Noelle DeLage
Chief Development Officer | Denver Zoo
Noelle DeLage’s commitment to strengthening Denver and Colorado’s cultural, scientific and educational resources has guided her career in philanthropy and she is delighted to serve Denver Zoo as Chief Development Officer. She leads a team focused on inspiring donors to join the Zoo in saving wildlife for future generations. During the pandemic, they increased their reach and partnered with donors to build Pinnacol African Penguin Point, a highlight during a challenging time.
Prior to the Zoo, as Assistant Vice Chancellor of Advancement at the University of Colorado Denver, she honed the creative approach to philanthropy that drives her. Her efforts resulted in achievement of the highest fundraising totals in CU Denver history. This included securing funding for and establishment of unique opportunities for students, such as the Comcast Media and Technology Center, bringing artists and engineers together to explore and discover next stage technologies.
Beginning at the Denver Art Museum, where she fell in love with fundraising more than 20 years ago, DeLage learned the importance of philanthropy to achieving organizational goals and vision. She secured grants to fund ground breaking exhibition development and implementation, educational program innovation and participated in the museum’s capital campaign to construct the Frederic C. Hamilton Building. She continued her mission driven work leading the development team for the Rocky Mountain Region of the Anti-Defamation League where she grew annual and project support for the civil rights organization.
When she isn’t working in philanthropy, Noelle has spent time on construction sites as a small business owner and making art. She holds degrees in Art History, German (B.A., Beloit College) and sculpture (B.F.A, CU Denver, M.F.A, University of Chicago). A native of Oregon, she loves to adventure outdoors both near and far from home.
