We’re thrilled to announce that Vera’s co-Founder and CEO Zak Kaufman has been selected as a 2014 Bluhm/Helfand Social Innovation Fellow. Created by Leslie Bluhm and David Helfand, the BHSI Fellowship recognizes socially conscious young leaders who have developed sustainable ventures addressing civic needs. Zak and Vera were chosen from more than 200 social innovators to receive this honor.
“We’re incredibly excited to welcome Vera Solutions to Chicago and as a 2014 Fellow,” said David Burstein, co-Director of the BHSI Fellowship. “In the exciting field of social entrepreneurship, few are focusing on how to help great organizations work better and measure their impact more effectively, as Vera is. Supporting their work is key to the success of the ecosystem.”
As a Fellow, Zak will attend and speak at Chicago Ideas Week (CIW) from October 13-19. CIW is an annual gathering of global thought leaders whose program of events unfolds all around Chicago. This year’s featured speakers include Nicholas Kristof, Deepak Chopra, George Lucas, and Peter Thiel, co-Founder of Paypal.
“What I appreciate most about my work at Vera is the opportunity to interact with a wide range of innovative change-makers,” says Zak. “Especially during the exciting period of growth currently underway at Vera, I’m looking forward to gaining insights from other Fellows, speakers, and innovators at CIW.”
Vera is honored to join an impressive 2014 BHSI Fellowship cohort. Congratulations to the three other members of the class – Zubaida Bai from Ayzh, Ted Gondor from Moneythink, and Beth Schmidt from Wishbone! We look forward to learning more in the months ahead about their innovative approaches to healthcare delivery, financial education, and extracurricular enrichment.
About BHSI:
The Bluhm/Helfand Social Innovation Fellowship @ Chicago Ideas Week recognizes a group of socially conscious young leaders who have developed sustainable ventures addressing social needs and provides them with exposure to nationally recognized business and community leaders, funding to support their cause, and a platform for growth.
