UVA Library Renovation Project

Based in Northern California, David Colin Burke is an established presence in the financial sphere and guides Selby Lane LLC, a specialty finance company in Northern California. Previously, David Colin Burke received a bachelor of science, master of arts, and juris doctor from the University of Virginia (UVA).

In early 2021, the University of Virginia Library received a major contribution to support its future in the form of a $2 million gift from philanthropist Marjorie Harrison Webb. Ms. Webb, along with her daughter, a UVA graduate, are spearheading a fundraising campaign focused on renovations that are now underway at Alderman Library.

In early 2020, the Alderman Library closed its doors so that renovation could begin. This process, which is expected to reach completion in spring 2023, will involve the creation of new open, well-lit interiors, as well as a refurbishment and renewal of historic parts of the library.

The university’s first library, known as the Rotunda, was the centerpiece of the Academical Village and broke with long-standing tradition that campuses should have religious structures as their centerpiece. The opening of the significantly larger Alderman as UVA’s main library in 1938 coincided with the university’s shift toward becoming a research institution.

World Trade Organization Selects CEIP

A San Francisco Bay Area financial executive, David Colin Burke brings more than two decades of experience to his role as the chief executive officer of Selby Lane LLC, a specialty finance company. Focused on efforts to improve the planet, David Colin Burke serves on the boards of several philanthropic organizations, including the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP).

In February 2021, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, a member of CEIP’s Board of Trustees, was selected to lead the World Trade Organization (WTO). With a history extending to post-World War II reconstruction efforts and the creation of GATT, the WTO has roots in a U.S.-led initiative to create a multilateral, rules-based trading system.

In addition to being the first African to head the WTO, Ms. Okonjo-Iweala will be the first woman in that position. She brings an extensive background in international economic relations and policy reform to the table. Among her accomplishments was facilitating a debt relief agreement for Nigeria in 2005 that decreased the oil-rich country’s debt by $30 billion. At the same time, she spearheaded initiatives that improved transparency relative to Nigeria’s oil revenue management.

Ms. Okonjo-Iweala has indicated that she will focus on better coordinating international trade, with an emphasis on developing nation priorities. Major issues at hand include addressing export restraints in ways that enable nations to keep their markets open to food and other necessary goods. Another emphasis is on the thorny issue of fisheries subsidies, which have led to overfishing and overcapacity in some marine regions. A third item on the agenda is bringing China and the United States, as the world’s largest economies, back to the negotiating table on critical trade issues. The goal is to defuse tensions that have led to renewed trade wars and protectionism.

UVA Miller Center Article Focuses

 

A financial professional with extensive experience in venture capital and private equity investment, David Colin Burke possesses degrees in finance, law, and international relations from the University of Virginia (UVA). David Colin Burke continues to remain closely associated with his alma mater and serves as a member of the board of the Miller Center of Public Affairs at UVA, a nonpartisan organization that focuses on critical issues of domestic and international policy.

A recent Miller Center article brought focus to the importance of “threading the needle” when it comes to the Biden administration’s stance toward Iran and a potential nuclear deal. The current scenario is one in which President Biden is reorienting the United States toward the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) of the Obama era. In doing so, he is shifting from hardline, sanctions-focused policies, which had a net effect of accelerating Iran’s efforts to generate fissile material to create nuclear weapons.

According to the article, there are many cross-pressures at work, from Iran’s proxy wars in Iraq and Yemen, to recent IAEA discoveries of uranium particles at facilities that were previously undisclosed. In addition, the JCPOA has many shortcomings, from verification concerns to enrichment activity timelines that are unrealistically short. The bottom line is that, in order to advance U.S. non-proliferation policy in the region, President Biden is going to need to provide some degree of sanctions relief.

UVA Miller Center Creates New Hillary

A longtime Northern California finance executive, David Colin Burke manages the specialty finance company Selby Lane, LLC, as chairman and chief executive officer. With a strong philanthropic and community focus, David Colin Burke is a sponsor of the University of Virginia (UVA) School of Law International Human Rights Clinic and a member of the board of the Miller Center.

In December 2020, the center announced the launch of an oral history project that focuses on Hillary Rodham Clinton, the former US senator, secretary of state, and first lady. This initiative aims to address a relative dearth of scholarship on Clinton's career, despite the high-level positions she held and her Democratic Party nomination in 2016 for President.

