Name: Marc Propst
Company/Organization: Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest
Job Title: Annual Fund Manager
How long have you been in Lynchburg? Six Years
Tell us about your professional role: Currently, I am working with Poplar Forest in their development arm. This is normally associated with fundraising, but there is often more things that come with it; including partnering with businesses to increase awareness, recruiting young professionals to give to charity because it is beneficial for their taxes, and most importantly, helping to tell the whole story of Poplar Forest and the enslaved community. I love this job because I can work every day to move the organization forward and bring new ideas and perspectives. I work with an amazing staff that helps to tell the whole story and continue to build on the history and legacy of Jefferson. Some of my previous work history includes being a Senior Claims Rep at Genworth, and being a part of the staff at the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance.
What do you enjoy in your spare time? Some of my hobbies include being able to walk around the property at Poplar Forest, studying to be a real estate agent, and (a childhood favorite) spending some time on video games to de-stress from the day. I have a lot of different interests, but some include diversity, equity, and inclusion work. Being African-American, gay, and the age of 23 makes for interesting experiences and perspectives that I think many people do not get to have. DE&I work is so much fun and being able to ask the tough questions and help move people forward towards a more equitable future. I also love economic development, it is an interesting part of political science that I do not think gets enough attention because of how much politics is involved in getting things in the right direction that can lead towards growth in a community. Another big interest of mine is good food. I enjoy food a lot, particularly, Italian food, but all sorts of food from local restaurants are a big interest.
Who or what inspires you? There are so many different people and groups who inspire me, this list is not comprehensive and there are so many others that I am missing! My mom, Renee Flowers, Alyson Ramsey, Jamie Glass, Denise Jackson, Heath Barret, Christine Kennedy, Megan Lucas, Tory Lucas, the late Judge Ruth Ginsburg, the many young professionals that are making moves every day to change the world, and more recently, through many experiences, myself.
What's a fun fact about you? I have a hidden talent for cooking. I don't do it often enough!
Why did you join YPCV? I wanted to connect with other Young Professionals like myself and I wanted to continue to grow my professional brand and skills.