Our Mission

Venture For America supports the growth of diverse ecosystems across American cities by developing entrepreneurial talent and providing access through programs, networks, and resources.

Our
Approach

Access to programs, resources, and networks

By providing access to programs, resources, and networks, we’re able to generate support that is oftentimes unavailable or hard to navigate for early-career professionals or communities who face historic and persisting barriers in entrepreneurship.

A diverse entrepreneurial community

Successful entrepreneurs cannot exist without community. Our community represents a collection of ambitious and diverse individuals united by shared values and a belief in the power of entrepreneurship. This pairing ensures that we foster an inclusive entrepreneurial community that is changing the face of entrepreneurship.

Shared learned experiences

Our Fellowship is an opportunity for Fellows to push themselves, resulting in improved problem-solving and the acquisition of valuable skills like communication and collaboration. Additionally, going through these experiences together creates a connection across cohorts and a space for people to feel heard, supported, and celebrated.

Igniting innovation and problem-solving

Upon graduating from the Fellowship and becoming Alumni, Fellows are well-positioned to launch their own businesses, continue growing companies in VFA cities, or pursue advanced degrees. Regardless of their next step, Alumni are applying the skills they acquired and refined as Fellows to ignite innovation across the country.

The Power of Diversity

What we’ve created at VFA represents a unique community and opportunity. Our aim is to leave everything we touch better than we found it – with our Fellowship stronger and the entrepreneurship industry more diverse, inclusive, and welcoming.

Our Guiding Principles

At Venture For America, the commitment to advance values of diversity, inclusion, and equity is central to our work. We strive to be anti-racist in all our actions and intentionally promote – and expect – the inclusion of diverse representation in our leadership, our Fellowship, and amongst our organizational partners. We encourage Fellows’ intentional examination of their new communities with the express purpose of understanding the history of places where they live and how they can play a role in influencing positive change. We also commit to celebrating the dignity and contributions of those who are underrepresented.

Historically, and presently, access presents itself as being elusive for many. In partnership with our community partners and stakeholders, we support budding professionals – diverse across racial and ethnic, gender, sexual, and socioeconomic backgrounds – by providing access and resources to develop the entrepreneurial skills and exposure needed to thrive, contribute to, and found or lead companies.

Rise Groups

Rise groups exist to empower, provide opportunities, and create a formal community space for Fellows and Alumni who identify with groups that are underrepresented in entrepreneurial and innovation communities. They also represent a partnership among Fellows, Alumni, the Venture For America Team, and our larger network.

build21: an empowerment network for Fellows and Alumni of African-American, Afro-Caribbean, and African descent to directly connect personally and professionally with each other and experienced entrepreneurs of color in the high-growth entrepreneurial ecosystem, globally.

VentureFirst: provides those who identify as first-generation college graduates and/or low-income individuals within the community with professional and personal development opportunities through equitable access to mentorship, networks, and knowledge.

VFA Antha Prerna: intended for Fellows and Alumni who identify as South Asian or South Asian American to discuss race and identity in both professional and personal contexts. In sanskrit, Antha Prerna means “self-motivated” and “entrepreneurial”, which is where the word “entrepreneur” originated.

VFA MEDAN: a toolbox and community for Fellows who identify as Middle Eastern or North African committed to the professional and personal development of each other in entrepreneurial environments, empowering each other through a connected network, and creating a dialogue around identity.

VFAmilÍa: a resource group intended to connect Fellows who identify as Latino/Latina/Latinx in order to create space for dialogue on the intersection between identity and professional development.

VFA WMN: a community of women and allies who come together to provide resources, support, and space for conversation to empower women in Venture For America to meet their personal and professional goals.

VentureOut: as Venture For America’s community group for LGBTQ individuals and allies, VentureOut’s mission is to promote sexual orientation and gender identity diversity within Venture For America and the startup ecosystems in which it operates.

VFAsians: a forum for Fellows and Alumni who identify as Asian or Asian-American to discuss race and identity in both professional and personal contexts, and access resources and connections.

OyVeyFA: intends to build a professional network to help community members overcome anti-Semitic obstacles, facilitate cultural conversations and experiences among both VFA’s Jewish community and allies, and support the individual and collective needs of VFA’s Jewish community.

Our Impact

More than 1600 Current Fellows and Alumni

More than 950 Company Partners

24% of Fellows have started businesses

Fellows have raised more than $960 million of investment capital

About Us

Our Team is made up of dedicated and passionate professionals working to cultivate the next generation of entrepreneurs and startup leaders.

