Meet Celebrity Roller

John Farnam

Director of Responsive Grantmaking, The Buell Foundation

In his current role, John is part of a team that invests $20 million annually across Colorado in the early learning sector. Prior to this role, he worked with the Morgridge Family Foundation. In his earlier career, John served as vice president of marketing for Goodwill Industries of Denver where he played an integral role in establishing the Goodwill Endowment Fund. During his time as executive director of the Northern Colorado AIDS Project, Farnam was recognized with the DoSomething Award celebrating leaders whose work transforms the community. 

His expertise has been sought out as an Aspen Institute Fellow, a member of the American Enterprise Institute Leadership Network, and an advisor to the Governor's Leadership Committee on COVID Relief. In 2022, he earned an executive certificate through the prestigious Chief of Staff Fellowship at the University of Oxford, and in 2023, he was one of just 60 leaders from 20 countries to complete the inaugural Chief of Staff Association Program  through Harvard Business School Executive Education. Most recently, John was named the 2024 9News Leader of the Year for Denver.