A new chapter for workforce opportunity
Cara Collective has appointed Karin Norington-Reaves as President and CEO, effective May 4, 2026. Her arrival marks an important moment for an organization that has spent more than three decades helping people move toward stable work, stronger relationships, and renewed possibility. Cara Collective’s work is grounded in a simple but powerful belief: when people have access to opportunity, coaching, and a community that believes in them, they can build futures that benefit their families and neighborhoods as well.
Experience rooted in public service
Norington-Reaves brings more than 30 years of experience across education, law, advocacy, workforce development, and community development. She previously founded and led the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership, a regional organization charged with connecting job seekers and employers. During her tenure, the Partnership helped more than 100,000 people gain employment, collaborated with more than 2,000 employers, managed significant federal investment, and attracted substantial philanthropic support.
Most recently, she served as CEO of i.c. stars, a workforce-development organization that prepares underrepresented individuals for careers in technology. Her career has also included service in local and state government, legal work, and civic leadership. That breadth of experience matters because workforce barriers are rarely limited to a résumé. They can involve access to training, confidence, transportation, economic conditions, employer practices, and the networks that make opportunity possible.
Building on Cara Collective’s legacy
Cara Collective operates through three connected entities: Cara, which provides workforce readiness and career support; Cleanslate, which creates transitional employment through neighborhood beautification; and Cara Plus, which shares workforce-development practices with organizations and employers. Together, they focus on helping people gain and retain work while advancing a more inclusive economy.
Norington-Reaves steps into the role after a national search supported by Cara Collective’s Board of Directors. The organization sees her leadership as an opportunity to build on its existing legacy while responding to the changing needs of job seekers, employers, and communities. Her public comments emphasize investing deeply in people and challenging outdated ideas about who should have access to economic mobility.
Why this matters
At Sai Kripalu Foundation, we recognize that meaningful employment can be transformative. Work can offer financial stability, purpose, relationships, and the chance to contribute to a wider community. Leadership that understands both the personal and systemic dimensions of employment is essential to building pathways that last. We are encouraged by this new chapter for Cara Collective and look forward to the impact of its continuing work.
Source: Cara Collective’s announcement
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