We are pleased to announce our new Chief Executive Officer, Allison Kelly. Allison brings deep expertise in small business advising, lending, and economic development to the organization. She is passionately committed to equality and community empowerment. As CEO, Allison will be responsible for leading the growth and impact of the organization in order to meet the needs of the region’s small business community.
Kelly was selected by the ICA Fund Good Jobs Board of Directors after a nationwide search. With more than a decade of experience in community development finance and small business support and lending, Kelly has special expertise in developing innovative strategies and forging creative partnerships. The proven leader and community builder assumes the role today.
“I’m really excited about the flexibility and innovation of the ICA model, and the ability to test disruptive strategies.
— Allison Kelly
“The community development finance field has been really impactful in our history, but we still aren’t seeing the outcomes we need in terms of parity in access to capital. ICA is uniquely positioned as an accelerator and investment vehicle, and my vision is to prove out a model that is disruptive, has the true outcomes our community needs, and can be replicated by others across the country.”
Kelly will be assuming the role from outgoing CEO Sean Daniel Murphy, who has been a leader of the organization for 12 years and will be joining the Board of Directors as part of this transition. She looks forward to building off of ICA Fund Good Jobs’ 23-year legacy.
“Thank you to our board co-chair, Jack Russi and the board search committee for leading the hiring process with Korn Ferry. We look forward to Allison’s leadership as ICA continues working for economic freedom for those who need it most," Murphy said.
“On behalf of our entrepreneurs, community stakeholders, and funders, I am excited to welcome Allison to the ICA community, where she will lead a fiercely-committed team comprised of talented, values-driven individuals.
— Sean Daniel Murphy
“We are extremely excited to welcome Allison Kelly as CEO to ICA Fund Good Jobs, and know that she will bring great leadership, talents, and passion to the work of this organization,” said Jack Russi, Co-Chair of the ICA Fund Good Jobs Board of Directors.
“We are also grateful to Sean Murphy, who has done a tremendous job of positioning ICA Fund Good Jobs for the future. We are pleased that we will still be able to benefit from Sean’s considerable skills and experience as a Board member.”
Most recently, Allison Kelly worked as the Senior Vice President of Strategy and Innovation at CDC Small Business Finance (CDC), a leading U.S lender focused on supporting entrepreneurs. At CDC, she worked to forge creative partnerships and foster innovation in community development finance. Her successes at CDC include partnering with Prudential to create a $15M impact investment fund for small businesses, collaborating with the Oakland-based startup CNote to develop a community investment financial product, and organizing a first-of-its-kind Community Finance Challenge to spur innovation in the CDFI sector.
Prior to CDC, Kelly spent seven years in various leadership positions at Pacific Community Ventures, a nonprofit social enterprise focused on helping small businesses thrive through affordable capital and free business coaching. She increased company participation in the business advising program fivefold, to 250, and she started strategic partnerships with 30 community-based groups that help small businesses in the Bay Area and across the nation.
Allison started her professional career in the healthcare service industry and has worked on international campaigns to promote changes in public health behavior. Her experience as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mauritania, shaped her passion for using small business as a force for social change.
“Small business is an engine for people to fulfill their own potential. Small businesses bring true empowerment, which is the economic freedom to make choices.
— Allison Kelly
Allison Kelly lives in Oakland with her husband Todd, and their son Evan (9) and daughter Piper (6). The outdoor enthusiast enjoys backpacking in the wilderness and doing anything active. She serves on the Board of Donor Digital and is an active member of the national Opportunity Finance Network. Kelly holds a BA with honors from the University of Oregon and an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management.
