Keith Cobell
Family Office Advisor
Keith comes to Impact Family Office with over 20 years of experience helping families and their closely-held businesses maximize impact through strategic philanthropy and social-impact initiatives. From private family foundations to social enterprises to corporate philanthropy, Keith has become a key, trusted partner to families committed to using their resources and assets to impact the world in transformative ways.
Catalyzing the power of a family’s purpose, success, and significance has been a hallmark of Keith’s career. While leading a private family foundation, Keith managed all facets of operations and grantmaking, annually awarding 50+ grants totaling more than $2.5MM. Additionally Keith ran a post-doctorate research institute as part of the family’s unique philanthropic vision. Keith also ran a global initiative fundraising campaign of a key grantee of the foundation. Moving to corporate philanthropy, Keith led and/or launched seven foundations across the parent corporation’s domestic companies. Moving to Rwanda, Keith lead a US-owned social-impact business in the manufacturing and export space, moving it from startup to scale-up, resulting in a 330% increase in sales revenue. Relocating back to the US, as Director of International Investments for a family-owned real estate investment company, Keith expanded an existing property into an award-winning jungle lodge in the Maya Mountain rainforest of Belize. And most recently, Keith works with an incredibly generous family to lead a social-impact business (construction company and trade school) in Haiti.
Prior to his career in philanthropy and business, Keith spent years as a mountain guide in the Ansel Adams Wilderness/Yosemite area. The experience of guiding families through adventure and hardship shaped his approach to guiding families in their philanthropy. To Keith, guiding a family into a deeper understanding of the meaning and purpose of their wealth, and their relationships with each other in that, is not unlike ascending a mountain peak.
A graduate of Westmont College, Keith went on to earn a master’s degree in Theology, performed PhD-level research on the topic of global philanthropy at the University of Wales/OCMS in Oxford, England, and completed the Executive Program in Social Entrepreneurship at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Keith is currently pursuing the Certified Financial Planner™ designation.
Keith serves as Treasurer/CFO of Trinity Episcopal Church, President of Harding University Partnership School’s Site Council, and parent/coach/referee for Santa Barbara’s youth soccer league (AYSO).
Outside of the office, when he isn’t adventuring with his wife and two daughters, Keith can be found in his woodshop, on his motorcycle, or playing soccer.