Privacy Policy.

Overview

DC Young Professionals ("DCYP," "we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect when you visit our website or sign up for membership, how we use it, and the choices available to you.

By using our website or submitting a membership application, you agree to the practices described in this policy. If you do not agree, please do not submit your information or use our services.

Information We Collect

We collect information you provide directly to us when you complete the DCYP membership form. This includes:

• Name — First and last name, used to personalize your membership.
• Email address — Used to send event invitations, newsletters, and community updates.
• Phone number — Optional. Used only if you request direct outreach from our team.
• Location — The DC, Maryland, or Virginia area where you are based, used to tailor event recommendations.
• Industry — Optional. Used to understand our community's professional makeup and curate relevant programming.
• LinkedIn profile URL — Optional. Used to connect members within our professional network.
• Communication preferences — Whether you opt into our newsletter and the DCYP LinkedIn community.

We may also collect standard technical data automatically when you visit our website, such as your IP address, browser type, pages visited, and referring URL. This data is collected in aggregate and is not linked to your identity.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect solely to operate and improve DCYP. Specifically, we use it to:

• Process and manage your membership in the DCYP community.
• Send you event invitations, reminders, and registration confirmations.
• Deliver the DCYP newsletter, career resources, and community announcements (if opted in).
• Facilitate connections within the DCYP LinkedIn community (if opted in).
• Understand our membership demographics to improve programming and events.
• Respond to inquiries or requests you send us directly.

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use it for targeted advertising.

Sharing & Disclosure

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:

• Service providers — We use third-party tools (such as Google Sheets and email platforms) to store membership data and send communications. These providers process data on our behalf and are bound by appropriate data processing agreements.
• Legal compliance — We may disclose information if required by law, regulation, or valid legal process (such as a court order or subpoena).
• Safety — We may share information when necessary to protect the rights, safety, or property of DCYP, our members, or others.

DCYP community events are in-person gatherings where other attendees may see your name and general professional background. By registering for an event, you acknowledge that limited personal information (such as your name and industry) may be visible to other attendees in that context.

Cookies & Tracking

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to provide basic functionality and understand how visitors use the site. These may include:

• Essential cookies — Required for the site to function properly (e.g., form submission state).
• Analytics — Aggregate, anonymized data about page visits and traffic sources, used to improve the site.

Most browsers allow you to control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies will not affect your ability to read this website, though some interactive features may not function as intended.

Data Retention

We retain your membership information for as long as you are an active member of DCYP or as otherwise necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy. If you request deletion of your information, we will remove it from our active records within a reasonable timeframe, except where we are required to retain it for legal or compliance purposes.

Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access — Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction — Ask us to correct any inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Deletion — Request that we delete your personal information from our records.
• Opt out — Unsubscribe from DCYP newsletters or email communications at any time using the unsubscribe link in any email we send, or by contacting us directly.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at the email address below. We will respond to all requests within a reasonable timeframe.

Children's Privacy

DCYP is intended for young professionals and is not directed at individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If you believe a minor has submitted information to us, please contact us and we will promptly remove it.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the effective date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of our website or membership following any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your information, please reach out to us. We're happy to help.