About us
A team built around one problem.
We build relationship systems for nonprofits whose donors, funders, and partners have outgrown tracking by memory. Everything we build is documented, fitted to how your team already works, and yours to run when we're done.
Meet the Team
Dylan Bassett
Founder
Dylan grew up drawn to the outdoors, hiking, camping, days on the lake, summers at the skatepark, and somewhere along the way that translated into a genuine environmentalism and a conviction that his work should mean something beyond the bottom line.
He studied information systems and entrepreneurship at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, then spent time as an agile project manager and systems analyst before moving into corporate consulting where he advised clients on technology strategy and digital transformation. That experience shaped how he thinks about client trust, project rigor, and what he didn’t want to replicate when he built something of his own. He founded Dept.1 to bring that same discipline to organizations that exist to help people. Somewhere in that decision, any tension between who he is and what he does disappeared.
Outside of work, Dylan’s creative energy finds its outlet in skateboarding, snowboarding, golf, martial arts, and in Dept.1 itself – which he treats as an ongoing experiment in making serious operational work accessible to the organizations that need it most.
Henry Zhuo
Associate
Henry grew up with the support of his city's public library system, the kind of infrastructure that doesn't ask for credit and just shows up. He knows what it means for a community resource to actually function, and that shaped a particular interest in helping humanitarian causes expand their reach and deepen the impact of what they already do.
He brings experience delivering technology solutions across nonprofit, public sector, insurance, hospitality, and specialty distribution. That range gives him a practical, cross-sector lens that shows up in how he approaches problems as nonprofits build and evolve the operational models behind their missions. He values simplicity and candor, and clients tend to notice both.
Outside of work, Henry is someone who keeps close to the people and places that matter. Weekends with friends, good music, and time in green spaces. He's reserved by nature and delivers high-quality work with a quiet humility. It's a combination that holds up well under pressure.
Anthony Conner
Associate
Anthony didn't grow up with a lot, and he can look back now and see exactly where nonprofit support could have changed things for him. It's what connects him to organizations that fill those gaps for marginalized communities, and it's what brought him to Dept.1. He spent years as a music educator before finding his way into marketing, operations, and systems work, and that path shows up in how he operates. Teaching gave him the ability to read a room, build something from scratch, and make complicated things accessible to people encountering them for the first time.
He has worked across healthcare, fulfillment, and marketing, with hands-on experience in Salesforce, large-scale project coordination, and the kind of client-facing work where details actually matter. At Dept.1 he has supported the systems and content behind how the firm shows up and grows. Both feel like natural extensions of someone who moves fast, thinks clearly, and doesn't overcomplicate things that don't need to be complicated.
When he's not doing any of that, he's playing jazz in Minnetonka, finding a new restaurant to drag people to, or at home with his partner and their two cats, Elena and Oliver, who run the house.
Dylan Bassett
Founder
Dylan grew up drawn to the outdoors, hiking, camping, days on the lake, summers at the skatepark, and somewhere along the way that translated into a genuine environmentalism and a conviction that his work should mean something beyond the bottom line.
He studied information systems and entrepreneurship at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, then spent time as an agile project manager and systems analyst before moving into corporate consulting where he advised clients on technology strategy and digital transformation. That experience shaped how he thinks about client trust, project rigor, and what he didn’t want to replicate when he built something of his own. He founded Dept.1 to bring that same discipline to organizations that exist to help people. Somewhere in that decision, any tension between who he is and what he does disappeared.
Outside of work, Dylan’s creative energy finds its outlet in skateboarding, snowboarding, golf, martial arts, and in Dept.1 itself – which he treats as an ongoing experiment in making serious operational work accessible to the organizations that need it most.
Henry Zhuo
Associate
Henry grew up with the support of his city's public library system, the kind of infrastructure that doesn't ask for credit and just shows up. He knows what it means for a community resource to actually function, and that shaped a particular interest in helping humanitarian causes expand their reach and deepen the impact of what they already do.
He brings experience delivering technology solutions across nonprofit, public sector, insurance, hospitality, and specialty distribution. That range gives him a practical, cross-sector lens that shows up in how he approaches problems as nonprofits build and evolve the operational models behind their missions. He values simplicity and candor, and clients tend to notice both.
Outside of work, Henry is someone who keeps close to the people and places that matter. Weekends with friends, good music, and time in green spaces. He's reserved by nature and delivers high-quality work with a quiet humility. It's a combination that holds up well under pressure.
Anthony Conner
Associate
Anthony didn't grow up with a lot, and he can look back now and see exactly where nonprofit support could have changed things for him. It's what connects him to organizations that fill those gaps for marginalized communities, and it's what brought him to Dept.1. He spent years as a music educator before finding his way into marketing, operations, and systems work, and that path shows up in how he operates. Teaching gave him the ability to read a room, build something from scratch, and make complicated things accessible to people encountering them for the first time.
He has worked across healthcare, fulfillment, and marketing, with hands-on experience in Salesforce, large-scale project coordination, and the kind of client-facing work where details actually matter. At Dept.1 he has supported the systems and content behind how the firm shows up and grows. Both feel like natural extensions of someone who moves fast, thinks clearly, and doesn't overcomplicate things that don't need to be complicated.
When he's not doing any of that, he's playing jazz in Minnetonka, finding a new restaurant to drag people to, or at home with his partner and their two cats, Elena and Oliver, who run the house.
