Phoenix (STN) – Addressing systemic problems does not begin with policy or programs. It begins with people.
That is the message from Doug Dempsey, director of human resources at Keys to Change.
He grew up in a place where standing out meant finding your own voice.
“I’m originally from a small town in northeast Iowa,” Dempsey said. “Sports were very important there, and I wasn’t a sports guy.”
Instead, he found confidence through music and performance. Band, choir and theater became the places where he built relationships and discovered a sense of belonging.
“That’s where I found my voice,” he said. “It gave me confidence and connections and that sense of belonging, which is so important.”
WATCH: Doug Dempsey focuses on empowering those doing the work
Today, that sense of belonging shapes how he approaches his role at Keys to Change, one of the Valley’s largest providers of homelessness services. While he does not work directly with clients, he sees his responsibility as supporting the people who do.
“My job is supporting the people who are doing the actual work,” Dempsey said. “As long as my staff feels empowered, respected and healthy, they’re going to have good outcomes. That benefits the community as a whole.”
His people-first philosophy has turned what might otherwise be a traditional HR position into something far more mission-driven.
“I don’t look at work as work,” he said. “People say, ‘Look where you work,’ and I say, ‘Yeah, look what we’re doing.’ That’s what makes it exciting.”
Dempsey believes the most meaningful solutions to homelessness begin at the ground level.
“Change isn’t going to happen unless it starts with the people,” he said. “It has to start with that grassroots effort.”
That same mindset shapes how he approaches collaboration with other organizations and community partners.
“It always starts with a conversation,” he said. “You need to tell me what the plan is, what you want it to look like and who it’s going to benefit.”
From there, he looks for partners who are willing to follow through.
“I’m looking for people who stay accountable and do the work,” he said. “Otherwise things just die on the vine.”
Inside Keys to Change, Dempsey tries to keep the approach simple.
“My door is always open,” he said. “Give me a call. Stop on by.”
And his formula for change remains straightforward: empower people, support the work and stay committed to the mission.
