In 2008, Gonder, Shashin Chokshi, David Chen, and Greg Nance established the “American Investment Fellows” club at the University of Chicago based on Nance’s idea to send students from the university’s investment club into local high schools to teach workshops. After the success of a pilot program at the South Shore School of Leadership, the initiative began to spread to campuses across the country. In 2009, the organization was officially rebranded as Moneythink, at which point Morgan Hartley joined as the organization’s fifth co-founder. In 2011, Gonder interned at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, where he researched the relationship between government and startups in Chile. After completing his assignment in Chile and returning to the U.S. later that year, he decided to pursue Moneythink as a full-time venture. In 2012, Gonder spoke on behalf of Moneythink when it was named a White House Champion of Change, and declared that the organization’s goal was to make youth financial capability a social norm in the U.S. by 2030. He also became the organization’s first executive director. From February 2012 to May 2013, Gonder served as entrepreneur in residence at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, where he collaborated with other entrepreneurs and senior government officials on initiatives to streamline pathways for foreign entrepreneurs to more easily immigrate to the U.S., grow businesses, and create jobs. In June 2013, Gonder founded the World Economic Forum's Chicago Global Shapers hub. He remains an active Global Shaper today. From February 2014 to June 2015, Gonder served on the . The council’s report addressed methods of improving the financial capability of young people in the U.S., including better financial education training for teachers; more access to information about post-secondary education for low-income and minority youth; greater involvement of cities and local communities in young adults’ financial education; and increased integration of technology in promoting access to finance.
Honors and awards
In 2015, Gonder was named to Forbes' “30 Under 30 in Finance”. He was the youngest person on the Finance list.
In 2014, Gonder was named a Bluhm-Helfand Social Innovation Fellow by Chicago Ideas Week.
In 2014, Gonder was named to Crain's Chicago Business's "Twenty in their 20s" list.
In 2013, Gonder was awarded the Yoshiyama Young Entrepreneurs award by The Hitachi Foundation.
In 2013, Gonder was named an Emerging Leader by TEDxMidwest.
In 2012, Gonder was named a White House Champion of Change.
In 2012, Gonder became a Kairos Society K50 entrepreneur.
In 2011, Gonder became a StartingBloc fellow.
In 2011, Gonder was selected as an Opportunity Scholar at the first annual Opportunity Nation Summit.
In 2010, Gonder was awarded a Jefferson Award for Public Service for Outstanding National or Global Service by a Young American Twenty-Five Years or Under.