Dylan Bassett
Founder
Dylan grew up drawn to the outdoors, hiking, camping, days on the lake, summers at the skatepark, and somewhere along the way that translated into a genuine environmentalism and a conviction that his work should mean something beyond the bottom line.
He studied information systems and entrepreneurship at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, then spent time as an agile project manager and systems analyst before moving into corporate consulting where he advised clients on technology strategy and digital transformation. That experience shaped how he thinks about client trust, project rigor, and what he didn’t want to replicate when he built something of his own. He founded Dept.1 to bring that same discipline to organizations that exist to help people. Somewhere in that decision, any tension between who he is and what he does disappeared.
Outside of work, Dylan’s creative energy finds its outlet in skateboarding, snowboarding, golf, martial arts, and in Dept.1 itself – which he treats as an ongoing experiment in making serious operational work accessible to the organizations that need it most.
Henry Zhuo
Associate
Henry grew up with the support of his city's public library system, the kind of infrastructure that doesn't ask for credit and just shows up. He knows what it means for a community resource to actually function, and that shaped a particular interest in helping humanitarian causes expand their reach and deepen the impact of what they already do.
He brings experience delivering technology solutions across nonprofit, public sector, insurance, hospitality, and specialty distribution. That range gives him a practical, cross-sector lens that shows up in how he approaches problems as nonprofits build and evolve the operational models behind their missions. He values simplicity and candor, and clients tend to notice both.
Outside of work, Henry is someone who keeps close to the people and places that matter. Weekends with friends, good music, and time in green spaces. He's reserved by nature and delivers high-quality work with a quiet humility. It's a combination that holds up well under pressure.
Anthony Conner
Associate
Anthony didn't grow up with a lot, and he can look back now and see exactly where nonprofit support could have changed things for him. It's what connects him to organizations that fill those gaps for marginalized communities, and it's what brought him to Dept.1. He spent years as a music educator before finding his way into marketing, operations, and systems work, and that path shows up in how he operates. Teaching gave him the ability to read a room, build something from scratch, and make complicated things accessible to people encountering them for the first time.
He has worked across healthcare, fulfillment, and marketing, with hands-on experience in Salesforce, large-scale project coordination, and the kind of client-facing work where details actually matter. At Dept.1 he has supported the systems and content behind how the firm shows up and grows. Both feel like natural extensions of someone who moves fast, thinks clearly, and doesn't overcomplicate things that don't need to be complicated.
When he's not doing any of that, he's playing jazz in Minnetonka, finding a new restaurant to drag people to, or at home with his partner and their two cats, Elena and Oliver, who run the house.
Dylan Bassett
Founder
Dylan grew up drawn to the outdoors, hiking, camping, days on the lake, summers at the skatepark, and somewhere along the way that translated into a genuine environmentalism and a conviction that his work should mean something beyond the bottom line.
He studied information systems and entrepreneurship at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, then spent time as an agile project manager and systems analyst before moving into corporate consulting where he advised clients on technology strategy and digital transformation. That experience shaped how he thinks about client trust, project rigor, and what he didn’t want to replicate when he built something of his own. He founded Dept.1 to bring that same discipline to organizations that exist to help people. Somewhere in that decision, any tension between who he is and what he does disappeared.
Outside of work, Dylan’s creative energy finds its outlet in skateboarding, snowboarding, golf, martial arts, and in Dept.1 itself – which he treats as an ongoing experiment in making serious operational work accessible to the organizations that need it most.
Henry Zhuo
Associate
Henry grew up with the support of his city's public library system, the kind of infrastructure that doesn't ask for credit and just shows up. He knows what it means for a community resource to actually function, and that shaped a particular interest in helping humanitarian causes expand their reach and deepen the impact of what they already do.
He brings experience delivering technology solutions across nonprofit, public sector, insurance, hospitality, and specialty distribution. That range gives him a practical, cross-sector lens that shows up in how he approaches problems as nonprofits build and evolve the operational models behind their missions. He values simplicity and candor, and clients tend to notice both.
Outside of work, Henry is someone who keeps close to the people and places that matter. Weekends with friends, good music, and time in green spaces. He's reserved by nature and delivers high-quality work with a quiet humility. It's a combination that holds up well under pressure.
Anthony Conner
Associate
Anthony didn't grow up with a lot, and he can look back now and see exactly where nonprofit support could have changed things for him. It's what connects him to organizations that fill those gaps for marginalized communities, and it's what brought him to Dept.1. He spent years as a music educator before finding his way into marketing, operations, and systems work, and that path shows up in how he operates. Teaching gave him the ability to read a room, build something from scratch, and make complicated things accessible to people encountering them for the first time.
He has worked across healthcare, fulfillment, and marketing, with hands-on experience in Salesforce, large-scale project coordination, and the kind of client-facing work where details actually matter. At Dept.1 he has supported the systems and content behind how the firm shows up and grows. Both feel like natural extensions of someone who moves fast, thinks clearly, and doesn't overcomplicate things that don't need to be complicated.
When he's not doing any of that, he's playing jazz in Minnetonka, finding a new restaurant to drag people to, or at home with his partner and their two cats, Elena and Oliver, who run the house.
FOUNDER
Dylan Bassett
Dylan grew up drawn to the outdoors, hiking, camping, days on the lake, summers at the skatepark, and somewhere along the way that translated into a genuine environmentalism and a conviction that his work should mean something beyond the bottom line.