The initial project phase will focus on Clinton’s years as secretary of state and involve interviews with more than 70 people, including past staff members, leaders of nongovernmental organizations, and ministers and heads of state. In addition, Hillary Clinton has committed to sitting for a number of interviews and discussing her time in service as the chief diplomat of the United States. With the Miller Center’s director of presidential studies at the helm, the project seeks to combine “complexity and candor” in ways that will inform generations of diplomats, scholars, policymakers, and students.

Concentrates on Strengthening Democracy

Focused on identifying opportunities within global capital markets, David Colin Burke oversees Selby Lane, LLC, and maintains a strong commitment to philanthropy. In addition, David Colin Burke holds a board position with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

An article published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in early 2021 brought focus to a “profound” rebuilding process that will be required to shore up the bulwarks of American democracy. The issue at hand is partisan polarization that, counter-intuitively, does not have policy differences as its basis.

A majority of Americans find common ground on major issues ranging from immigration to gun legislation. What is fostering the polarization is increasing tribalism, with the Republican and Democratic parties locked into competitive ideologies that do not allow for much cooperation with the minority party within Congress or the Senate. Within such a zero-sum game, proper governance loses sway to political gains for their own sake. The resulting question is whether moderate candidates can break through this mold. 

Stanford’s Knight-Hennessy Scholars

For more than two decades, David Colin Burke has held leadership positions at various companies, such as the Investment Fund for Foundations and Stanford Management Company. At present, he leads Selby Lane, LLC, as CEO and chairman. In addition, David Colin Burke serves on the board of several academic and philanthropic organizations and has taught students in the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program at Stanford University.

The Knight-Hennessy Scholars program cultivates emerging leaders from around the world and allows them to innovate, communicate, and collaborate to address societal challenges. This program draws in talent and consists of scholars from various disciplines and backgrounds to make a large-scale positive impact on the world. These individuals display independent spirits and sharp thinking capabilities. They are also ambitious and civic-minded, so they tirelessly pursue their goal for humanity.

Scholars are only eligible for the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program if they pursue a graduate degree or a joint- or dual-graduate degree at Stanford University. While priority is given to applicants who have studied at the institution for at least two years, those who have been there for one year can successfully be part of the Knight-Hennessy Scholars cohort. The program is designed to complement scholars’ other academic work and focused on helping them expand their knowledge and develop the skills they need for leadership in the future.

 

UVA Law’s $19.87 Million Annual Giving

David Colin Burke currently serves as chairman and CEO of financial services and advisory firm Selby Lane, LLC, and managing director of Tuolumne Capital, LP. A proud “Triple Hoo,” he earned three successive degrees at the University of Virginia, culminating with his juris doctor. Today, David Colin Burke continues his long association with the school. He teaches World of Investing and International Relations classes, sponsors the International Human Rights Clinic, and sits on the board of trustees of the UVA Law School Foundation.

In addressing the public through UVA Law School’s 2019-20 annual report, Dean of UVA Law Risa L. Goluboff noted the numerous obstacles the school and its faculty and students have faced during 2020. Yet, donors contributed a total of $19.87 million to UVA Law’s annual giving campaign, the third-highest annual contribution in the school’s history.

Founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, UVA Law School remains the country’s second-oldest law school in continuous operation. The 2019-20 annual campaign gifts came from a variety of sources, including foundations, corporations, law firms, and more than 8,000 alumni. UVA and its law school see this dedication during a year of unprecedented challenges, turbulence, and historic change as further testament to the strength of its program and ability to continue to foster positive changes going forward.

Over the past year, UVA Law School has restructured its classrooms to accommodate online study and teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic, extended practical financial assistance to students undergoing hardships, initiated a student volunteer program designed to help its local community members cope with the complex process of filing CARES Act unemployment claims, and much more. 

Poland and Turkey’s Support for Democracy

Investment executive and entrepreneur David Colin Burke leads Selby Lane, LLC, as chairman and chief executive officer and Tuolumne Capital, LP, as managing director. Also a noted philanthropist, David Colin Burke contributes to the work of organizations dedicated to education, civic engagement, and good governance, including the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

In January 2021 the Carnegie Endowment issued a report on political conditions in two key nations experiencing rising tides of illiberal populism and struggles with authoritarianism: Poland and Turkey.

As the Carnegie analysis shows, both nations over recent decades have inspired hope in their potential not only to govern as increasingly influential democracies but to provide positive influences on emerging democracies elsewhere in the world. But each has experienced significant “slippage” in its commitment to principles of civil society, human rights, and the rule-of-law practices essential to the functioning of healthy democracies.

