Colorado Health Institute Appoints Managing Director of Partnerships and Development

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kristi Arellano
Managing Director, Marketing and Communications
720.382.7080, arellanok@coloradohealthinstitute.org
 

The Colorado Health Institute (CHI) announces the advancement of Karam Ahmad to the role of Managing Director of Partnerships and Development. Ahmad has been a key leader at CHI since joining the organization in 2017. He takes on a newly created position charged with leading CHI’s efforts to build and nurture strategic partnerships, secure mission-driven funding, and expand the organization’s impact across and beyond Colorado. 

CHI strengthens communities and systems with trusted analysis and collaborative solutions to improve health. As a nonprofit public health institute, CHI works at the intersection of health, equity, and policy, partnering across sectors to improve the systems that influence people’s health and well-being. This new role gives Ahmad the opportunity to strengthen these connections to carry out CHI’s vision that all people have what they need to be healthy. 

“Karam is a thoughtful innovator and a relationship-oriented leader,” said CHI President and CEO Sara Schmitt. “He has done an incredible job expanding CHI’s evaluation portfolio and building partnerships through our climate and health work. His ability to connect people and ideas makes him a natural choice for this new role.” 

In his prior role as a Director, Ahmad led evaluation work for Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation, The Denver Foundation’s Colorado Health Access Fund, Colorado Gives Foundation, The Colorado Trust, and other philanthropies. He also launched Acclimate Colorado, CHI's climate and health initiative, and led innovative analysis efforts, including the Colorado Lotus Project and Colorado Belonging Barometer. He serves on the National Network of Public Health Institutes' Environmental Health and Climate Workgroup and was recently named one of the Denver Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 for 2025. 

Before joining CHI, Ahmad worked as a technical writer for Otter Products, LLC and was an analyst for the National Park Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health. He also worked at RESOLVE, an environmental, public policy nonprofit in Washington, D.C., developing oil and gas and community health tutorials for public health professionals. 

“At CHI, we tackle pressing challenges like behavioral health, climate and environment, public health disparities, community well-being, and equitable access to quality, affordable health care,” Ahmad said. “I’m excited to identify and pursue innovative opportunities to support this work and develop impactful, meaningful collaborations with organizations and funders who share this vision.”  

Ahmad’s promotion follows the 2024 appointment of Emily Johnson to Managing Director of Research, Evaluation, and Convening and the 2023 appointment of Trenton Garber to Managing Director of Administration and Finance.