He studied information systems and entrepreneurship at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, then spent time as an agile project manager and systems analyst before moving into corporate consulting where he advised clients on technology strategy and digital transformation. That experience shaped how he thinks about client trust, project rigor, and what he didn’t want to replicate when he built something of his own. He founded Dept.1 to bring that same discipline to organizations that exist to help people. Somewhere in that decision, any tension between who he is and what he does disappeared.
Outside of work, Dylan’s creative energy finds its outlet in skateboarding, snowboarding, golf, martial arts, and in Dept.1 itself – which he treats as an ongoing experiment in making serious operational work accessible to the organizations that need it most.
Associate
Henry Zhuo
Henry grew up with the support of his city's public library system, the kind of infrastructure that doesn't ask for credit and just shows up. He knows what it means for a community resource to actually function, and that shaped a particular interest in helping humanitarian causes expand their reach and deepen the impact of what they already do.
He brings experience delivering technology solutions across nonprofit, public sector, insurance, hospitality, and specialty distribution. That range gives him a practical, cross-sector lens that shows up in how he approaches problems as nonprofits build and evolve the operational models behind their missions. He values simplicity and candor, and clients tend to notice both.
Outside of work, Henry is someone who keeps close to the people and places that matter. Weekends with friends, good music, and time in green spaces. He's reserved by nature and delivers high-quality work with a quiet humility. It's a combination that holds up well under pressure.
Associate
Anthony Conner
Anthony didn't grow up with a lot, and he can look back now and see exactly where nonprofit support could have changed things for him. It's what connects him to organizations that fill those gaps for marginalized communities, and it's what brought him to Dept.1. He spent years as a music educator before finding his way into marketing, operations, and systems work, and that path shows up in how he operates. Teaching gave him the ability to read a room, build something from scratch, and make complicated things accessible to people encountering them for the first time.
He has worked across healthcare, fulfillment, and marketing, with hands-on experience in Salesforce, large-scale project coordination, and the kind of client-facing work where details actually matter. At Dept.1 he has supported the systems and content behind how the firm shows up and grows. Both feel like natural extensions of someone who moves fast, thinks clearly, and doesn't overcomplicate things that don't need to be complicated.
When he's not doing any of that, he's playing jazz in Minnetonka, finding a new restaurant to drag people to, or at home with his partner and their two cats, Elena and Oliver, who run the house.
FOUNDER
Dylan Bassett
Dylan grew up drawn to the outdoors, hiking, camping, days on the lake, summers at the skatepark, and somewhere along the way that translated into a genuine environmentalism and a conviction that his work should mean something beyond the bottom line.
He studied information systems and entrepreneurship at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, then spent time as an agile project manager and systems analyst before moving into corporate consulting where he advised clients on technology strategy and digital transformation. That experience shaped how he thinks about client trust, project rigor, and what he didn’t want to replicate when he built something of his own. He founded Dept.1 to bring that same discipline to organizations that exist to help people. Somewhere in that decision, any tension between who he is and what he does disappeared.
Outside of work, Dylan’s creative energy finds its outlet in skateboarding, snowboarding, golf, martial arts, and in Dept.1 itself – which he treats as an ongoing experiment in making serious operational work accessible to the organizations that need it most.
Associate
Henry Zhuo
Henry grew up with the support of his city's public library system, the kind of infrastructure that doesn't ask for credit and just shows up. He knows what it means for a community resource to actually function, and that shaped a particular interest in helping humanitarian causes expand their reach and deepen the impact of what they already do.
He brings experience delivering technology solutions across nonprofit, public sector, insurance, hospitality, and specialty distribution. That range gives him a practical, cross-sector lens that shows up in how he approaches problems as nonprofits build and evolve the operational models behind their missions. He values simplicity and candor, and clients tend to notice both.
Outside of work, Henry is someone who keeps close to the people and places that matter. Weekends with friends, good music, and time in green spaces. He's reserved by nature and delivers high-quality work with a quiet humility. It's a combination that holds up well under pressure.
Associate
Anthony Conner
Anthony didn't grow up with a lot, and he can look back now and see exactly where nonprofit support could have changed things for him. It's what connects him to organizations that fill those gaps for marginalized communities, and it's what brought him to Dept.1. He spent years as a music educator before finding his way into marketing, operations, and systems work, and that path shows up in how he operates. Teaching gave him the ability to read a room, build something from scratch, and make complicated things accessible to people encountering them for the first time.
He has worked across healthcare, fulfillment, and marketing, with hands-on experience in Salesforce, large-scale project coordination, and the kind of client-facing work where details actually matter. At Dept.1 he has supported the systems and content behind how the firm shows up and grows. Both feel like natural extensions of someone who moves fast, thinks clearly, and doesn't overcomplicate things that don't need to be complicated.
When he's not doing any of that, he's playing jazz in Minnetonka, finding a new restaurant to drag people to, or at home with his partner and their two cats, Elena and Oliver, who run the house.
FOUNDER
Dylan Bassett
Dylan grew up drawn to the outdoors, hiking, camping, days on the lake, summers at the skatepark, and somewhere along the way that translated into a genuine environmentalism and a conviction that his work should mean something beyond the bottom line.
He studied information systems and entrepreneurship at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, then spent time as an agile project manager and systems analyst before moving into corporate consulting where he advised clients on technology strategy and digital transformation. That experience shaped how he thinks about client trust, project rigor, and what he didn’t want to replicate when he built something of his own. He founded Dept.1 to bring that same discipline to organizations that exist to help people. Somewhere in that decision, any tension between who he is and what he does disappeared.