Carrie Murphy Photo
Carrie Murphy

Interim CEO

Betsye Moon Park Photo
Betsye Moon Park

Chief Financial and Operations Officer

Andrew Albert Photo
Andrew Albert

Vice President of Venture Growth

Julia Kortberg Photo
Julia Kortberg

Vice President of Fellow and Alumni Experience

Keenan Covington Photo
Keenan Covington

Vice President of Marketing and Communications

Tyler Orginski Photo
Tyler Orginski

Vice President of Company Partnerships

Desi Price Photo
Desi Price

Staff Accountant

Kyle Goodfellow Photo
Kyle Goodfellow

Vice President of Strategic Partnerships

Mandi Ford Argo Photo
Mandi Ford Argo

Director of Venture Growth

Victoria Reyes Photo
Victoria Reyes

Director of Human Resources

Brooke Prochniak Photo
Brooke Prochniak

Director of Finance

Kelli Herrick Photo
Kelli Herrick

Director of Talent

Michala Barnes Photo
Michala Barnes

Senior Selection Associate

Craig Moore II Photo
Craig Moore II

Director of Entrepreneurship Programming

Hilary Ferencak Photo
Hilary Ferencak

Director of Community Engagement

Mary Mercer Photo
Mary Mercer

Director of Company Partnerships

Megan Goessling Photo
Megan Goessling

Director of Development Operations and Grants

Monequa Viñales Photo
Monequa Viñales

Senior Data and Operations Manager

Erica Myers Photo
Erica Myers

Director of Development

Paul Griebel Photo
Paul Griebel

Regional Account Director

Corey Patrick Photo
Corey Patrick

Regional Account Director

Mati Fombang Photo
Mati Fombang

Director of Recruitment

Emelyn Schaeffer Photo
Emelyn Schaeffer

Senior Company Partnerships Associate

Bix Lowsley-Williams Photo
Bix Lowsley-Williams

Recruitment Manager

Show me Advisory Board members in
Abhas Gupta

Co-Founder & CEO, Calyx Health

Alexandra Wilkis Wilson

Co-Founder, Gilt & Co-Founder, Glamsquad

Andy Weissman

Partner, Union Square Ventures

Bhikhaji Maneckji

Retired Attorney

Cassie Young

Chief Customer Officer, CM Group

Chip Hazard

General Partner, Flybridge Capital Partners

Chris Paik

Partner, Thrive Capital

Courtney Nelson

Vice President, Coefficient Capital

Dan Kelley

Vice President, Global Executive Recruitment, American Express

Eileen Lee

Co-Founder, The Lola

Eric Bahn

Co-Founder and General Partner, Hustle Fund

Eric Weissmann

Vice President, Cintrifuse

Gary Chou

Founder, Orbital

Gary Horowitz

Partner, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

Gary Klein

Founder & CEO of G Klein & Associates

Graham Weston

Co-Founder and former Chairman & CEO, Rackspace

Greg Ho

President, Chief Operating Officer, and Co-Founder, Spring Mountain Capital, LP

Guillermo Silberman

Managing Partner, Tamar Equities Group

Hanad Duale

Advisor, START Columbus

Harly Stevens

Senior Vice President, CBRE

Janine Shelfo

Chief Strategy Officer, Advance

Jason Van Itallie

Managing Director, Belzberg & Co.

Jay Adya

Managing Director, Iconica Partners

Jeff Weiner

Executive Chairman, LinkedIn

Jeremy Shinewald

Founder and President, mbaMission

Josh Kopelman

Partner, First Round Capital

Katia Beauchamp

Co-Founder & CEO, Birchbox

Kerry Kellogg

Partner, 3L Capital

Kris Brown

Partner, Goodwin

Marty Finkle

Retired CEO, AscendU

Matt Wisdom

Co-founder, TurboSquid

Michael Borofsky

Chief Operating Officer & Chief Strategy Officer, The Pohlad Companies

Michael Lefenfeld

President and CEO, Cyanco

Prabhdeep Singh

Global Head of Operations, WeWork Labs

Randy Brandoff

Founder, Eleven James

Ronald Meyers

Startup Evangelist, University of Cincinnati

Sherman Hu

Enterprise Sales, Investor, Advisor

Zeev Klein

General Partner and Co-Founder, Landmark Ventures

Zeke Vanderhoek

Founder and Principal, The Equity Project Charter School

Smitha Gopal

CEO, Rendia

Braxton Goodrich

Managing Director, Timberline Investments

Jared Weinstein

Co-Founder, Breakthrough Birmingham & Partner, Thrive Capital

Tony Summerville

CEO & Founder, Fleetio

Dan Roselli

Co-Founder & Managing Director, RevTech Labs and Founder & Managing Director, RevTech Labs Capital

Keith Luedeman

Founder, goodmortgage.com

Rob Cummings

Managing Director & CTO, Falfurrias Capital Partners

William Bissett

President and Founder, Portus Wealth Advisors

Chanell Scott Contreras

Executive Director, ProsperUS Detroit

Dug Song

Co-Founder, Chairman & CEO, Duo Security and General Manager, Cisco

Hassan Bazzi

Director of Community Innovation, Forward Cities

Lisa Katz

Senior Program Officer, William Davidson Foundation

Alexandra Frey

Executive Director, 80/20 Foundation

Talia Goldfarb

Founder & CEO, Myself Belts

Terrence Freeman

Head of Wealth Platform Integration, Edward Jones

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