The report looked at how the turn toward illiberalism in both countries has affected their support for other democracies in their regions. It found that though the countries offered continued support for neighboring democratic countries, they continued to tilt toward authoritarianism themselves. Further, this democratic support is embedded in the countries’ ongoing foreign policy commitments and regional alliances, and is therefore more likely to be performative than an expression of genuine commitment to democracy.

This wasn’t always the case. Turkey, a republic since 1923, was long a beacon of democracy and influence throughout the Middle East, and was formerly on track to gain membership in the European Union. Meanwhile, Poland emerged from the democratic revolutions of 1989 with a government and a population scarred by the repressions of the Soviet system, and has often lent substantial support to democratic movements in Central and Eastern Europe, most recently in Ukraine and Belarus.

Miller Center Looks at Barack Obama's Life Before Becoming President

An Atherton, California-based financial executive with extensive experience in venture capital, private equity investing, and entrepreneurship, David Colin Burke is the chairman and CEO of Selby Lane, LLC. Having earned a master's degree in international relations as well as a juris doctor from the University of Virginia (UVA), David Colin Burke maintains affiliation to the university through support of the UVA Miller Center of Presidential Studies.

The UVA Miller Center is a nonpartisan academic organization that focuses on presidential scholarships and political history. It has produced several books on presidents and featured online content on topics such as Watergate, the Vietnam War, and Barack Obama's life before becoming the 44th president of the US.

Obama's life from his youth up until 2004 is covered in the latter essay, which was edited by Rhodes College professor Michael Nelson. Born in Hawaii, Obama later lived for four years with his mother and stepfather in Indonesia. He stated that experiencing such diverse cultures at an early age was a benefit to his life and career in politics.

The essay also touches on Obama's education, family life, and relationship with religion. He was, as he once wrote, "not raised in a religious household," but was baptized and became a Christian in 1988 at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. The essay concludes with Obama's rise as a prominent figure in federal politics with his election to the US Senate in 2004. It also touches on his memorable speech that year at the Democratic National Convention.

Stanford Faculty Senate Encourages Move Toward Net-Zero Emissions

David Colin Burke guides Selby Lane, LLC, and has an extensive leadership experience in the global capital investment sphere. A guest lecturer with the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, David Colin Burke previously oversaw endowment allocations on behalf of the institution.

The Stanford Faculty Senate approved a multi-part resolution in November 2020 designed to accelerate momentum toward a target of transitioning to net-zero or negative greenhouse gas emissions across operations and endowment investments. Eighty-nine percent of senators cast affirmative votes, and the focus will now turn to transitioning endowment divestments away from fossil fuels and toward industries that are helping to achieve the emissions goals outlined in the Paris Agreement.

The Stanford Faculty Senate’s overwhelming approval came despite some senators' concerns that meeting target dates for the “at least net-zero” emissions goal was aspirational rather than concretely achievable at the pre-set time. The target date set for direct and indirect-on-campus emissions is 2030, while the “other indirect emissions” net-zero date is 2040. 

A Look at the UVA McIntire School's Master of Science in Commerce

David Colin Burke leverages more than 25 years of experience in venture capital and private equity to serve as the chairman and CEO of Selby Lane LLC. A graduate of the University of Virginia, David Colin Burke remains involved with the institution as a lecturer with the UVA McIntire School of Commerce.

The McIntire School of Commerce offers a master of science in commerce, which is geared toward engineering, liberal arts, and science majors. Over the course of this 10-month graduate program, students work collaboratively to learn skills in fields such as business analytics, finance, government, management, and marketing. In addition to pursuing studies on the Charlottesville, Virginia, campus, students can participate in an immersive international learning experience while completing their degrees.

In 2019, The Economist ranked this master's program No. 1 among U.S. management programs and No. 6 worldwide. The program was also ranked No. 2 on the list of the Top 25 Best Value Master's in Management Programs by valuecolleges.com in 2020. 

The Positive Impact of Social Entrepreneurship

An experienced investment professional and attorney, David Colin Burke serves as the chairman and CEO of Selby Lane LLC. Experienced in managing assets in excess of $20 billion, David Colin Burke also works to promote social entrepreneurship.

Social entrepreneurs seek out innovative business ideas with the goal of improving society. A hallmark of social entrepreneurship involves connecting with customers beyond the buying and selling aspects of economic transactions. The goal of this type of work is to effect positive change that benefits people or whole communities, as opposed to operating with a singular focus on sales figures and stock prices.

One way to turn a problem into a business opportunity is by protecting or improving the environment. For instance, a refinery in India that was struggling with pollution problems had the idea to convert the wasteland around its facility into a mango orchard. The orchard now grows more than 200 different species of the fruit and has beautified the community. 