Outside of work, Dylan’s creative energy finds its outlet in skateboarding, snowboarding, golf, martial arts, and in Dept.1 itself – which he treats as an ongoing experiment in making serious operational work accessible to the organizations that need it most.
Associate
Henry Zhuo
Henry grew up with the support of his city's public library system, the kind of infrastructure that doesn't ask for credit and just shows up. He knows what it means for a community resource to actually function, and that shaped a particular interest in helping humanitarian causes expand their reach and deepen the impact of what they already do.
He brings experience delivering technology solutions across nonprofit, public sector, insurance, hospitality, and specialty distribution. That range gives him a practical, cross-sector lens that shows up in how he approaches problems as nonprofits build and evolve the operational models behind their missions. He values simplicity and candor, and clients tend to notice both.
Outside of work, Henry is someone who keeps close to the people and places that matter. Weekends with friends, good music, and time in green spaces. He's reserved by nature and delivers high-quality work with a quiet humility. It's a combination that holds up well under pressure.
Associate
Anthony Conner
Anthony didn't grow up with a lot, and he can look back now and see exactly where nonprofit support could have changed things for him. It's what connects him to organizations that fill those gaps for marginalized communities, and it's what brought him to Dept.1. He spent years as a music educator before finding his way into marketing, operations, and systems work, and that path shows up in how he operates. Teaching gave him the ability to read a room, build something from scratch, and make complicated things accessible to people encountering them for the first time.
He has worked across healthcare, fulfillment, and marketing, with hands-on experience in Salesforce, large-scale project coordination, and the kind of client-facing work where details actually matter. At Dept.1 he has supported the systems and content behind how the firm shows up and grows. Both feel like natural extensions of someone who moves fast, thinks clearly, and doesn't overcomplicate things that don't need to be complicated.
When he's not doing any of that, he's playing jazz in Minnetonka, finding a new restaurant to drag people to, or at home with his partner and their two cats, Elena and Oliver, who run the house.
FOUNDER
Dylan Bassett
Dylan grew up drawn to the outdoors, hiking, camping, days on the lake, summers at the skatepark, and somewhere along the way that translated into a genuine environmentalism and a conviction that his work should mean something beyond the bottom line.
He studied information systems and entrepreneurship at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, then spent time as an agile project manager and systems analyst before moving into corporate consulting where he advised clients on technology strategy and digital transformation. That experience shaped how he thinks about client trust, project rigor, and what he didn’t want to replicate when he built something of his own. He founded Dept.1 to bring that same discipline to organizations that exist to help people. Somewhere in that decision, any tension between who he is and what he does disappeared.
Outside of work, Dylan’s creative energy finds its outlet in skateboarding, snowboarding, golf, martial arts, and in Dept.1 itself – which he treats as an ongoing experiment in making serious operational work accessible to the organizations that need it most.
Associate
Henry Zhuo
Henry grew up with the support of his city's public library system, the kind of infrastructure that doesn't ask for credit and just shows up. He knows what it means for a community resource to actually function, and that shaped a particular interest in helping humanitarian causes expand their reach and deepen the impact of what they already do.
He brings experience delivering technology solutions across nonprofit, public sector, insurance, hospitality, and specialty distribution. That range gives him a practical, cross-sector lens that shows up in how he approaches problems as nonprofits build and evolve the operational models behind their missions. He values simplicity and candor, and clients tend to notice both.
Outside of work, Henry is someone who keeps close to the people and places that matter. Weekends with friends, good music, and time in green spaces. He's reserved by nature and delivers high-quality work with a quiet humility. It's a combination that holds up well under pressure.
Associate
Anthony Conner
Anthony didn't grow up with a lot, and he can look back now and see exactly where nonprofit support could have changed things for him. It's what connects him to organizations that fill those gaps for marginalized communities, and it's what brought him to Dept.1. He spent years as a music educator before finding his way into marketing, operations, and systems work, and that path shows up in how he operates. Teaching gave him the ability to read a room, build something from scratch, and make complicated things accessible to people encountering them for the first time.
He has worked across healthcare, fulfillment, and marketing, with hands-on experience in Salesforce, large-scale project coordination, and the kind of client-facing work where details actually matter. At Dept.1 he has supported the systems and content behind how the firm shows up and grows. Both feel like natural extensions of someone who moves fast, thinks clearly, and doesn't overcomplicate things that don't need to be complicated.
When he's not doing any of that, he's playing jazz in Minnetonka, finding a new restaurant to drag people to, or at home with his partner and their two cats, Elena and Oliver, who run the house.
FOUNDER
Dylan Bassett
Dylan grew up drawn to the outdoors, hiking, camping, days on the lake, summers at the skatepark, and somewhere along the way that translated into a genuine environmentalism and a conviction that his work should mean something beyond the bottom line.
He studied information systems and entrepreneurship at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, then spent time as an agile project manager and systems analyst before moving into corporate consulting where he advised clients on technology strategy and digital transformation. That experience shaped how he thinks about client trust, project rigor, and what he didn’t want to replicate when he built something of his own. He founded Dept.1 to bring that same discipline to organizations that exist to help people. Somewhere in that decision, any tension between who he is and what he does disappeared.
