Profile

Lulu Mickelson

Former Engagement Associate

Lulu Mickelson joined The Rockefeller Foundation in 2016. As Engagement Associate, she introduced dynamic interventions that build connections across the foundation’s global network of staff and grantees to increase empathy, foster collaboration, share knowledge, and maximize on-the-ground impact.

Lulu pulls on a background in communications, design-thinking, and grassroots organizing. Most recently, Lulu served as Community Engagement Designer for the NYC Department of Small Business Services, where she implemented creative community engagement strategies that reached more than 2,000 New Yorkers, generating grassroots awareness and supporting the design of more inclusive, user-centered government services. In this role, Lulu was selected by Cool Hunting as one of 25 design innovators for her work engaging hundreds of women entrepreneurs in co-creating the City’s WE NYC initiative, which aims to address the entrepreneurship gender gap. Previously, Lulu worked on grassroots community development in Upper Manhattan, founding the Barnard+Columbia Design for America Studio as well as the Manhattanville Community Arts & Youth Employment Initiative. Lulu has a BA in Urban Studies from Barnard College, Columbia University.

Authored Content

  • Jan 23 2017
    Blog Post Building a More Resilient and Inclusive Organization to Increase Our Impact At The Rockefeller Foundation, we believe in building strong connections between our work around the globe and how we work within our organization. In 2016, we made big investments in the people and relationships that drive our impact, striving to build a more engaged and connected culture that exemplifies the values we promote through our […] Lauren Mickelson, Sarah Krauss
  • Jan 05 2017
    Blog Post Applying Resilience Thinking With Our Partners in Africa How can a well-constructed road add the most value to Machakos County, Kenya? How can it help manage the shock of intense downpour during the rainy seasons, but also support communities during the stresses of dry spells and droughts? These are some of the key questions that a room full of grantees, partners, and experts […] Lauren Mickelson, Samuel Carter