Executive Vice President
David Dahlin was named to the new post of Executive Vice President for Compassion International in July 2008. As EVP, he is responsible for developing and supervising all aspects of the ministry's operations and managing the Global Executive Leadership Committee. Prior to this appointment, David served as Compassion's Sr. Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for nearly nine years. He has been associated with Compassion since 1994 in a variety of leadership roles and has traveled extensively on behalf of the ministry, gaining a thorough understanding of Compassion's work and a deep appreciation for the children and families he has been called to assist.
David's gifts of communication, facilitation, and administration are well suited for his job of furthering the mission of Compassion. Since 1985, David has focused on personal and organizational effectiveness and has specialized in guiding individuals and teams through change processes that will help them better reach their goals.
As a young adult, David served as a short-term missionary in Brazil, cementing his desire to work internationally and to find meaningful ways to minister to those in poverty. Through his experiences working in very poor settings, it became painfully clear to David that saying, "Peace, be filled," was not enough. Following Jesus' example, David committed to focusing his ministry on the whole person — mind, body, and spirit.
These life experiences and his educational background have prepared David well for Compassion's holistic ministry perspective. He received a bachelor's degree from St. Olaf College with majors in biology and Christian youth ministry. He also studied theology at Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary and later earned a master's degree in psychology from The College of St. Thomas.
All of David's adult life has been committed to serving children and families. In addition to his work with Compassion, David has worked with children in camp and retreat settings, in residential treatment programs for the severely abused, in individual and family counseling centers, and in children's ministries at his local church.
Despite his broad educational and professional experiences, David feels he has learned the most about child development from the joys and struggles of raising his own two precious children with his wife, Kari. In his personal time David enjoys running, cycling and hiking. He also plays the guitar and piano and shares his love for music by leading worship in his local church.
