Prior to joining Dogwood, Hayden was a Manager at the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP), where he worked for seven years. While at CEP he conducted learning projects for over 75 separate funders, including the Rockefeller Foundation, Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies and the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta – helping them become even more effective in their work. In this role he helped funders develop consistent culture, processes and structures that support strong funder-grantee relationships, all with the goal of driving even greater impact. His previous projects include helping an international climate funder develop standards of interactions for all staff in their relationships with grantees and working with another funder to refine and streamline reporting processes.

Originally from Greenville, South Carolina, Hayden graduated from Furman University with a B.S. in Political Science and Sustainability Science. He lives in North Asheville with his wife Laura Paige and their two dogs.