Editor's note: We recently welcomed Campbell Rust to the Denver Institute team as story production manager. Campbell and I talked about his prior work, his interest in Denver Institute, and what he's most excited about in his new role. Our conversation below has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
GB: How did you first connect with Denver Institute?
CR: I first heard about Denver Institute a couple of years ago through a friend who was loosely connected and had attended some events. He was working at a nonprofit that had some overlap and spoke really highly of Denver Institute. I just kind of kept it in the back of my mind after that. Then earlier this year, when I saw a job posting, I asked him about it again, and he said, “They’re great, really cool people.” So that was my first introduction to Denver Institute.
GB: What was it about Denver Institute that piqued your interest?
CR: It was mostly tied to the mission of Denver Institute. I remember looking at the website and seeing the vision of a future where every person’s work brings hope and life to their city, and it really resonated with me. Most of my career has been split between nonprofit ministry and what the world sees as secular work, and I’ve often felt a disconnect between my faith and what I was doing day to day. The idea of a better marriage and intersection between the work I show up and get paid to do every day and my faith—that there could be a real union between them—really stood out to me. That got me really excited, because it’s something I’ve experienced and felt personally.
GB: What previous work experience do you bring to the role?
CR: Most recently, I was at a local TV station, KKTV, in the creative services department, where I was in charge of long-form content like podcasts, a daily segment, and our lifestyle show. It was a lot like HGTV or Food Network—we would go to interesting places around Colorado and tell their stories in a creative way, which I loved. Before that, I worked at a church, spent time with K-LOVE and Air1 Radio in Denver, and also worked with a smaller ministry in Colorado Springs, where I’m from. Altogether, I’m bringing a heart for storytelling, people, and creative work, alongside creative production experience.
GB: What will you be doing in this new role at Denver Institute?
CR: At a high level, the Story Production Manager role is about building and managing the systems and processes that allow the storytelling initiative to run well—everything from project management and coordinating events to contracting vendors and working with the people filming and producing the stories. A big part of it will also be stewarding the grant from the Lilly Endowment well and making sure we’re on time, on budget, and organized as we go. I’m also excited to connect with the CityGate network, hear what’s happening across the country, and start thinking about how we can come together through storytelling. I’ve really enjoyed this first week of onboarding and getting to know the team and Denver Institute’s heart for people. I’m also really excited to be working with Ashley [Hales], the Director of Storytelling, who brings a lot of vision and creativity to the project.
GB: What is it about storytelling that interests you? How do you see storytelling as an outworking of your faith?
CR: I think stories have an ability to change people’s perspective, to inspire, and to bring hope. Story is such a core part of being human—everyone uses stories all the time, often without even realizing it. I see it even in my own life, reading to my daughter every night; she doesn’t fully understand it yet, but she’s drawn into the images and the experience of it.
When I was first getting started in creative work at a local church, I heard a quote from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry that has always stuck with me: "If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea." That idea—that you can inspire people toward hard work and a shared mission through story—has shaped most of the work I’ve done since.
Jesus could have answered people’s questions directly, but instead he used storytelling to reorient them and help them reimagine the life God is inviting them into. That idea has always stuck with me. Helping people reimagine what’s possible, and what God might be calling them toward through story, has been a huge part of my career and my personal life.
GB: Why is Denver Institute’s work important to you?
CR: I think it ties back to my own experience of feeling a disconnect between faith and work. The idea that we can use stories to share examples of people who have integrated their faith and work in ordinary jobs is exciting to me. People tend to gravitate toward CEOs and founders, but there are so many other people doing important work in their communities and living on mission through their work. As someone who has never been a CEO, I love the idea of finding and helping share those stories.
The project also identifies a secondary audience—people who are impacted by the life change they see in the people who directly engage with the stories. That idea is really exciting to me. It points to a ripple effect: there’s the immediate audience who experiences the stories, and then there are people who are influenced by the transformed lives of those who did. I’m looking forward to seeing that ripple effect as we begin sharing stories.
GB: What excites you most about the storytelling initiative?
CR: The people I’ll be working alongside on this project are what excite me most. Ashley is incredibly talented and brings a lot of great experience to the role, and I’m really excited to learn from her. Ashley, Jeff [Hoffmeyer], and I will be the core team for this project, and I’m excited to work closely with them and learn from both of them as we build this together.
