Joseph Kapp

Over 15 years ago, while working for a Silicon Valley tech company, NCRD's President & co-founder Joe Kapp was involved in an awful automobile accident that would utterly change the trajectory of changed his life.  Recognizing the fragility, impermanence, and randomness of life, Kapp quit his job, shed his belongings and went backpacking through Asia to learn what he could glean by traveling alone, in a place where he could not communicate.  From staying in a Buddhist Monastery in Northern Thailand to riding a Yak on the Tibetan Plateau, Kapp learned about adding life to one's years by focusing on the importance of purpose, intentionality and mindfulness to craft a life well-lived.   A serial entrepreneur, Kapp started and sold his first business, a video production company, in college.  Since that time he has started numerous other successful ventures and nonprofits.  In Fall 2016, Mr. Kapp was appointed by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker to serve on the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NACIE).  In 2015, Kapp was invited to the White House to participate in the first ever Demo Day showcasing the wide-range of talents innovators and entrepreneurs from across the country. As part of his work, Kapp has worked with an diverse array of communities from small rural towns in Appalachia to business leaders in large urban settings on issues associated with entrepreneurship, workforce development and economic development. Kapp has lead numerous teams to create an array of successful ventures and recently served as the Entrepreneur-In-Residence at Eastern WV Community and Technical College. Kapp started and sold a successful financial services firm, having worked with high net worth families on financial and estate planning. Recognized nationally for his work, he has authored many articles including an article for the peer reviewed Journal of Financial Planning, which was cited as part of the official record for a United States Supreme Court case. Kapp has also been quoted in numerous articles from the Associated Press, AARP, the Washington Business Journal, the Washington Times and Investment News, among others. Kapp has also served as the President the Capital Area Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce in DC and was the personal financial columnist for the Advocate magazine. Kapp has a degree in economics from Florida State University and a Master’s Degree in government administration from the University of Pennsylvania.