Kalen Cornelious - REDF

Our Vision
- Our VisionAn economy that works. for everyone.
- Who We BackWe partner with social entrepreneurs to amplify the success of their businesses and the people they employ.
- How We Do ItWe help our enterprises grow further, faster through a combination of capital, capacity building, and community support.
- ImpactOur partnership accelerates the growth and impact of the enterprises we back.
- InsightsWe evaluate what works and share our learnings to spark action for policy and systems change.
Our Work
- Our WorkWe invest in businesses that reveal and reinforce the talent of people breaking through barriers to employment.
- AcceleratorA six-month cohort-based learning experience for leaders of early-stage enterprises to springboard growth.
- Growth PortfolioA multi-year investment in growth-stage employment social enterprises to help them scale sustainably.
- Impact Investing FundFlexible loan capital for employment social entrepreneurs whose lived expertise is their collateral.
- Gov. Partnerships & PolicyAdvocacy and public sector partnerships to advance the field.
- CommunityCurated space and resources to help our social enterprise partners connect, grow, and lead.
- WorkshopREDFworkshop is an open, free virtual capacity building toolbox to help you build, grow, and sustain high-impact employment social enterprises.
Investments
About
- AboutWe envision a thriving and inclusive society where all people have the jobs and the support they need to realize their full potential.
- Mission & CultureIt’s not just what we do, it’s how we do it that matters.
- Our PeopleWe’re a motley crew of leaders and learners dedicated to building an economy that works. For everyone.
- CareersKnowing your work is improving lives is not the only benefit of the job. View opportunities to join our team.
- Farber FellowshipGrad students bring cutting-edge skills and passion to help employment social enterprises reach their full potential.
- SupportersOur generous funders and individual donors make this work possible.
- HistorySince 1997, REDF has been using business as a force for good.
- FinancialsREDF achieves the highest levels of accountability and transparency.
News

REDF Government Partnerships & Policy Team Lead Kalen Cornelious oversees and administers a range of local, state, and federal-government funded programs, and supports REDF’s policy and advocacy initiatives.

For the past several years, Kalen has worked in both the public and not-for-profit sectors, serving communities that are under-resourced in Los Angeles County and the San Francisco Bay Area. Her REDF portfolio of work includes: The Los Angeles Regional Initiative for Social Enterprises (LA:RISE) City, County, and Youth Academy, California Regional Initiative for Social Enterprise (CA RISE) the nation’s first statewide investment in employment social enterprises, FNS National Partnerships Grant, LA County’s CalFresh Employment and Training Implementation and Expansion Program, and Policy Coalitions RESET and CA RESET.

Before REDF, Kalen served as the public policy and program analyst at Los Angeles County’s Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), leading the creation and implementation of the Cal-Fresh Employment and Training (CFET) Expansion initiative. Prior to DEO, Kalen was the employment services coordinator and interim director at the San Francisco YMCA, where she co-developed and implemented the Empowerment to Employment (E2E) program, the organization’s first young adult workforce program to serve opportunity youth.

She earned her master’s in public administration and her certificate in public policy from the University of Southern California (USC) and her bachelor’s in political science and communication from Santa Clara University.