David Thalenberg
Hometown:
Flagstaff, AZ
Connect: LinkedIn
David is excited to learn about the history of the islands and to live amongst the unique melting pot of people living on the island of O'ahu. He hopes to make a transformative impact on Oʻahu's economic landscape by directly addressing the pressing issues of equity, job creation, and community empowerment to uplift underrepresented communities disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
An Arizona native, David Thalenberg holds a bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from Northern Arizona University and master’s degrees in Public Administration and Latin American Studies from the University of Arizona. David’s previous professional experience includes working as an international relations specialist for the US Department of Labor, working as an International Academic Advisor for the University of California, serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in rural Paraguay, and assisting local government agencies and non-profit organizations in to support underserved communities in the Tucson area.
ERC Project
Project Title:
Startup Business Support Program
Host Community or Region:
Hawaii
Host Organization:
City and County of Honolulu
This Start-Up Business Support Program (SBS) supported by the City and County of Honolulu addresses the community's need for empowering leaders, fostering small business entrepreneurship, and transitioning from a tourism-dependent economy. The SBS program focuses on three pillars: Training the Workforce for Good Jobs, Creating Good Jobs, and Sustaining Good Jobs. By targeting underrepresented minorities and individuals with limited English proficiency or migrant status, the project aims to diversify and strengthen the local economy, particularly benefiting disadvantaged populations. The ERC Fellow plays a key role in nurturing stakeholder relationships, conducting research, evaluating program impact, and seeking funding. The fellow will craft and oversee the SBS program, establish partnerships, manage implementation, and develop evaluation systems. The goal is to build an equitable entrepreneurial system that fosters economic resilience and prosperity for O’ahu residents.
Interested in supporting this project or learning more? Contact the ERC program team here.
