Yale, City Name Inaugural 'Center For Inclusive Growth' Director

NEW HAVEN, CT —The inaugural executive director of the Center for Inclusive Growth is Dawn Leaks Ragsdale. She is described as an "experienced leader in the New Haven entrepreneurial and nonprofit communities."

Dubbed an "historic partnership," between Yale and the city of New Haven, Leaks Ragsdale hit the ground running Monday.

Mayor Justin Elicker, Yale President Peter Salovey, New Haven Board of Alders President Tyisha Walker-Myers, and Yale School of Management Dean Kerwin Charles made the announcement in a news briefing.

The Center for Inclusive Growth's goal, city, and University officials said, is to "develop and implement strategies and initiatives that will grow New Haven economically in a way that that benefits all residents."

The Center's formation was announced in November 2021 as part of the six-year agreement between the City and Yale University. That pact included a commitment by the University to increase its annual voluntary financial contributions to the city by an additional $52 million, from a previously projected total of $83.4 million to a newly estimated $135.4 million over the six-year period.

The search for the center’s executive director and an overview of the initial set of programming was announced in March 2023, and the center’s first program, the Inclusive Growth Fellowship, was launched earlier this year.

According to Yale, Leaks Ragsdalewas most recently the executive director of Collab, a New Haven-based nonprofit dedicated to "helping entrepreneurs build strong businesses, create economic power, and generate community wealth."

During her tenure there, she expanded the organization’s programming to address "critical needs" in the community. Implemented was the Collab Women’s Initiative and the Collab Funding Intensive to provide support to women entrepreneurs and to prepare its entrepreneurs to access both debt and investment funding.

She received the 2022 Quinnipiac Chamber of Commerce’s Excellence in Advocacy Award, recognizing her work on behalf of underrepresented entrepreneurs.

Elicker welcomed the next phase in the development of the Center for Inclusive Growth.

“New Haven is a growing city with a growing local economy — and, as we grow, we’re committed to growing inclusively,” Elicker said. “This historic effort and partnership between the city and Yale will help make this vision a reality by connecting New Haven residents and businesses to new opportunities and good paying jobs that will help uplift our entire community. Dawn is an ideal person to lead this work and partner with a broad range of groups and individuals across New Haven to help execute this vision of inclusive growth for all.”

As executive director, Leaks Ragsdale will build out the center’s operations, staff, and strategy, and will design and oversee an initial suite of programs, consistent with Yale’s commitment to deploy $5 million in support of the center. Critically, this work will include fostering partnerships with organizations and individuals in the city who aim to increase the scale and inclusivity of the local economy and ensuring that the center’s activities represent all of New Haven.

New Haven Alder President Tyisha Walker-Myers said that Leaks Ragsdale was particularly qualified to breathe life into the new center.

“Dawn has a unique background, with experience launching, growing, and selling her own business, as well as a strong record of contributions to the local entrepreneurial ecosystem,” she said. “I’m excited to see the impact she will have on the city and people of New Haven as she combines her entrepreneurial energy and commitment to improving lives.”

The selection of Leaks Ragsdale as the Center for Inclusive Growth’s inaugural executive director followed a national search that generated more than 500 applications.

“I am truly honored to be a part of the effort to increase economic growth in New Haven in an inclusive and equitable way,” Leaks Ragsdale said. “The Center for Inclusive Growth has the potential to enhance many facets of the local economy — giving entrepreneurs new resources and confidence, providing new insights and expertise to city government, and bringing together people from across the city to engage in this shared effort.”