Meet Dave Sparkman
Most culture consultants study organizations from the outside. Dave has led culture from the inside, at scale, with real stakes, inside one of the largest organizations in the world.
That is a different kind of qualification. And it is the one that matters most.
Dave's Story
Dave began his career at Arthur Andersen, one of the most prestigious firms in the world. In 2002, it collapsed. Not because of bad numbers. Because of a broken culture. Dave watched it happen from the inside, and it changed how he thinks about organizations and leadership.
That experience led him to UnitedHealth Group, a Fortune 5 company, where he spent nine years leading culture at scale. What he inherited was a culture that was holding the organization back. What he helped build was something entirely different, and the results proved it.
During his tenure:
Employee engagement increased from 72% to 82%
(across 140,000 to 225,000 employees)
Revenue, earnings per share, headcount, and stock price all improved
That is not a coincidence. That is what happens when culture is led with intention.
His Approach
Dave does not approach culture as an academic exercise. He does not show up with a framework, deliver a presentation, and leave you to figure out the rest.
He gets in the room, asks the hard questions, and stays in it long enough to make sure something actually changes. In his words, he brings a shovel, not a clipboard.
He is a certified culture facilitator through Senn Delaney and holds a Trust Edge certification. But his real credential is decades of doing this work inside leadership teams, with real stakes and real accountability.
Beyond the Boardroom
When Dave is not working with leadership teams, you will find him outdoors, hunting, exploring, or chasing the next adventure. He also serves as Board Chair for Crossroads Career, a nonprofit helping people find meaningful work and direction.
The common thread in everything he does is people. He genuinely wants to see them succeed. That is not a tagline. It is who he is.
I don't approach culture from the outside with a clipboard. I bring a shovel and get in the trenches. Because that's the only way anything actually changes.
Dave Sparkman
Work with someone who's done this before.
A straightforward conversation about where your culture is and where it could go.