The Federal Reserve Increases Loan Access for Small Businesses

With an extensive background in venture capital and equity investments, David Colin Burke leads Selby Lane LLC as the chairman and CEO. Knowledgeable about international capital markets, David Colin Burke follows economic trends closely. In late 2020, the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) widened the borrower pool for a support program for businesses and nonprofits that are financially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Crain’s New York Business reported in November 2020 that the Fed took a step to assist small businesses by reducing its Main Street Lending Program’s minimum loan size from $250,000 to $100,000. This action increased loan access for small businesses that are trying to remain afloat amid the pandemic. As of early November, only $3.7 billion of a potential $600 billion had been dispersed since the program started in July. In addition, the Fed altered the fee structure in ways that incentivized banks to make loans of under $250,000.

The Fed traditionally has an array of tools at its disposal for exerting impact on markets, such as obtaining more mortgage-backed and Treasury securities and entering into extended purchase commitments designed to decrease long-term interest rates. It can also pledge to maintain lower short-term rates to target such issues as unemployment and inflation. Additionally, a ceiling can be set on long-term interest rates through yield-curve control.

 

Stanford Economists Receive Nobel Prize for Auction Theory Work

Leading Selby Lane LLC in California, David Colin Burke draws from over two decades of finance and business experience. An alumnus of the Stanford University Graduate School of Business (Stanford GSB), David Colin Burke lectures at the University of Virginia McIntire School of Commerce and the Stanford GSB. A Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR) senior fellow and a distinguished Stanford GSB professor were among the recipients of the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize.

Stanford economists Paul Milgrom and Robert Wilson are the winners of the 2020 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences for their explorations in auction theory and the development of new auction formats. The two men are known for research in pricing and auction-market design as related to industrial organizations.

This seminal work has informed how competitive bidding strategies take place within industries such as natural resources, energy, and communications. In particular, the auction format that they created informs FCC radio spectrum auctions, which have defined the telecommunications sector since the mid-1990s and are used to allocate licenses worldwide.

The Nobel-winning economists are now focusing on ways in which auction design can address new challenges, such as the equitable distribution of high-demand medical supplies within the COVID-19 pandemic context.

The Miller Center’s National Commission’s Focus on Educational Change

An active presence in the venture capital and direct equity investment sphere, David Colin Burke maintains a strong relationship with his alma mater, the University of Virginia (UVA), as a global citizen. Among the internationally focused organizations that David Colin Burke is active with is the Board of the Miller Center of Public Affairs at UVA.

Over the decades, the Miller Center has convened a variety of nonpartisan efforts aimed at strengthening democracy and the institutions that make the country function. At the close of 2016, this led to the launch of the National Commission on Financing 21st Century Higher Education. The Commission had a focus on funding and policy transformations necessary to achieve a goal of 60 percent of the U.S. labor force earning a postsecondary certificate or degree in less than a decade.

A particular focus is on pivoting toward higher education finance models that are sustainable in the long term. Of importance is finding lower cost pathways of instruction that are innovative, effective, and able to reach students of color and those of lower income. From a public funding standpoint, this would require making better use of available funds and realigning incentives.

At the core of the National Commission effort has been a 10-paper series, including “State Strategies for Leveraging Employer Investments in Postsecondary Education” and “Higher Education: Social Impact Bonds and Income Share Agreements,” by outside authors that is available on the Miller Center website.

 

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Informs Policy-Making

The chairman and CEO of Selby Lane, LLC, David Colin Burke also serves as managing director of Tuolumne Capital, LP, a family-owned investment firm. Additionally, David Colin Burke provides strategic guidance to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace through his work as a member of the board of directors’ investment committee.

The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace offers independent analysis and insights designed to help American government leaders build a strong foreign policy -- one that can sustain international peace and the peaceful development of the United States and other nations.

The organization runs several regional programs, such as those targeting Russian and Eurasian, Southeast Asian, and Middle Eastern affairs, in addition to its focus on economics and nuclear policy. Its Middle Eastern program provides country studies, published in English and Arabic, informed by the in-depth knowledge of scholars on the ground in the region. This working group has built an extensive knowledge of the evolving geopolitical and economic systems in North Africa (specifically Egypt), Iran, the Persian Gulf States, Israel, and Palestine.

