Charlie Wright

Bio

Charlie is a leading nonprofit financial management executive in Denver, having had senior leadership positions at the Denver Zoo and Mile High United Way over the past 11 years. He is a frequent speaker at national conferences on financial and accounting issues.

Education

Charlie earned his MBA in Finance and Accounting from the Owen School at Vanderbilt University and a Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy Sciences from Duke University. He currently holds the CMA, CPA, CPSP, CGMA, CIRA and CFF certifications.

Professional Background

Charlie Wright is currently the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer for the Denver Zoo and the Colorado Zoological Trust. He also chairs the Zoo’s 403(b) Committee. He is responsible for all finance, accounting, legal and information technology activities at the Zoo and oversees a staff of 14 professionals.

He was Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration for Mile High United Way overseeing a staff of 23 in the finance, accounting and information technology areas just before joining the Zoo in 2015. Previously, he held senior positions at Kroenke Sports & Entertainment for over 10 years and was a Partner at Ernst & Young for over 14 years.

Charlie has served on many nonprofit Boards during his career and is currently a member of the Global Board of the Institute of Management Accountants. He is also the Principal Percussionist for the Denver Pops Orchestra.

Motivation for Teaching

Charlie enjoys giving back to the Community and helping future leaders grow in their understanding of financial issues. Mentoring individuals and watching them grow is one of his favorite activities.