Purpose Built Communities welcomes two executives to its team – Karen Cramer, Vice President of Data, Technology and Impact, and Kevin Rafter, Vice President for Impact Strategy and Learning.These new hires will be key contributors to the leadership team as the national nonprofit supports communities across the country.
“These two new leaders will be a game-changer for our organization,” said Michelle Matthews, Executive Vice President at Purpose Built. “Karen and Kevin, in their respective roles, will help Purpose Built and its network amplify its impact for all families and children by spurring racial equity, improved health outcomes, and increasing upward mobility in communities across the country.”
Here’s a bit about our new team members and their roles.
Karen Cramer
Vice President of Data, Technology and Impact
Karen Cramer is Purpose Built’s inaugural Vice President of Data, Technology and Impact. She has over 20 years of nonprofit experience in program evaluation and data management. She will leverage her expertise in her new role to enhance the data and technology capacity building for local network members to help analyze and quantify the impact of the network in its twenty-year history.
Before joining Purpose Built, Karen served as the Chief Community Impact Officer at TechBridge, a national nonprofit whose mission is to alleviate poverty. Karen also co-founded Helping Mamas, the baby item supply bank for Georgia, and grant winner of United Way Atlanta’s SPARK Prize which recognizes innovative solutions to help children and families.
Karen has a master of science degree in social work from The University of Texas at Austin, and she received her bachelor’s degree in social work from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA.
Kevin Rafter
Vice President for Impact Strategy and Learning
Kevin Rafter joins Purpose Built as its first Vice President for Impact Strategy and Learning. Kevin has over 20 years of experience leveraging insights from research and evaluation to strengthen strategy and support organizational learning with nonprofit, for-profit, and philanthropic organizations. In this role, he will guide an evidence strategy for Purpose Built and its network that strengthens impact and ongoing learning.
Before joining Purpose Built, Kevin held senior roles at Project Evident, Harder+Company Community Research, and the James Irvine Foundation. Additionally, he is an active member of his community, co-chairing the board of Gateway Public Schools in San Francisco and serving as an advisor to 826 Valencia.
Kevin holds a Ph.D. and a masters in environmental psychology from the City University of New York, and a bachelor degree in psychology from the University of California, Davis.
