Ballmer Group Logo

Welcome Mekaelia Davis

Ballmer Group is thrilled to welcome Mekaelia Davis as our Director of Black Family Economic Mobility, working to remove barriers and expand pathways to opportunity.

Filed under: Announcements,

Ballmer Group is thrilled to welcome Mekaelia Davis as our Director of Black Family Economic Mobility, starting on September 12. As a part of the National Impact team, Mekaelia will lead a nationwide strategy and advise regional work that expands pathways to economic mobility for Black families.

Ballmer Group seeks to address barriers to racial equity in all we do, so that no child in America has pre-determined, limited opportunity at birth. Data shows stark differences in opportunities that lead to economic mobility depending on a person's race, with Black families facing some of the most persistent barriers. In her new role, Mekaelia will refine and create strategies that confront the legacy of systemic racism to create opportunities for Black families to increase household income, assets, and wealth; remove systemic barriers to labor market success; and leverage the tools of civic engagement to expand economic pathways.

Throughout her career, Mekaelia has worked at the intersection of public and private systems to drive social and economic opportunities for communities across the United States. Mekaelia is a demonstrated national leader in the areas of economic inclusion and racial equity, and she holds deep experience in philanthropy, working toward promoting a more inclusive economy for all.

Prior to joining Ballmer Group, Mekaelia served as Director of Inclusive Economies at the Surdna Foundation, overseeing investments to improve entrepreneurship and economic development policy and leading the creation of a new program-related investment fund. Before that, Mekaelia was a Director of Corporate Giving at Prudential Financial, where she managed national and place-based grants in economic and community development and corporate engagement. Mekaelia also managed key investments in her role as Program Manager of the Ascend Network at Aspen Institute. She has been selected for competitive fellowships, including National Urban Fellow at the Annie E. Casey Foundation and PLACES with the Funders Network for Smart Growth. Mekaelia also serves on the board of the Black Farmers Fund.

We are honored to add Mekaelia’s leadership, expertise, and skills to our team. We look forward to her ideas, strategic guidance, and effective implementation to continue strengthening our commitment to economic mobility for Black families across the country.

Recent News

Ballmer Group Logo

Ballmer Group Invests in Black-Led Nonprofits Committed to Addressing Economic Mobility

Industry leaders New Profit and Echoing Green are introducing a five-year project with seed funding from Ballmer Group to build Black leadership in the economic mobility field.

Ballmer Group Logo

Investing $43 Million to Build Washington’s Early Childhood Education Workforce

Ballmer Group is making $43 million in new childcare and early childhood education investments in Washington State. Recipients include the University of Washington, Child Care Aware Washington, and Pathwaves WA, and these grants will focus on building, strengthening, and diversifying the state’s early childhood education workforce.

Ballmer Group Logo

Steve and Connie Ballmer Invest $400 Million into Black Investment Managers

Steve and Connie Ballmer have announced a $400 million investment with four organizations focused on Black investment managers and Black businesses. This commitment targets an undercapitalized market, and the investment aligns with Ballmer Group’s philanthropic focus on improving economic mobility in America.