Dr. Stephanie Gripne is an academic entrepreneur, impact investor, philanthropic advisor, researcher, educator and the creative force behind Impact Finance Center and CO Impact Days and Initiative. In 2016, Forbes featured Dr. Gripne, in an article entitled, "Is this Wildlife Conservation PhD the Next Steve Jobs of Impact Investing?" Stephanie founded the Impact Finance Center in 2012, a partnership between University of Denver Daniels College of Business and Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors – Sustainable Endowment Institute. The Impact Finance Center is a national impact investing think-do tank that produces rigorous and relevant research, educations, and develops transactions in the area impact investing.
Stephanie received her Ph.D. from the Boone and Crockett Wildlife Conservation Program at the University of Montana working with Dr. Jack Ward Thomas. She has a B.S. in Biology & Wildlife Management from the University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point and a M.S. in Ecology from Utah State University. Stephanie is an Aspen Institute Environment Forum Scholar, Environmental Leadership Senior Fellow, Property Environment Research Center Fellow, Ford Foundation Community Forestry Fellow, and Boone and Crockett Professional Member.
Impact Finance Center also launched CO Impact Days and Initiative, which is the first attempt to develop a statewide marketplace for impact investing; identifying, connecting, and celebrating Colorado's top social ventures and impact investors from the Western Slope to the Front Range.
CO Impact Days’ education, symposium, marketplace, awards, and celebration are designed to bring together Colorado’s top 60 social ventures, 200 impact investors, and 500+ community members in a first of its kind, 2-day, inspiring event to Learn. Connect. Invest. The CO Impact Initiative, which includes CO Impact Days, is the larger 3-year strategy to elevate and accelerate impact investing in Colorado, catalyzing the flow of $100 million in investment capital into Colorado social ventures that deliver positive impact on the state’s communities, economy and natural environment.