Meanwhile, Carnegie’s North Africa program has produced events, papers, articles, fact-based commentary, and records of Congressional testimony from people involved with the ongoing development of these societies. Topics covered include human rights, the threats posed by terrorism, water supply and other infrastructure, and the economic and security-related impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

 

McIntire School of Commerce Raises Funds for Transformative Programs

A philanthropist, investor, and entrepreneur, David Colin Burke maintains strong ties to his alma mater, the University of Virginia (UVA), where he earned graduate degrees in law and international relations. Also an educator, David Colin Burke instructs the course World of Investing and International Relations at UVA’s McIntire School of Commerce.

At a time of disruption to many educational institutions in the United States, the McIntire School of Commerce has been strongly supported by its alumni community, including several hundred McIntire Dean’s Society members who have contributed at levels above $2,500. This has resulted in a successful Centennial Fund for Faculty Excellence fundraising effort for 2020 that generated $21 million, including more than $4 million in cash gifts.

The money raised has gone to a number of practical uses, including transition efforts last semester that resulted in a fully virtual platform. Since that time, students have enjoyed seamless remote access to courses and computer lab workstations, as well as classmates.

Another successful effort has been the temporary replacement of the faculty-led Global Immersion Experience, an overseas course, with five new courses focused on exploring current health and economic crisis impacts in real time. In addition, McIntire and the UVA School of Medicine recently launched the Biomedical Sciences PhD+ Dual-Degree Program.

Three Great Places to Hike in California

 

The founder and former CEO of Makena Capital Management, LLC, David Colin Burke helped grow the global investment firm to include more than 400 clients with combined assets under management in excess of $20 billion. A resident of the San Francisco Bay Area, David Colin Burke enjoys hiking in his free time.

Offering a wide range of landscapes, Northern and Central California have plenty of options for hiking enthusiasts. The following are three must-visit areas:

1. Yosemite Falls Trail - This 9-mile trail can be completed in one day if started early. Boasting stunning panoramic valley-floor vistas, the highlight of the trail, naturally, is the view of Yosemite Falls. Hikers can often feel the mist from the falls at certain points along the trail.

2. Mount Shasta - While many people visit Mount Shasta with the intention of reaching its summit, the snowcapped mountain features several hiking trails that can be completed by the average hiker. One of the most popular hikes is the Gray Butte Trail, which takes roughly three hours to finish and reaches 7,000 feet in elevation.

3. John Muir Trail - Located east of Fresno, the John Muir Trail is a 211-mile hike that stretches from Yosemite National Park to Sequoia National Park. It is surrounded by mountains as high as 14,000 feet as well as an abundance of deep canyons and clear lakes. The entire trail takes about three weeks to hike on average, but many people stick to single- or multi-day hikes for portions of it.

UVA School of Law’s International Human Rights Clinic

With a leadership background in venture capital and private equity, David Colin Burke maintains a strong connection with his former universities. A law graduate of the University of Virginia (UVA) who also completed an international relations graduate degree, David Colin Burke sponsors the UVA School of Law’s International Human Rights Clinic.

Organized as a yearlong program, the clinic places law students in projects that provide them with advocacy skills within the human rights realm, both domestically and abroad. Working integrally with law firms, human rights attorneys, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), participants travel to Washington, DC, to fulfill project requirements. They also maintain direct contact with clients and with the supervising attorneys associated with client NGOs.

The International Human Rights Clinic also coordinates class discussions at UVA. These explore issues such as professional and ethical dilemmas that often arise in the course of legal work. Other sessions focus on human rights campaigns and movements and how to design effective advocacy strategies. Past project areas have included advocacy before human rights treaty bodies operating under the United Nations and litigation within African and inter-American human rights systems.

Tips for Triathlon Training

The former CEO of Makena Capital Management, LLC, David Colin Burke is currently the managing director of the family office Tuolumne Capital, LP. An alumnus of the University of Virginia, he maintains affiliations with the institution as a lecturer with the Virginia McIntire School of Commerce. In his leisure time, David Colin Burke enjoys training for triathlons.

With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic temporarily closing most health clubs, triathletes are looking for new ways to maintain their fitness and train for their next event. One idea to get your cycling miles in is to invest in a turbo trainer, which is a type of stationary bike with an advanced design. Some turbo trainers use fluid or magnets to provide resistance, and some “smart” models even allow you to adjust resistance with your phone.

To maintain your swimming muscles, try using resistance bands to strengthen the parts of your arm and back used in a swimming stroke. Increasing strength in areas such as the triceps and pectoral muscles will also help you become a stronger and more efficient swimmer. Lastly, while you can continue to run outside as part of your triathlon training, maintain social distancing by avoiding crowded trails and high-traffic times of day.