Who is Dave Colling

Dad to 8th grade Huskie

St Anthony Homeowner

Board Member, St. Anthony Area Chamber of Commerce

Community Partnership Manager at Metro Meals on Wheels

Master’s of Nonprofit Management from Hamline University

Former Policy Fellow, University of MN Humphrey School of Public Affairs

Outfielder for the St. Anthony Codgers

In the Fall of 1990, a coworker of mine asked me to volunteer with him at the campaign office of Congressman John Dingell and it changed my life forever. At the time I wasn’t at all involved in, nor did I care about, politics, I was majoring in elementary education and I had no idea how much my worldview, and how I saw myself in it, was about to be forever altered. It was there that I met people who were very involved in their community and not just in a political sense. I wanted to be involved too, and the route I chose was to make a difference through the political process. It was at that time I began to reflect on my life and the options I had growing up and how different things could have been for me, had it not been for the people and community that surrounded me in Detroit, MI. I was suddenly seeing for the first time where my life had taken me was not just a random series of events, but a strong effort on the part of many people and institutions that laid a path for me to follow. I’ve now seen what kind of impact can be made in the lives of others when communities come together.  I was raised by my mother and grandmother, both of whom had strong beliefs in giving back to the community. From this early foundation, I internalized their words and actions by engaging in political and government career opportunities so that I could be a part of positive change. Since then, my life has been filled with opportunities to work with everyone from Presidents to those living on the fringes of our society, and I learned something from them all.

From the time I graduated college most of my adult life was spent working in government and managing political campaigns, including Congressman Keith Ellison’s first successful run for Congress in 2006.  But a few years ago I decided to take my love of community, my desire to create positive change and pivot my life path from politics to nonprofits. I spent the next year consulting with several nonprofits, using my experience and expertise from decades of political and marketing work to help my clients, including the Muslim American Society of MN and ASSEST Campaign.  In 2017 I became the Executive Director of a nonprofit organization in North Minneapolis, the Harrison Neighborhood Association. Since that time I have earned my Master’s Degree in Nonprofit Management and in 2020 began my current work at Metro Meals on Wheels developing community partnerships and managing multimillion-dollar contracts.  Since 2019 I have owned a small cottage food business called Rouge Smoked Foods. 

Earlier this year I began volunteering with the St. Anthony Area Chamber of Commerce, eventually joining the board in June. One of my favorite activities in St. Anthony has been playing outfield for the St. Anthony Codgers for the past 3 seasons. 

For the past 23 years, I have lived in and around St. Anthony, my wife and I bought our current home on 27th Ave NE seven and half years ago. My son, George is going into eighth grade at SAMS and my wife Sarah Steil is a small business owner.