Outside of work, Dylan’s creative energy finds its outlet in skateboarding, snowboarding, golf, martial arts, and in Dept.1 itself – which he treats as an ongoing experiment in making serious operational work accessible to the organizations that need it most.
Associate
Henry Zhuo
Henry grew up with the support of his city's public library system, the kind of infrastructure that doesn't ask for credit and just shows up. He knows what it means for a community resource to actually function, and that shaped a particular interest in helping humanitarian causes expand their reach and deepen the impact of what they already do.
He brings experience delivering technology solutions across nonprofit, public sector, insurance, hospitality, and specialty distribution. That range gives him a practical, cross-sector lens that shows up in how he approaches problems as nonprofits build and evolve the operational models behind their missions. He values simplicity and candor, and clients tend to notice both.
Outside of work, Henry is someone who keeps close to the people and places that matter. Weekends with friends, good music, and time in green spaces. He's reserved by nature and delivers high-quality work with a quiet humility. It's a combination that holds up well under pressure.
Associate
Anthony Conner
Anthony didn't grow up with a lot, and he can look back now and see exactly where nonprofit support could have changed things for him. It's what connects him to organizations that fill those gaps for marginalized communities, and it's what brought him to Dept.1. He spent years as a music educator before finding his way into marketing, operations, and systems work, and that path shows up in how he operates. Teaching gave him the ability to read a room, build something from scratch, and make complicated things accessible to people encountering them for the first time.
He has worked across healthcare, fulfillment, and marketing, with hands-on experience in Salesforce, large-scale project coordination, and the kind of client-facing work where details actually matter. At Dept.1 he has supported the systems and content behind how the firm shows up and grows. Both feel like natural extensions of someone who moves fast, thinks clearly, and doesn't overcomplicate things that don't need to be complicated.
When he's not doing any of that, he's playing jazz in Minnetonka, finding a new restaurant to drag people to, or at home with his partner and their two cats, Elena and Oliver, who run the house.
FOUNDER
Dylan Bassett
Dylan grew up drawn to the outdoors, hiking, camping, days on the lake, summers at the skatepark, and somewhere along the way that translated into a genuine environmentalism and a conviction that his work should mean something beyond the bottom line.
He studied information systems and entrepreneurship at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, then spent time as an agile project manager and systems analyst before moving into corporate consulting where he advised clients on technology strategy and digital transformation. That experience shaped how he thinks about client trust, project rigor, and what he didn’t want to replicate when he built something of his own. He founded Dept.1 to bring that same discipline to organizations that exist to help people. Somewhere in that decision, any tension between who he is and what he does disappeared.
Outside of work, Dylan’s creative energy finds its outlet in skateboarding, snowboarding, golf, martial arts, and in Dept.1 itself – which he treats as an ongoing experiment in making serious operational work accessible to the organizations that need it most.
Associate
Henry Zhuo
Henry grew up with the support of his city's public library system, the kind of infrastructure that doesn't ask for credit and just shows up. He knows what it means for a community resource to actually function, and that shaped a particular interest in helping humanitarian causes expand their reach and deepen the impact of what they already do.
He brings experience delivering technology solutions across nonprofit, public sector, insurance, hospitality, and specialty distribution. That range gives him a practical, cross-sector lens that shows up in how he approaches problems as nonprofits build and evolve the operational models behind their missions. He values simplicity and candor, and clients tend to notice both.
Outside of work, Henry is someone who keeps close to the people and places that matter. Weekends with friends, good music, and time in green spaces. He's reserved by nature and delivers high-quality work with a quiet humility. It's a combination that holds up well under pressure.
Associate
Anthony Conner
Anthony didn't grow up with a lot, and he can look back now and see exactly where nonprofit support could have changed things for him. It's what connects him to organizations that fill those gaps for marginalized communities, and it's what brought him to Dept.1. He spent years as a music educator before finding his way into marketing, operations, and systems work, and that path shows up in how he operates. Teaching gave him the ability to read a room, build something from scratch, and make complicated things accessible to people encountering them for the first time.
He has worked across healthcare, fulfillment, and marketing, with hands-on experience in Salesforce, large-scale project coordination, and the kind of client-facing work where details actually matter. At Dept.1 he has supported the systems and content behind how the firm shows up and grows. Both feel like natural extensions of someone who moves fast, thinks clearly, and doesn't overcomplicate things that don't need to be complicated.
When he's not doing any of that, he's playing jazz in Minnetonka, finding a new restaurant to drag people to, or at home with his partner and their two cats, Elena and Oliver, who run the house.
FOUNDER
Dylan Bassett
Dylan grew up drawn to the outdoors, hiking, camping, days on the lake, summers at the skatepark, and somewhere along the way that translated into a genuine environmentalism and a conviction that his work should mean something beyond the bottom line.
He studied information systems and entrepreneurship at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, then spent time as an agile project manager and systems analyst before moving into corporate consulting where he advised clients on technology strategy and digital transformation. That experience shaped how he thinks about client trust, project rigor, and what he didn’t want to replicate when he built something of his own. He founded Dept.1 to bring that same discipline to organizations that exist to help people. Somewhere in that decision, any tension between who he is and what he does disappeared.
Outside of work, Dylan’s creative energy finds its outlet in skateboarding, snowboarding, golf, martial arts, and in Dept.1 itself – which he treats as an ongoing experiment in making serious operational work accessible to the organizations that need it most.
