We are proud to introduce the 2026 Farber Fellows!
Selected from a record-breaking 390 applicants, these 13 talented graduate students and early-career professionals will spend the next 10 weeks tackling some of the most strategic and high-impact projects across our employment social enterprise (ESE) network.
Some will work closely with individual ESEs, while others will support field-wide initiatives focused on ecosystem building, AI strategy, and strengthening financial health across the sector. Each fellow brings expertise, curiosity, and a commitment to expanding economic opportunity.
Get to know a little more about this year’s cohort of Farbers and their program locations below, and stay tuned for more on these social impact leaders and their projects!
Lucia Cantillo Villarreal
Lucia is pursuing a dual degree at the University of Pennsylvania, earning an MBA and a master’s in education entrepreneurship. This summer, she is partnering with PAR Recycle Works, which helps people access meaningful employment through electronics recycling, job training, and workforce development.
Grace Cao
Grace is an MBA candidate at University of California Berkeley Haas School of Business. This summer, she is partnering with Oʻahu-based Touch A Heart, an organization that creates pathways to employment through culinary training, apprenticeships, and social enterprises.
Sanjana Gupta
Sanjana is an MBA candidate at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. She is spending her summer supporting Emma's Torch, an employment social enterprise that helps refugees access career opportunities through culinary training, and helping to guide Redefine Alliance's AI strategy work.
Mariam Hassoun
Mariam is an MBA student at Yale School of Management. This summer, she is partnering with Goodwill Central Texas, an organization that helps people build economic power through employment opportunities.
Matt Le
Matt is an MBA student at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. This summer, he is partnering with Chicago-based New Moms, an employment social enterprise that helps young mothers build economic mobility through workforce development and supportive services.
Kelly Ann Lewis
Kelly Ann is an MBA candidate at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. For her Farber summer, Kelly Ann will support multiple employment social enterprises (ESEs) through the development of an ESE Financial Health Toolkit.
Christopher Mullin
Christopher is a master’s in public policy candidate at Harvard Kennedy School. He’ll be spending this summer working with EMERGE Minnesota, an employment social enterprise that helps people facing barriers to employment access job training, career pathways, and transitional work opportunities.
Daniel Ndirangu
Daniel is an MBA candidate at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. This summer, he is partnering with Knoxville-based Seeds of Change, an employment social enterprise that provides landscaping and construction jobs while helping people in recovery build stable careers.
Folu Ogunyeye
Folu is an MBA student at Harvard Business School. As a Farber Fellow, she'll work across multiple ESEs to help design a blended capital strategy that supports Redefine Alliance's place-based ecosystems.
Sarah Podolsky
Sarah is an MBA candidate at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. For her Farber summer, Sarah will support Redefine Alliance’s ecosystem of Los Angeles-based employment social enterprises, identifying new opportunities to grow the reach of these businesses, build partnerships, and expand impact.
Abigail Setterholm
Abigail is an MBA candidate at Boston University's Questrom School of Business. For her Farber summer, Abigail is partnering with All Square in Minneapolis, an employment social enterprise creating pathways to employment for individuals impacted by the criminal justice system.
Tavishi Sharma
Tavishi is an MBA student at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. She’s spending her Farber summer working with the Los Angeles Conservation Corps, which creates opportunities for young adults to develop professionally, earn income, and contribute to environmental projects that strengthen local communities.
Talley Snow
Talley is a dual-degree candidate at the Wharton School and Harvard Kennedy School. This summer, she is partnering with Portland-based ESE Ground Up, which creates meaningful employment opportunities for women while building community, all through its line of nut butter products.
