Denver Institute taps Ashley Hales and Campbell Rust to lead CityGate storytelling push

Denver Institute for Faith & Work has named Ashley Hales and Campbell Rust to lead a five-year national storytelling initiative through the CityGate Network. The $4.5 million effort will produce films, podcasts, written stories and live events aimed at showing how Christian faith shapes daily work.

Why it matters: - The CityGate Storytelling Initiative is meant to give Christian workers and local leaders a larger platform for stories about faith, calling and everyday work. - The five-year project is backed by a $4.5 million Lilly Endowment Inc. grant, signaling major outside support for faith-and-work storytelling. - Denver Institute says the effort is designed to reach people nationally through new content, training and distribution infrastructure.

What happened: - Denver Institute for Faith & Work named Ashley Hales as Director of Storytelling and Campbell Rust as Story Production Manager. - The two will lead the CityGate Storytelling Initiative through the CityGate Network. - Denver Institute announced the hires June 22, 2026. - The organization completed a six-month national search that drew more than 120 candidates across the two roles.

The details: - The CityGate Network includes leaders from more than 85 organizations focused on vocational discipleship and city flourishing through faith and work. - Denver Institute funds and stewards the network. - Lilly Endowment’s grant comes through its National Storytelling Initiative on Christian Faith and Life 2025. - Grant funds are designated for new storytelling efforts only and will not support operating budgets at participating organizations, including Denver Institute. - Over five years, the initiative plans to produce 35 short films, 120 podcasts, 250 written stories and 250 live storytelling events. - The project also will equip leaders nationwide in story-based transformation frameworks. - A national content hub and local distribution strategy are part of the plan. - Hales joins from Christianity Today, where she most recently served as Print Managing Editor. - Hales also has experience as a writer, speaker, podcaster, nonprofit founder and author. - Rust joins from KKTV’s creative services department, where he oversaw long-form content including Southern Colorado Life. - Southern Colorado Life is a lifestyle program focused on people and communities across Colorado. - Hales will guide the initiative’s creative vision, editorial direction and theological direction. - Rust will handle production timelines, contractor relationships, logistics and workflows. - Ross Chapman, Denver Institute’s CEO, said the initiative aims to shift work narratives toward hope and purpose. - Chapman said workers are facing unprecedented change while corporations increasingly hire storytellers to market products and services. - Chapman said the new team gives Denver Institute confidence the initiative will renew imagination about work. - Denver Institute links to an interview with Hales here: Read the interview. - Denver Institute links to an interview with Rust here: Read the interview. - More information on the initiative is available here: Explore the CityGate Storytelling Initiative.

Between the lines: - The hiring points to a broader strategy to build not just content, but a repeatable storytelling engine with national reach. - The mix of editorial leadership and production operations suggests Denver Institute wants both strong narrative quality and steady output. - The grant structure keeps the funding separate from core operating budgets, which helps limit concerns that the money will be absorbed into overhead.

What's next: - Hales and Rust are expected to build out the initiative’s creative and production systems. - CityGate will begin rolling out stories, training resources and distribution channels over the next five years. - The initiative’s success will depend on whether the network can consistently generate stories, audience reach and local adoption.

The bottom line: - Denver Institute is betting that professionally produced stories about ordinary work and Christian faith can reshape how people think about calling, purpose and daily labor.