Associate
Henry Zhuo
Henry grew up with the support of his city's public library system, the kind of infrastructure that doesn't ask for credit and just shows up. He knows what it means for a community resource to actually function, and that shaped a particular interest in helping humanitarian causes expand their reach and deepen the impact of what they already do.
He brings experience delivering technology solutions across nonprofit, public sector, insurance, hospitality, and specialty distribution. That range gives him a practical, cross-sector lens that shows up in how he approaches problems as nonprofits build and evolve the operational models behind their missions. He values simplicity and candor, and clients tend to notice both.
Outside of work, Henry is someone who keeps close to the people and places that matter. Weekends with friends, good music, and time in green spaces. He's reserved by nature and delivers high-quality work with a quiet humility. It's a combination that holds up well under pressure.
Associate
Anthony Conner
Anthony didn't grow up with a lot, and he can look back now and see exactly where nonprofit support could have changed things for him. It's what connects him to organizations that fill those gaps for marginalized communities, and it's what brought him to Dept.1. He spent years as a music educator before finding his way into marketing, operations, and systems work, and that path shows up in how he operates. Teaching gave him the ability to read a room, build something from scratch, and make complicated things accessible to people encountering them for the first time.
He has worked across healthcare, fulfillment, and marketing, with hands-on experience in Salesforce, large-scale project coordination, and the kind of client-facing work where details actually matter. At Dept.1 he has supported the systems and content behind how the firm shows up and grows. Both feel like natural extensions of someone who moves fast, thinks clearly, and doesn't overcomplicate things that don't need to be complicated.
When he's not doing any of that, he's playing jazz in Minnetonka, finding a new restaurant to drag people to, or at home with his partner and their two cats, Elena and Oliver, who run the house.
FOUNDER
Dylan Bassett
Dylan grew up drawn to the outdoors, hiking, camping, days on the lake, summers at the skatepark, and somewhere along the way that translated into a genuine environmentalism and a conviction that his work should mean something beyond the bottom line.
He studied information systems and entrepreneurship at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, then spent time as an agile project manager and systems analyst before moving into corporate consulting where he advised clients on technology strategy and digital transformation. That experience shaped how he thinks about client trust, project rigor, and what he didn’t want to replicate when he built something of his own. He founded Dept.1 to bring that same discipline to organizations that exist to help people. Somewhere in that decision, any tension between who he is and what he does disappeared.
Outside of work, Dylan’s creative energy finds its outlet in skateboarding, snowboarding, golf, martial arts, and in Dept.1 itself – which he treats as an ongoing experiment in making serious operational work accessible to the organizations that need it most.
Associate
Henry Zhuo
Henry grew up with the support of his city's public library system, the kind of infrastructure that doesn't ask for credit and just shows up. He knows what it means for a community resource to actually function, and that shaped a particular interest in helping humanitarian causes expand their reach and deepen the impact of what they already do.
He brings experience delivering technology solutions across nonprofit, public sector, insurance, hospitality, and specialty distribution. That range gives him a practical, cross-sector lens that shows up in how he approaches problems as nonprofits build and evolve the operational models behind their missions. He values simplicity and candor, and clients tend to notice both.
Outside of work, Henry is someone who keeps close to the people and places that matter. Weekends with friends, good music, and time in green spaces. He's reserved by nature and delivers high-quality work with a quiet humility. It's a combination that holds up well under pressure.
Associate
Anthony Conner
Anthony didn't grow up with a lot, and he can look back now and see exactly where nonprofit support could have changed things for him. It's what connects him to organizations that fill those gaps for marginalized communities, and it's what brought him to Dept.1. He spent years as a music educator before finding his way into marketing, operations, and systems work, and that path shows up in how he operates. Teaching gave him the ability to read a room, build something from scratch, and make complicated things accessible to people encountering them for the first time.
He has worked across healthcare, fulfillment, and marketing, with hands-on experience in Salesforce, large-scale project coordination, and the kind of client-facing work where details actually matter. At Dept.1 he has supported the systems and content behind how the firm shows up and grows. Both feel like natural extensions of someone who moves fast, thinks clearly, and doesn't overcomplicate things that don't need to be complicated.
When he's not doing any of that, he's playing jazz in Minnetonka, finding a new restaurant to drag people to, or at home with his partner and their two cats, Elena and Oliver, who run the house.
FOUNDER
Dylan Bassett
Dylan grew up drawn to the outdoors, hiking, camping, days on the lake, summers at the skatepark, and somewhere along the way that translated into a genuine environmentalism and a conviction that his work should mean something beyond the bottom line.
He studied information systems and entrepreneurship at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, then spent time as an agile project manager and systems analyst before moving into corporate consulting where he advised clients on technology strategy and digital transformation. That experience shaped how he thinks about client trust, project rigor, and what he didn’t want to replicate when he built something of his own. He founded Dept.1 to bring that same discipline to organizations that exist to help people. Somewhere in that decision, any tension between who he is and what he does disappeared.
Outside of work, Dylan’s creative energy finds its outlet in skateboarding, snowboarding, golf, martial arts, and in Dept.1 itself – which he treats as an ongoing experiment in making serious operational work accessible to the organizations that need it most.
Associate
Henry Zhuo
Henry grew up with the support of his city's public library system, the kind of infrastructure that doesn't ask for credit and just shows up. He knows what it means for a community resource to actually function, and that shaped a particular interest in helping humanitarian causes expand their reach and deepen the impact of what they already do.
