Colin Deschamps
Director of Development and Membership

Colin has a passion for fundraising and business strategy, focusing on deepening donor relationships and expanding community impact. Colin has a track record of leading transformative initiatives to grow philanthropic support, strengthen membership engagement, and align institutional goals with donor priorities.

Before joining the museum, Colin served as Director of Partnerships at Spirit of America, where he oversaw strategic collaborations supporting U.S. diplomats and troops, primarily in war zones. Prior to that, he was Director of Business Development at Paris Gourmet Inc., where he guided growth and innovation in the specialty food industry.

Colin spent over seven years with USAID, holding field and headquarters roles, including Deputy Country Representative in Colombia and Deputy Team Leader for Africa. He managed programs in Syria, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Niger, and Mali, directing complex international operations focused on stabilization, governance, and community resilience. Earlier, he served with the World Bank in Kabul, Afghanistan, supporting post-conflict reconstruction and infrastructure development.

Trained as a geologist and environmental engineer, Colin excels at translating complex data and science into accessible, inspiring narratives for donors and stakeholders. He is also a creative technologist and communicator, with personal projects including the manuscript The Coldest Places on Earth: Data and Discovery in a Warming World, the app Distily, and a data storytelling platform, Data Hits, with over 5,000 TikTok followers.

Colin has lived and worked on five continents, traveled to nearly 100 countries, and thrives on curiosity and connection. He speaks fluent French and Spanish, and brings to his work a rare blend of analytical precision, global perspective, and storytelling flair.

Outside of work, he spends time with his family and gets outdoors at every opportunity, whether on a bike, in a raft, with skis, or on foot.

Contact Colin via email or 406.994.4973.