“Let’s Talk Impact” Podcast On Building Equitable Communities: A Conversation on Leadership, Impact, and Overcoming Challenges
This episode dives into the world of community development with a focus on empowering marginalized communities. We'll hear from an inspirational leader about their career journey, the challenges and rewards of promoting equity through the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, and the importance of LGBTQ+ BIPOC voices in fostering positive change. We'll also explore successful initiatives, funding access for underbanked entrepreneurs, and how communities can partner with the NY Fed to create lasting impact.
ABOUT THE GUEST
Otho E. Kerr III is the Director of Strategic Partnerships and Community Impact Investing at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Otho works to connect capital with innovative ideas in the areas of climate-related risks to low- and moderate-income populations, the economic drivers of health, and household financial well-being. Prior to joining the New York Fed, Otho was the Chief Investment Officer for Acumen, an international impact investment firm that invests in early-stage companies whose products and services enable the poor to transform their lives. Previously, Otho was a founding partner and Chief Operating Officer with Encourage Capital, a solutions-oriented impact investment firm that seeks to leverage private capital to solve critical environmental and social problems.
Otho has worked in investment banking and asset management for over thirty years, starting at Goldman Sachs & Co. He began his professional career as an attorney with Simpson Thacher & Bartlett. Otho received an undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College and a J.D. from The Harvard Law School and was the first member of his class to receive the Dartmouth Alumni Award. He is on the Board of Trustees of the NAACP Foundation, the Board of Directors of the Hetrick-Martin Institute, the nation’s largest LGBTQ youth services organization, and the Board of Directors of the HATCH. He also serves on the National Academy of Medicine’s Advisory Committee on A Culture of Health Program. Otho enjoys running, skiing, and travel, and is an active member of TED.
What is the “Let’s Talk Impact Podcast”?
The Let’s Talk Impact podcast is a collection of insights from educators, entrepreneurs, investors, activists and community leaders seeking to demystify access to capital, resources, knowledge and illuminate pathways toward successful impact ventures in NYC and around the world hosted by Justyna Kedra, founder @ WERULE. The podcast is a collaboration between WERULE and The New School’s Impact Entrepreneurship Initiative.
