melissa-hoover

Melissa Hoover is the founding Executive Director of the Democracy at Work Institute and the Executive Director of the United States Federation of Worker Cooperatives. Together this national grassroots membership organization and think-and-do tank work to build a member-based movement that expands the promise of worker ownership to communities most affected by social and economic inequality. Melissa worked for six years as a cooperative developer with the Arizmendi Association of Cooperatives in the Bay Area, where she assisted in the development of two new Arizmendi cooperatives and provided ongoing support to existing cooperatives. She also worked for many years as an independent consultant helping co-ops and small businesses strengthen all aspects of financial management.  Melissa started in worker cooperatives at Inkworks Press in the Bay Area. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of The ICA Group and the Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund. Melissa earned a full scholarship to Stanford University, where she graduated with a BA in History and did research on the role of immigrant women in building a cooperative movement in the early 20th century United States.