Michelle Livingston Named Director of Operations and Government Affairs for the Global Down Syndrome Foundation

Livingston joined the Global Down Syndrome Foundation after eight years in the commercial banking industry.

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Denver—Global Down Syndrome Foundation has announced former banker Michelle Livingston as Director of Operations and Government Affairs of the non-profit.

In her new role, Livingston will oversee the financials of the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, as well as government affairs. She will assist  with all aspects of operations, and work as a key liaison to  the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome and the Anna and John J. Sie Center for Down Syndrome at the Children’s Hospital Colorado.

Livingston joined the Foundation full time in April 2009. During her first year, she was instrumental in co-organizing the Foundation’s joint initiative to launch the first National Institutes of Health supported conference on Down syndrome– Down Syndrome: National Conference on Patient Registries, Research Databases and Biobanks.

Prior to joining the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, Livingston  worked in commercial banking for eight years, where she provided lending and banking services for non-profits, small businesses and real estate investors.  Her banking career was spent with Steele Street Bank & Trust, United Western Bank, and Wells Fargo.

Livingston serves on several boards including Denver-based Construction Technology, Inc., a for-profit forklift manufacturing company, and the Rocky Mountain MicroFinance Institute where she is currently acting Treasurer.  Most recently Michelle has joined the financial advisory committee of the Colorado Cross Disability Coalition.  She previously served as Treasurer for the National Kidney Foundation of Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana.

Michelle earned her Bachelor’s degree in psychology from Colorado State University.  A Colorado native, Michelle enjoys fishing, backpacking and skiing in the beautiful Colorado mountains.   She resides in Colorado with her husband, David.

About the Global Down Syndrome Foundation

The Global Down Syndrome Foundation is a public non-profit 501(c)(3)  dedicated to significantly improving the lives of people with Down syndrome through research, medical care, education and advocacy.  Formally established in 2009, the Foundation’s primary focus is to support the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, the first academic home in the US committed to research and medical care for people with the condition. Fundraising and government advocacy that corrects the alarming disparity of national funding for people with Down syndrome is a major short-term goal.  The Foundation organizes the Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show – the single largest annual fundraiser benefitting people with Down syndrome.  Programmatically the Foundation organizes and funds many programs and conferences including the Dare to Play Football and Cheer Camps, Global Down Syndrome Educational Series, and Global Down Syndrome Multi-Language Resource Project.  The Foundation is an inclusive organization without political or religious affiliation or intention.

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