E. David Dively is the new executive director of the Minnesota Council on Disability. Dively took the helm in mid- September. He had previously served as deputy executive director for the Minnesota Commission for the Deaf, Deafblind and Hard of Hearing.
Dively worked for the commission for more than four years. During that time he had many accomplishments. He served as the lead for hearing aid insurance policy changes. He also guided the Age-Related Hearing Loss Task Force assembly and the resulting report of the work in its second version. He also led work to gather Minnesota-specific polling data on hearing loss.
At the commission, Dively was the lead staff for policy governance creation, drafting and implementation. He led the Deaf, DeafBlind & Hard of Hearing Lobby Day in 2017, and then supervised the 2019 Lobby Day.
He served as the interim executive director during its recent leadership transition. He handled the logistics for countless board/staff retreats, staff retreats, Collaborative Experiences conferences, and other events. He listened to and guided the staff through the highs and lows of advocating for communication access and equal opportunity.
He is also credited with strengthening the commission’s interpersonal office working environment.
Before joining the state in 2016, Dively owned and operated Dively Communications. He worked for Lifesigns, Inc. in the Los Angeles area prior to that. He’s also worked in various technology and teaching posts.
Dively holds a master’s degree from Gonzaga University, advances degrees from Johnson University and the University of Minnesota Humphrey Institute and University of St. Thomas. His undergraduate degree is from North Central University, where he began his education in deaf culture studies and ministries. He is pursuing his Ph.D. in leadership studies.
His volunteer work has included the Eagan Foundation and advisory group at Minnesota Historical Society.
He and Maria, his wife of 13 years, have three children ages 11, 10, and 5. One child is on the autism spectrum. When he has time in his busy life, he enjoys watching football.
Dively’s extended family has long ties to Minnesota’s disability and deaf communities. Dively himself became hard of hearing at age 30.
