United States

Beyond Listening is an online platform that teaches the skills and capacities needed to lead through adaptive and rapid change in any industry. I am so proud to be part of this team.Working with We are Open Circle is an expansion and evolution of the work I've done in the nonprofit sector and through The Soft Skills Company. We are Open Circle is transforming the way that organizations work through deep structural change. We offer leadership and organizational trainings, coach & facilitator development opportunities, and will soon launch a certification program.Beyond Listening is a leadership program that focuses on building the foundations for people and organizations that can adapt to the rapidly changing world. We teach new collective ways of relating, learning, and deciding for all industries and landscapes. This program's goal is to build people and organizations that are more connected, more adaptive, more capable, more intentional, and that can thrive in any environment.

Developed and implemented a novel gay men’s health and community-building initiative in conjunction with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Facilitated a host of engagement strategies, including venue-based outreach, positive modeling, and providing peer-to-peer support. Provided comprehensive risk-reduction counseling, lifestyle coaching and counseling, and access to individualized substance abuse treatment services. Supervised program staff and key volunteers. Led and directed day-to-day operations including developing grant applications, overseeing program expenditures, and monitoring all program evaluation activities. Key Accomplishments:Authored successful grant applications to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, the Colorado HIV/AIDS Prevention Grants Program, the Daniel’s Fund and other local funders in excess of $900,000 securing multi-year funding for program implementation.Secured competitive grant funding of $2.5M to create Beat the Street, a five-year initiative funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to expand access to substance abuse prevention and intervention services for homeless youth and their peers. Chaired the community-led planning and funding allocation process for the Colorado HIV/AIDS Prevention Grants Program and served on the Colorado HIV/AIDS Care and Prevention Coalition.

Oversaw day-to-day leadership, developed and implemented substantial process improvements to strengthen the organization’s financial condition by restructuring and reducing debt. Implemented targeted fund development strategies while increasing community support. Provided strategic direction to identify areas of opportunity to strengthen HIV prevention programs. Developed and secured funding to implement targeted outreach strategies to increase awareness, build and sustain community, and to increase program support and participation.Key Accomplishments:Cultivated community partnerships to enhance and elevate organizational standing, including generating $10,000 in pro-bono services from a top-tier local design firm to rebrand the agency and create a design suite to support the reinvigoration of fund development activities.Secured $80,000 to more fully develop and implement targeted HIV prevention programming for gay and bisexual men, including comprehensive community-based outreach programming.Strengthened statewide collaboration to expand HIV prevention services for gay and bisexual men living in remote and rural communities through the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment-led ManReach Initiative as a leadership committee member and serving as fiscal agent for the committee.

Oversaw day-to-day operations, providing supervision to the senior management team and leading fund development activities. Led a comprehensive program planning and organizational restructuring initiative, increasing funding while reducing debt. Provided local, regional, and statewide leadership through robust participation in planning groups, community-based advocacy and public policymaking. Developed strategic vision and provided leadership for financial development activities, including donor cultivation, special events, targeted appeal letters, and grant writing. Spearheaded external communications and marketing initiatives, serving as the agency spokesperson, including on-camera interviews and public interactions. Key Accomplishments:Co-chaired Santa Cruz County HIV/AIDS Task Force, fostering community-based participation in the identification of local priorities, policy planning, and funding allocations.Co-founded and led statewide grassroots initiative to bring awareness to persistent HIV prevention funding cuts, resulting in a $5.6M California General Fund Allocation to restore funding to record levels.Led the production of community-based funding initiatives including Surf City Century, an annual cycling event in partnership with the local cycling community and BizAID for AIDS, an annual campaign in which local business and their patrons partner to support the mission of the organization.

Supervised the prevention program management team. Oversaw program budgets, monitored progress toward objectives, and coordinated program evaluation activities, ensuring quality and timely service delivery. Effectively developed and maintained community partnership and managed inter-agency collaborations. Provided mentoring and support to shared program staff within collaborative organizations. Coordinated monthly and quarterly reports to funders as required, apprising them of implementation activities, budgetary allocations, and any variance from the approved program plan. Developed successful grant applications for competitive grant processes and local foundations. Key Accomplishments:Spearheaded five multi-year federal grants administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, managing $1M annually.Acquired five-year funding of $3M to enhance education, prevention and intervention programs for sexual minority youth and their allied peers, averting the imminent closure of the Eon Youth Center while expanding access to services.Developed a novel intervention and secured $1.2M to reduce substance abuse and poly drug use among gay and bisexual men within the club culture and in the after-hours party milieu.

Greater San Diego Area

Provided project-based leadership for the Housing and Urban Development funded, LaPosada Project on behalf of the San Diego County Office of AIDS Coordination. Developed and presented topical workshops for The Council of Community Clinics. Implemented a community readiness assessment on behalf of Comprehensive Health Centers to develop novel approaches to HIV prevention for Project Rafiki, a culturally-based HIV prevention intervention for African American gay men at risk for HIV infection. Facilitated community-building and peer-to-peer programming to provide fresh relevance for The Karibu Center. Cultivated community partnerships, generated financial sponsors and coordinated the People of Color AIDS Conference on behalf of Neighborhood Fundraising Network. Cultivated foundation support and developed a youth-based collaborative on behalf of Positively Speaking of San Diego. Key Accomplishments:Coordinated the 2001 People of Color AIDS Conference, ensuring successful outcomes.Developed and implemented a comprehensive corrective action plan for the San Diego County Office of AIDS Coordination to retain funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.Secured funding for collaborative youth HIV/AIDS education in collaboration with Positively Speaking of San Diego and San Diego County Youth Services.Developed an introduction letter and program proposal to the Nation of Ghana, Ministry of Industry and Mines to implement a community-led solar salt mining program.

San Francisco Bay Area

Negotiated multiple program and budgeting improvements with the City and County of San Francisco, Office of AIDS to retain at-risk funding. Led a comprehensive program restructuring and retraining of program coordinators, line staff and key volunteers, ensuring optimal efficiency and productivity, resulting in the successful accomplishment of all program goals. Improved the program standing with key funders, collaborative partners, and service recipients. Developed and presented successful action plan to fully integrate the Glide-Goodlett HIV/AIDS Project into the Glide Health Service Clinic, reducing program cost while increasing access to services and program efficiency. Key Accomplishments:Developed and implemented aggressive corrective action plans and budgeting improvements for a struggling program.Recognized for exceeding expectations for all programs and commitments for the first time within a 10-year history.Represented the Glide Global Ministries Committee, hosting a force of summer youth volunteer outreach ambassadors.