Adriane Armstrong (she/her) is the Chief Executive Officer of Juma Ventures, the nation’s largest youth-employment social enterprise whose mission is to break the cycle of poverty by paving the way to work, education, and financial capability for youth across America. Founded in San Francisco in 1993, Juma now operates 14 concession businesses at major sports and entertainment venues in San Francisco, Sacramento, San Jose, and Seattle. To date, it has employed over 10,000 low-income youth who have earned $13 million in wages and learning stipends.
Adriane started as a Juma volunteer in 2005 and joined the staff in 2011 as the Managing Director of Programs. She has served as the Chief Program Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and has been the Chief Executive Officer since 2017. During her time in leadership, Juma has more than doubled its annual budget from $3M to $7.5M. Prior to joining Juma, Adriane managed a housing and social services program at Local Initiatives Support Corporation for youth aging out of foster care. She is a fierce advocate for youth and is “committed to ensuring that society recognizes the success and promise in each young person and, through this recognition, truly see the youth themselves.”
Since Adriane joined Juma 19 years ago, she has worked relentlessly to build the organization’s capacity to serve more youth. Her sabbatical will be a much-needed opportunity to rest, reflect, and recharge. Along with prioritizing time with her family, Adriane is eager to “learn more about myself, how I can center and achieve balance to sustain this work.”