David Hirsch is one of the country’s most outspoken advocates for father involvement. He is the founder of Illinois Fatherhood Initiative, the country’s first state-wide nonprofit fatherhood organization, as well as the 21st Century Dads Foundation. His TEDx Talk, “Why We Need to Break the Cycle of Father Absence,” has been viewed more than 34,000 times. He is also the host of the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast and the author of six books, including 21st Century Dads: A Father’s Journey to Break the Cycle of Father Absence, and five compilations from the SFN Dad to Dad Podcasts.
A wealth manager with 39 years of experience, he earned his MBA from Northwestern University’s J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management and a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy from the University of Illinois. He was also a Kellogg National Fellow with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, one of the country’s most well recognized interdisciplinary leadership programs.
He and his wife, Peggy, have been married for 40 years and are the proud parents of five adult children as well as two grandchildren. They live in Barrington Hills. His interests include reading, underwater photography, fishing and endurance sports.