He brings experience delivering technology solutions across nonprofit, public sector, insurance, hospitality, and specialty distribution. That range gives him a practical, cross-sector lens that shows up in how he approaches problems as nonprofits build and evolve the operational models behind their missions. He values simplicity and candor, and clients tend to notice both.
Outside of work, Henry is someone who keeps close to the people and places that matter. Weekends with friends, good music, and time in green spaces. He's reserved by nature and delivers high-quality work with a quiet humility. It's a combination that holds up well under pressure.
Associate
Anthony Conner
Anthony didn't grow up with a lot, and he can look back now and see exactly where nonprofit support could have changed things for him. It's what connects him to organizations that fill those gaps for marginalized communities, and it's what brought him to Dept.1. He spent years as a music educator before finding his way into marketing, operations, and systems work, and that path shows up in how he operates. Teaching gave him the ability to read a room, build something from scratch, and make complicated things accessible to people encountering them for the first time.
He has worked across healthcare, fulfillment, and marketing, with hands-on experience in Salesforce, large-scale project coordination, and the kind of client-facing work where details actually matter. At Dept.1 he has supported the systems and content behind how the firm shows up and grows. Both feel like natural extensions of someone who moves fast, thinks clearly, and doesn't overcomplicate things that don't need to be complicated.
When he's not doing any of that, he's playing jazz in Minnetonka, finding a new restaurant to drag people to, or at home with his partner and their two cats, Elena and Oliver, who run the house.
FOUNDER
Dylan Bassett
Dylan grew up drawn to the outdoors, hiking, camping, days on the lake, summers at the skatepark, and somewhere along the way that translated into a genuine environmentalism and a conviction that his work should mean something beyond the bottom line.
He studied information systems and entrepreneurship at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, then spent time as an agile project manager and systems analyst before moving into corporate consulting where he advised clients on technology strategy and digital transformation. That experience shaped how he thinks about client trust, project rigor, and what he didn’t want to replicate when he built something of his own. He founded Dept.1 to bring that same discipline to organizations that exist to help people. Somewhere in that decision, any tension between who he is and what he does disappeared.
Outside of work, Dylan’s creative energy finds its outlet in skateboarding, snowboarding, golf, martial arts, and in Dept.1 itself – which he treats as an ongoing experiment in making serious operational work accessible to the organizations that need it most.
Associate
Henry Zhuo
Henry grew up with the support of his city's public library system, the kind of infrastructure that doesn't ask for credit and just shows up. He knows what it means for a community resource to actually function, and that shaped a particular interest in helping humanitarian causes expand their reach and deepen the impact of what they already do.
He brings experience delivering technology solutions across nonprofit, public sector, insurance, hospitality, and specialty distribution. That range gives him a practical, cross-sector lens that shows up in how he approaches problems as nonprofits build and evolve the operational models behind their missions. He values simplicity and candor, and clients tend to notice both.
Outside of work, Henry is someone who keeps close to the people and places that matter. Weekends with friends, good music, and time in green spaces. He's reserved by nature and delivers high-quality work with a quiet humility. It's a combination that holds up well under pressure.
Associate
Anthony Conner
Anthony didn't grow up with a lot, and he can look back now and see exactly where nonprofit support could have changed things for him. It's what connects him to organizations that fill those gaps for marginalized communities, and it's what brought him to Dept.1. He spent years as a music educator before finding his way into marketing, operations, and systems work, and that path shows up in how he operates. Teaching gave him the ability to read a room, build something from scratch, and make complicated things accessible to people encountering them for the first time.
He has worked across healthcare, fulfillment, and marketing, with hands-on experience in Salesforce, large-scale project coordination, and the kind of client-facing work where details actually matter. At Dept.1 he has supported the systems and content behind how the firm shows up and grows. Both feel like natural extensions of someone who moves fast, thinks clearly, and doesn't overcomplicate things that don't need to be complicated.
When he's not doing any of that, he's playing jazz in Minnetonka, finding a new restaurant to drag people to, or at home with his partner and their two cats, Elena and Oliver, who run the house.
FOUNDER
Dylan Bassett
Dylan grew up drawn to the outdoors, hiking, camping, days on the lake, summers at the skatepark, and somewhere along the way that translated into a genuine environmentalism and a conviction that his work should mean something beyond the bottom line.
He studied information systems and entrepreneurship at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, then spent time as an agile project manager and systems analyst before moving into corporate consulting where he advised clients on technology strategy and digital transformation. That experience shaped how he thinks about client trust, project rigor, and what he didn’t want to replicate when he built something of his own. He founded Dept.1 to bring that same discipline to organizations that exist to help people. Somewhere in that decision, any tension between who he is and what he does disappeared.
Outside of work, Dylan’s creative energy finds its outlet in skateboarding, snowboarding, golf, martial arts, and in Dept.1 itself – which he treats as an ongoing experiment in making serious operational work accessible to the organizations that need it most.
Associate
Henry Zhuo
Henry grew up with the support of his city's public library system, the kind of infrastructure that doesn't ask for credit and just shows up. He knows what it means for a community resource to actually function, and that shaped a particular interest in helping humanitarian causes expand their reach and deepen the impact of what they already do.
He brings experience delivering technology solutions across nonprofit, public sector, insurance, hospitality, and specialty distribution. That range gives him a practical, cross-sector lens that shows up in how he approaches problems as nonprofits build and evolve the operational models behind their missions. He values simplicity and candor, and clients tend to notice both.
