As Adasina Social Capital’s Social Justice Director, Renee brings a unique blend of financial services expertise and a deep-rooted passion for social justice. They work with social justice partners to establish Adasina’s Social Justice Investment Criteria and to mobilize investors through social justice campaigns, infusing over 20 years of industry experience into creating significant social and economic change.

Renee began her financial career at Trilogy Financial in 2001, where she first became acquainted with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) concerns, helping clients align their financial strategies with these principles. After three years, their drive to affect change led them to establish their own firm, Better World Investments, where they served as President until 2020.

Driven by a passion to create a just world, Renee has been involved in various social work roles. For almost a decade, she provided aid and counseling in settings such as a domestic violence shelter, a teen halfway house, an addiction recovery halfway house, as well as a county detox center. Her foundational work ethic was honed in the restaurant industry, where, like many Americans, she began her adult working life.

Renee has been recognized as a leader within the ESG field and has served in various advisory and leadership roles, such as being a founding member of the Racial Justice Investing Coalition, an advisor for the As You Sow Racial Equity Scorecard, and a member of the Advisory Board for the Criterion Institute. Additionally, they have contributed their insights to leading conferences at the Social Investment Forum’s SRI in the Rockies and, most recently, Diverse Leaders in Climate and Agriculture.

Renee’s educational background includes a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from San Jose State University and a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Lesley University. This solid academic foundation, combined with their professional experiences, informs their innovative approach to investment and activism.

In her personal life, Renee continues her activism and community involvement with groups such as OutBoulder, Boulder County Hospice, Showing Up For Racial Justice (SURJ), Black Lives Matter 5280, and the Denver Justice Project.