Kelsey Dale, 34

Kelsey Dale thrives on helping others do well. As CEO of Fair Future, a strategy consulting business she co-founded, she steers nonprofits and other community-oriented organizations through the complex landscape of funding and reporting.

“I’m passionate about equity and access, and about having representation by leaders that look like the community.” Kelsey Dale

Many small nonprofits share her passion for equity and access, but grassroots organizations may lack the expertise to fully execute on their vision. Many face complex requirements around financial tracking and reporting, and smaller organizations typically can’t afford a full-time staffer to manage the bureaucratic paperwork. That’s where Dale comes in. Fair Future helps with things like grant strategy, program design and organizational planning, with an eye toward building equitable systems, particularly for Black-led and community-founded organizations. This in turn helps those organizations to move beyond performative commitments so they can achieve measurable, long-term change. Fair Future has built long-term partnerships in Philadelphia and across the United States, and Dale credits her Drexel experience with leading her toward successful business ownership. She started college as a nursing major and a co-op helped her see that she wanted to go in a different direction. In a subsequent co-op at a public elementary school she found her real strengths as an organizer and facilitator. “I helped the school manage community partnerships and also managed some grant implementation planning,” she recalls. “I got exposure to working at the intersection of city government, schools and community, and that just felt right. That really fueled me in the next steps. It gave me the opportunity to really prove to myself that I was good at planning, good at logistics, good at the details.”

In her own words…

My Greatest Accomplishment:

Starting this business. I have had an entrepreneurial spirit since I was little, and when I was considering a new job in early 2020, the idea of working for someone felt like a cloud looming over me — but the idea of contracting and building felt right. I could not have done any of this without my co-founder and business partner, Monét Harbison, PhD, who began pursuing her doctorate in education at Drexel as our company was beginning. In January 2026, Fair Future reached our five-year anniversary. We have a team of five plus a network of contractors and a suite of clients across the country.

How Drexel Shaped My Path:

Drexel provided me an opportunity to engage at a professional level early. The co-op experience allowed me to work alongside professionals while still a student, giving me the opportunity to explore career paths and industries. It was through my co-op experiences that I learned what was for me and what was not. My first co-op was at a hospital; I was a nursing major. It taught me that I liked the coordination more than the actual role of a nurse. I changed my major and did my next co-op at Drexel, overseeing logistics and supporting the execution of New Student Orientations. My final co-op at Nebinger School, a public K-8 school in South Philly, helped me see the potential of a career at the intersection of education and community. Thanks to these and other foundational experiences, I have a company that provides operational and capacity services to grassroots and mission-based organizations on a national scale.

Where I Hope To Be in Five Years:

My journey has taught me to trust my gut and follow what feels right. In five years I hope to be continuing on the path I am on now. I hope to remain humble, hungry and passionate, while maintaining a focus on the big picture. I envision a larger company with a formal physical presence and multiple employees in key markets across the United States. Finally, I hope that I will spend more time mentoring others to do this work, coaching and guiding other leaders who want to build a company while not losing sight of a mission and ongoing pull to do good in the world. DM