Giving People of Different Cultures Voice and Agency.

As REDF’s head of Policy, Manie promotes social enterprise growth and employee earning power through the development and execution of federal, state, and local public policy. She also supports the development and implementation of social enterprise ecosystems across the country through coalition building, strategic partnership, and public policy.

Manie joins REDF with 15 years of nonprofit experience including working for housing justice for low-income families, economic justice for undocumented immigrants, and reproductive justice for women and girls of color. In her previous role, Manie served Californian Senator Loni Hancock and was the lead staff for REDF’s first economic development bill (CA SB 1219 – Hancock), which would have allowed for social enterprises to procure contracts with the state, and in turn giving more opportunity to individuals who face the most barriers in employment. At Forward Together, Manie built a California statewide policy program with great velocity that, through power mapping and organizing ranging from traditional methods to advanced digital, passed a comprehensive sex education bill (CA AB 329 – Weber). As a policy and advocacy expert, Manie continues to connect decision-makers with people who are all too often marginalized in our society in order to foster systematic change.

Manie obtained her B.A. in sociology and gender studies from Indiana University, and her MPH in community health sciences from the University of Illinois at Chicago. When she’s not helping to create economic opportunity at REDF, Manie enjoys time with her family, performing in comedy sketches, following Hoosier basketball, and Bhangra dancing.