Carla Javits was REDF president and CEO from 2007 – 2021.

Inspired by the leadership of REDF’s founder, George R. Roberts, Carla focused on achieving measurable results.

Under Carla’s leadership, REDF expanded nationally, and was awarded two federal Social Innovation Fund grants by the Corporation for National and Community Service, and helped to create CA RISE, the first state initiative in the US to deploy capital to employment social enterprises. Carla was appointed in 2018 by the Governor to California’s Future of Work Commission, which brought together leaders in technology, labor, business, education, and venture capital to develop a new social compact for California workers focused on economic equity.

Before joining REDF, Carla was President and CEO of the Corporation for Supportive Housing, a national intermediary providing grants, loans, and technical assistance to build the field of permanent supportive housing. She was a Program Analyst with the California Office of the Legislative Analyst and Director of Policy and Planning for the San Francisco Department of Social Services.

Prior to that, she worked in two social enterprise bookstores, and in hospitality.

Carla holds a BA and Master’s in Public Policy from UC Berkeley and an AA in Hotel and Restaurant Management from San Francisco City College. She serves on the board of directors of KQED, and Third Sector Capital Partners, co-chairs the Regional Impact Council of All Home – a Bay Area initiative to address homelessness, and serves as President of the Marian B. and Jacob K. Javits Foundation.