In this role, I help lead the Ormond Center at Duke Divinity School's translational research efforts at the intersection of community and congregational thriving. I firmly believe that God has placed local churches, as community ecosystem participants, in specific communities to work towards the vision of love and justice found throughout Scriptures. With an engineer’s eye towards systems thinking, David applies his experience in high-tech business development, community research, and economic… Show more In this role, I help lead the Ormond Center at Duke Divinity School's translational research efforts at the intersection of community and congregational thriving. I firmly believe that God has placed local churches, as community ecosystem participants, in specific communities to work towards the vision of love and justice found throughout Scriptures. With an engineer’s eye towards systems thinking, David applies his experience in high-tech business development, community research, and economic development to help churches become active “agents of thriving.” Show less

Honored to be on the board of this neighborhood organization focused on homeownership counseling, financial access and neighborhood development regardless of income, education or background.

My mission: Helping churches participate in building thriving communities. My vision is simple: Jesus followers are indispensable members of communities that thrive for all. Getting there? Perhaps not so simple! My current project, “Jesus on Main Street“, equips church leaders and church planters to bring the healing effects of the gospel to local economies. See www.davekresta.com for a complete description of services and areas of expertise.

Teaching courses in the Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies & Planning

At NEEA I have managed numerous field studies to determine energy savings for a variety of technologies, developing research questions and project scope in collaboration with our alliance members, managing the competitive bidding process, developing contracts and statements of work, overseeing implementation, and disseminating results in a variety of formats for both technical and non-technical audiences. During this time, I also developed a database-driven tool and processes to manage a… Show more At NEEA I have managed numerous field studies to determine energy savings for a variety of technologies, developing research questions and project scope in collaboration with our alliance members, managing the competitive bidding process, developing contracts and statements of work, overseeing implementation, and disseminating results in a variety of formats for both technical and non-technical audiences. During this time, I also developed a database-driven tool and processes to manage a portfolio of research projects across multiple organizations, with capabilities to track and collaborate from initial scoping of research requirements to project completion. Show less

My research explored the role of churches in neighborhood change such as decline and gentrification. Two primary research questions were addressed: 1) How have patterns of church location changed with respect to neighborhood types, and 2) How do churches impact neighborhood change?Findings indicate an overrepresentation of churches in gentrifying neighborhoods. A “back to the city” movement is occurring as church locational preferences have shifted from up-and-coming higher income… Show more My research explored the role of churches in neighborhood change such as decline and gentrification. Two primary research questions were addressed: 1) How have patterns of church location changed with respect to neighborhood types, and 2) How do churches impact neighborhood change?Findings indicate an overrepresentation of churches in gentrifying neighborhoods. A “back to the city” movement is occurring as church locational preferences have shifted from up-and-coming higher income neighborhoods in the 1980s to lower-income neighborhoods in the 2000s, reinforcing the overrepresentation in gentrifying neighborhoods.I found that churches impact their neighborhoods’ socioeconomic trajectory, sometimes positively, other times negatively. Highlights include: 1) a higher percentage of whites in churches in non-white neighborhoods is associated with more neighborhood gentrification, 2) on average white churches in low-income neighborhoods are responsible for about 10% of the relative income growth required for gentrification, 3) church social services do not reverse neighborhood decline but instead slow down the effects of gentrification by helping low-income residents stay in place, and 4) more geographically dispersed white congregations are associated with less white influx into neighborhoods. While commuter-style churches may not be contributing to gentrification, neither are they helping declining neighborhoods to become healthy. Show less

I am proud to be selected to participate in the Trust's Visiting Scholar program. In addition to advancing my dissertation research, in this role I will help connect the philanthropic/non-profit sector with academic research in community and economic development. I will work collaboratively to identify ways that the faith-based community can aid in neighborhood development and growth.

Connecting the City, Schools, and Churches to help vulnerable families.www.kindredpartners.org

High-impact services to help organizations break new ground:Core Competencies:-- Investor readiness: business plan review, investor collateral development, perfecting the pitch.-- Go-to-market strategy and execution, positioning platform creation..-- Product management process development.

Responsible for product management and marketing for very early stage software startup. Helped raise $1M+ in angel funding with business plan development, financial/business modeling, and investor due diligence. Successfully launched Pixetell at DEMO '09 conference, generating intense interest from press/bloggers/analysts (250,000 launch video views) and first revenue from customers.

Responsible for strategy and implementation of online community and analytical components of medical software-as-a-service offering. Developed strategy for new embedded reporting/analytics capability. Oversaw technology evaluation, performed requirements assessment and definition, developed specifications, and managed project through to successful beta release. Developed strategic plan and requirements for online community development.

Responsible for all product management, design, and development activities for executive education portal for parent company SAS (business intelligence software vendor). Managed multiple site redesigns for next-generation functionality. Developed eCommerce, eLearning, and sponsorship strategy; oversaw development effort. Grew revenues from zero to $300,000/yr in 1 year; quadrupled registered users in 4 years to 185,000.Initiated customer scenario-driven product development process.

Responsible for a broad range of product management and marketing activities for $60M/yr product line of electronic design automation (EDA) software tools. Developed an entry-level product strategy. Identified, negotiated, and managed several multi-million dollar OEM relationships to support strategy. Maintained #1 market leadership position, achieving 20% annual revenue growth rates in a slowing market.

Responsible for all marketing activities for startup division focused on Windows NT real-time software. Managed all aspects of product launch including product definition, PR, competitive analysis, distribution, sales. Oversaw the design and development of a new, dedicated product web site.

Responsible for all product marketing and product management functions for a $5 million software product line (HDL SourceModels).• Grew the business from $1 million to $5 million.• Worked with various semiconductor partners, including Motorola and Intel, to define, fund, and roll out numerous SourceModels.

Designed and developed complex simulation and verification software in C/C++.• Worked with strategic semiconductor vendor partners to pioneer new model development technologies and processes