Derek is currently Vice President at Latz & Company, where he has worked for nearly seven years. With over 15 years of experience supporting mission-driven organizations, Derek’s expertise spans major gift programs, annual fund/advancement and organizational development.  Prior and current clients include LINK Unlimited Scholars, Sacred Heart Schools, The National Black Theatre, and SOS Children’s Villages Illinois. 

Prior to Latz & Company, Derek's passion for the arts led to a five-year tenure at Harlem's Apollo Theater Foundation, Inc., supporting the theater's evolution into a dynamic 21st century performing arts organization. As Associate Director of Institutional Giving, Derek managed the theater's corporate, foundation and public sector solicitation strategies for a suite of new programs, capital renovations and special projects. His work led to a thirty percent increase in grants awarded, including commitments from The Ford Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, Target and Bank of America.

Beyond the Apollo, Derek honed his expertise working with a variety of organizations, including the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras, the RAND Corporation, and Northside Center for Child Development, Inc. He completed his Bachelor of Arts in English at Morehouse College and also holds a Master of Arts from New York University.

 In addition to consulting, Derek is a playwright and a 2021 Creative Capital Awardee and a proud member of the Dramatists Guild. Numerous institutions — including the United States Embassy, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago and the Jerome Foundation — have supported his work. Originally from Pickerington Ohio, Derek has lived in Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York City and Osaka Japan, and is happy to be back in the Midwest in Chicago. He lives with his partner, Dr. Aymar Jean Christian, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at Northwestern University.