Internship Spotlight: Anna George ’26, REDF
Building on her background in the nonprofit sector, Anna George interned at a venture philanthropy organization that helps people getting back on their feet to find meaningful employment.
Internship company name and location: REDF (remote)
Hometown: Essex Fells, New Jersey
Pronouns: she/her/hers
The SOM classes you’re using on the job: Workforce and Competitor
Go-to work lunch: Salad with lots of veggies mixed in!
After-work routine: Work out, sit outside with friends, read
Favorite thing about internship city: Because I worked remotely, I was able to pack so much into my summer. From dinners on the deck at my parents’ home in New Jersey to revisiting favorite spots with my best friends in Washington D.C., I felt so full! I also had the chance to travel for work to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Philadelphia. Lots of exploring for me!
This summer, I interned at REDF, a venture philanthropy organization that invests in and supports employment social enterprises (ESEs). These enterprises create jobs and pathways to economic power for people overcoming barriers such as justice system involvement, housing instability, domestic violence, refugee status, or addiction. Through capital (grants, loans, and public funding), capacity (technical assistance), and community (resources to connect, grow, and lead), REDF has helped hundreds of social enterprises that are providing meaningful job opportunities across the U.S.
Most ESEs aren’t meant to be a forever job; instead, they offer people a chance to gain stability, build skills, and start fresh. As a Farber Fellow, my work focused on one big question: how can these enterprises build and sustain strong partnerships with long-term employers who hire their graduates? Over the course of 10 weeks, I visited ESEs, interviewed REDF staff and partners, and managed an affinity group of over 50 ESE leaders dedicated to improving their employer partnerships. Through this work, I developed a suite of practical tools for ESE leaders, including a maturity model to assess their organization’s employer engagement strategies and a rubric to evaluate and deepen individual relationships. I wrapped up my internship by delivering strategic recommendations for how REDF can refine its long-term approach to supporting ESEs in building successful employer partnerships.
I’ve always known I wanted to work in support of people who are justice-impacted. It’s a community close to my heart, and I’ve seen firsthand how a second chance, or simply a fair chance, can transform someone’s story and their family’s future. What surprised me, however, was the support I received while pursuing this path at business school. The Farber Fellowship was perfectly aligned with both my personal and professional goals, and really allowed me to explore what a meaningful career in social impact could look like.
SOM prepared me in countless ways. The core curriculum grounded me in thinking about multiple stakeholders, which was essential in my analysis. My case team experience taught me to quickly frame problems, which was useful when getting my footing at the start of a new, unfamiliar project. And project-based clubs, like Golub Capital Nonprofit Board Fellows Program, reinforced the importance of creating resources that are practical and immediately useful to impact organizations. I was also fortunate to connect with SOM alums who had interned at REDF before me—including Eliza Chory-Noyes, Anna Eapen, and Cheryl Zhang—all of whom were generous with their advice and encouragement during the application process.
When I arrived at SOM, I knew I wanted to stay in the impact sector, though I wasn’t sure in what capacity. After a year of exploring different paths through the various groups (including the Golub Capital Nonprofit Board Fellows Program and the Net Impact Club) and classes SOM has to offer, this internship solidified my interest in workforce development. I’m excited to continue with REDF as a consultant during the school year, taking on new projects and building on what I learned this summer.
The Farber Fellowship is truly unique within the MBA landscape of impact internships. The cohort model means you are surrounded by around 15 other smart, passionate MBA students, all committed to making a tangible difference in people’s lives. Together we grappled with the very challenges central to REDF’s mission while building solutions that will outlast our 10 weeks. I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of this community and to have contributed to such a meaningful mission. I encourage everyone to follow REDF’s work and support your local ESE!
Anna George is a recipient of the Hechinger Scholarship (2024–2025) and the Judith Bernstein (SOM 1980) Memorial Award (Summer 2025) at Yale SOM.
