For 15 years, Tony Lewis headed the Donnell-Kay Foundation as the Executive Director. This year, he and his team dropped their titles in recognition of the work being created and led by all team members in their search for ways to improve education in Colorado. Their work in policy, practice and innovative pilots and prototypes have positioned the Foundation as a thought leader in reimagining the educational system of the state and in specific policies and practices that have direct improvement on the lives of students, families and educators through transportation, housing, educational practices to improve the current educational system and to provide new ideas to shape a new statewide educational system.
Prior to being at the Foundation Tony spent many years at the Colorado Outward Bound School (COBS). In his roles there he not only led 23-day and semester long outdoor adventures, but also led the annual development campaign and capital campaign for building their new headquarters. During his tenure at Outward Bound, Tony led many international climbing and trekking trips for donors and trustees.
Between his time leading outdoor adventures and taking the helm of the development and fundraising at COBS, Tony worked for the Environmental Protection Agency in San Francisco. Initially hired through the Presidential Management Intern program (PMI), Tony worked in various media/areas (ground water protection, air pollution, strategic planning), ending up overseeing the wetlands policy, enforcement and mitigation banking for wetlands in the Central Valley and Northern California.
Tony is a Colorado native who continues to spend time in the out of doors, climbing, biking, hiking and leading several international trips each year. He has served on several boards including Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), Education Cities, America Succeeds, Colorado Charter School Institute, Colorado Outdoor Recreation Coalition, University of Colorado at Denver School of Public Affairs and the dZi Foundation. He is blessed with a wonderful wife, dogs, cats, chickens, ducks and bees.