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About Us
The Corporate and Foundation Relations (CFR) team at Metropolitan State University of Denver aids members of the MSU Denver community build relationships with corporate and foundation entities to secure support for scholarships and programming. In contrast to groups like the Office of Sponsored Research and Programs (OSRP) and the Classroom to Career (C2) Hub, which focus on research funding and professional development, respectively, CFR’s focus is on philanthropic relationships. The CFR team’s work is holistic in approach, collaborating with campus partners in all stages of the grants process, from concept development to post-award, all while engaging corporate and foundation partners in transformative, mission-driven philanthropy.
Meet Our Staff
Zacary Tardiff | Executive Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations
303-605-7742 | [email protected]
Zacary J. Tardiff joined the MSU Denver Advancement Team in January 2022 as Director of Development, Corporate Relations and was elevated to Executive Director, Corporate and Foundation Relations in September 2023. In his role, he assists the University’s administrative and academic leadership to identify, research, and secure funding from private grant-making organizations and he builds opportunities for innovative, mutually beneficial relationships with corporate partners. In doing so, he helps design and implement fundraising strategies across campus and creates positive partnership and investment experiences between MSU Denver and corporations and foundations.
Zacary hails from New Jersey and was a first-generation college student, graduating from West Virginia University with an undergraduate degree in Sport Management (2008) and Master of Business Administration (2011). He brings over 13 years of higher education and nonprofit experience to serve the Roadrunner community.
Zacary relocated to Colorado in 2016 with his wife and they love raising their children here. In his free time Zacary is an avid golfer and amateur chef.
Joshua Harris | Corporate and Foundation Relations Manager
303-605-7768 | [email protected]
Joshua Harris joined the MSU Denver Advancement Team in January 2022 as the Donor Relations Coordinator and is honored to now serve as the CFR Manager in Corporate and Foundation Relations.
In his role, Joshua manages a portfolio of corporate and foundation prospects as well as focuses on key administrative support, acting as a liaison between CFR and campus partners. Joshua also manages the post-award process and is proactively working towards greater communication with campus partners regarding funding opportunities and grant reporting requirements.
Joshua is a graduate of Southeastern Oklahoma State University, where he earned a B.A. in Musical Theater Performance and a B.A. in Acting and Directing.
Tori Meyers | Senior Director of Development, Foundation Relations
303-717-3547 | [email protected]
Tori Meyers joined MSU Denver as Senior Director of Development for Foundation Relations in September 2024 after serving in an interim capacity in the role for two months. She brings 15+ years of public and private grant writing experience to MSU Denver across many types of non-profits and has served in volunteer capacities on community boards over the years.
In her role on the Corporate and Foundation Relations Team, Tori focuses on setting and executing strategy and building meaningful engagement and investment from philanthropic foundations. To promote this engagement and investment, she works closely with campus partners to develop concepts and craft them into proposals ready to submit to local and national foundations.
Tori is a proud graduate of two public universities, having earned a B.A. in psychology and sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an M.A. in industrial relations from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.
She loves to spend time with her family, practice yoga, and get outside to bike and hike when she isn’t working on all things philanthropic.
Ally Veneris | Director of Development, Corporate Relations
303-605-7498 | [email protected]
Ally Veneris joined the MSU Denver Advancement Team in November 2023 as Director of Development, Corporate Relations but has been at MSU Denver since 2021. In her role, Ally works with campus stakeholders and corporate partners to build meaningful relationships and create opportunities for holistic corporate engagement on campus. Her previous experience working on the Industry Partnerships team in the MSU Denver Classroom to Career Hub gives her a strong understanding of workforce development needs in Colorado and how MSU Denver plays an important role in meeting those needs.
Originally from Colorado Springs, Ally received her Bachelor’s degree in International Studies and English from the University of Denver. After starting her career in higher education in Boston, Ally moved to New York City, working in both higher education, city government, and ultimately earning a Master’s degree in Urban Policy from The New School. She is fascinated by education policy, loves talking workforce development strategies and is a passionate advocate for creating equitable and inclusive education and economic opportunities for all.
In her free time, Ally loves to cook, hang out with her two dogs Shaq and Kobe, and watch football and visit craft breweries with her husband.
Louie Pinkerton | Coordinator
303 615-1265 | [email protected]
Louie Pinkerton (they/them/theirs) joined the MSU Denver Advancement Team in August 2024 as the Corporate and Foundation Relations Coordinator after completing their concentration year internship with the CFR team. With a background at MSU Denver since 2018, Louie transitioned from roles as a peer writing consultant to a professional consultant and eventually to a leadership position at the Writing Center. In their current CFR role, Louie provides essential administrative support and leverages their research and writing skills to identify funding opportunities and develop proposal materials. Their experiences at the MSU Denver Writing Center uniquely equips them to collaborate effectively with campus partners and address the diverse needs of students and the broader campus community.
Louie was a first-generation student and is a proud Roadrunner. They first received their B.S. in Human Services and Counseling with a concentration in Mental Health Counseling. Graduating during the global pandemic in summer 2020, they gained valuable experience working with Colorado’s Crisis Counseling Program, where they discovered their passion for relationship-building and community-focused work. Louie then completed their Master of Social Work in Spring 2024 from MSU Denver. Their lens is trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, and holistic to foster well-being and social justice. Louie has a person-centered, strengths-based approach to work collaboratively with individuals on their journey, empowering them to make the best decisions for their situation.
Louie loves to read and write, cook, and spend time with their chosen family, including their spouse, childhood best friend, and two cats.
Danny Mazur| MSW Intern
[email protected]
Danny is in his final year of a Master’s of Social Work and brings years of experience in Nonprofit leadership to the CFR team. He started his own Nonprofit, Soul Stories, and is focused on increasing the mental health outcomes for young people through their Mental Wellness Storytelling Curriculum. He is excited to learn from CFR’s experts in fundraising and use his experience to support the students of MSU Denver.