Outside of work, Henry is someone who keeps close to the people and places that matter. Weekends with friends, good music, and time in green spaces. He's reserved by nature and delivers high-quality work with a quiet humility. It's a combination that holds up well under pressure.
Associate
Anthony Conner
Anthony didn't grow up with a lot, and he can look back now and see exactly where nonprofit support could have changed things for him. It's what connects him to organizations that fill those gaps for marginalized communities, and it's what brought him to Dept.1. He spent years as a music educator before finding his way into marketing, operations, and systems work, and that path shows up in how he operates. Teaching gave him the ability to read a room, build something from scratch, and make complicated things accessible to people encountering them for the first time.
He has worked across healthcare, fulfillment, and marketing, with hands-on experience in Salesforce, large-scale project coordination, and the kind of client-facing work where details actually matter. At Dept.1 he has supported the systems and content behind how the firm shows up and grows. Both feel like natural extensions of someone who moves fast, thinks clearly, and doesn't overcomplicate things that don't need to be complicated.
When he's not doing any of that, he's playing jazz in Minnetonka, finding a new restaurant to drag people to, or at home with his partner and their two cats, Elena and Oliver, who run the house.
FOUNDER
Dylan Bassett
Dylan grew up drawn to the outdoors, hiking, camping, days on the lake, summers at the skatepark, and somewhere along the way that translated into a genuine environmentalism and a conviction that his work should mean something beyond the bottom line.
He studied information systems and entrepreneurship at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, then spent time as an agile project manager and systems analyst before moving into corporate consulting where he advised clients on technology strategy and digital transformation. That experience shaped how he thinks about client trust, project rigor, and what he didn’t want to replicate when he built something of his own. He founded Dept.1 to bring that same discipline to organizations that exist to help people. Somewhere in that decision, any tension between who he is and what he does disappeared.
Outside of work, Dylan’s creative energy finds its outlet in skateboarding, snowboarding, golf, martial arts, and in Dept.1 itself – which he treats as an ongoing experiment in making serious operational work accessible to the organizations that need it most.
Associate
Henry Zhuo
Henry grew up with the support of his city's public library system, the kind of infrastructure that doesn't ask for credit and just shows up. He knows what it means for a community resource to actually function, and that shaped a particular interest in helping humanitarian causes expand their reach and deepen the impact of what they already do.
He brings experience delivering technology solutions across nonprofit, public sector, insurance, hospitality, and specialty distribution. That range gives him a practical, cross-sector lens that shows up in how he approaches problems as nonprofits build and evolve the operational models behind their missions. He values simplicity and candor, and clients tend to notice both.
Outside of work, Henry is someone who keeps close to the people and places that matter. Weekends with friends, good music, and time in green spaces. He's reserved by nature and delivers high-quality work with a quiet humility. It's a combination that holds up well under pressure.
Associate
Anthony Conner
Anthony didn't grow up with a lot, and he can look back now and see exactly where nonprofit support could have changed things for him. It's what connects him to organizations that fill those gaps for marginalized communities, and it's what brought him to Dept.1. He spent years as a music educator before finding his way into marketing, operations, and systems work, and that path shows up in how he operates. Teaching gave him the ability to read a room, build something from scratch, and make complicated things accessible to people encountering them for the first time.
He has worked across healthcare, fulfillment, and marketing, with hands-on experience in Salesforce, large-scale project coordination, and the kind of client-facing work where details actually matter. At Dept.1 he has supported the systems and content behind how the firm shows up and grows. Both feel like natural extensions of someone who moves fast, thinks clearly, and doesn't overcomplicate things that don't need to be complicated.
When he's not doing any of that, he's playing jazz in Minnetonka, finding a new restaurant to drag people to, or at home with his partner and their two cats, Elena and Oliver, who run the house.
FAQ's
Frequently
Asked QuestionsWhat types of organizations do you work with?
We work with nonprofits whose donor, funder, partner, and program relationships have outgrown the tools and staff memory holding them together. Most of our clients are in the $5M–$60M range, though the problem shows up across organization sizes.
How is Dept.1 different from traditional consulting firms?
We focus on one thing: relationship systems for nonprofits whose work has outgrown tracking by memory. Everything we build is documented, fitted to how your team already works, and owned by you when we're done — not dependent on us, and not dependent on whoever set it up.
What services do you offer?
We design and build relationship systems — the infrastructure that holds donor, funder, partner, and program data as your work grows. Engagements typically begin with a structured discovery phase and move into implementation. Most engagements are fixed-bid, independently approvable, and documented for your team to run without us.
How long does a typical project take?
Discovery and assessment engagements typically run 8–12 weeks. System implementations vary by scope and complexity — single-phase builds usually run 6–10 weeks, while multi-phase implementations span 4–6 months or more. Every engagement includes a fixed-bid proposal before work begins so you know the timeline and investment upfront.
Do you provide pro-bono services?
We offer a no-cost systems and strategy review for nonprofits under $200K in annual revenue. It's a focused conversation about where your operations stand and what would move the needle most — no pitch, no obligation.
How do we get started?
Start with a 20–30 minute intro call. We'll listen to where your systems stand, where they're straining, and whether what we do is the right fit. If it is, we'll follow up with a focused discovery call to shape a proposal you can share internally with clear sense of what next steps would look like.
