Big Bets Fellowship: United States/

2026 U.S. Big Bets Fellows

The second class of U.S. Big Bets Fellows are 10 changemakers advancing bold, community-driven solutions to expand economic opportunity across the country, including in California, Central Appalachia, Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, and Tennessee.

Over a five-month fellowship, these leaders will participate in tailored programming, peer networking, and professional development designed to help them strengthen their ideas, build cross-sector partnerships, and scale solutions that connect people to quality jobs and long-term prosperity.

Meet the 2026 U.S. Big Bets Fellows and read more about their projects and the communities they aim to impact below.

Meet the Fellows

Andrew Crosson
Chief Executive Officer, Invest Appalachia
Angela Son
Founder and CEO, The Green Launchpad
Chid Liberty
CEO and Co-Founder, Apprentos
John McDonald
President and CEO, Northeast Indiana Innovation Community
Lourdes Germán
Executive Director, The Public Finance Initiative
Marshall Ogier
Director of Economic Development and Workforce Systems, Seeding Success
Rachel Halfaker
Director, 10,000 Communities Initiative, Milken Institute
Rohan Sandu
Co-founder and Director, Reimagining the Economy Project, Harvard Kennedy School
Serena Jezior
Director of Strategic Initiatives, Greater Cleveland Works
Shalin Jyotishi
Founder and Managing Director, New America's Future of Work and Innovation Economy Initiative

Backed by The Rockefeller Foundation, the 2026 U.S. Big Bets Fellows are part of a growing national network of leaders advancing bold solutions to expand economic opportunity across the country. Their work reflects the power of local innovation — tackling challenges like workforce access, capital gaps, and emerging technologies in ways that are rooted in community and built to scale.

Announced at Big Bets for America: Baltimore, this second U.S. cohort builds on the momentum of the inaugural class and connects to a broader global fellowship spanning Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Together, these leaders are demonstrating how community-driven solutions can translate into national progress.

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