Our S|E|A Leadership Team
L.eadership Team for Episcopal Enterprises' Social Enterprise Academy
Jaime Edwards-Acton began Episcopal Enterprises in an effort to further develop the conversation about strategies to create more equity around the model of church the Episcopal Church utilizes. The stewardship-only model of church members giving 10% or more to fund their collective passions for ministry is inherently inequitable, creating more opportunities for those who have more resources. Edwards-Acton sees social enterprise as one tool churches can use in trying to balance that out. For the last twenty years, he has been Rector of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Hollywood, a bilingual community who has embraced and employed social enterprise strategies to impact their surrounding communities and fund ministries well beyond what they bring in through pledge and plate offerings. Edwards-Acton is also Executive Director of Jubilee Consortium, a not-for-profit organization which operates Jubilee Year (formerly known as the Episcopal Urban Intern Program) and Jubilee Jump!, a youth competitive jump rope league based at in Episcopal churches in under-resourced communities of Los Angeles.
Betsy Densmore is Founder/Managing Director of the Academies for Social Entrepreneurship (ASE), whose programs link the passion of social purpose with sustainable business practices and principles. ASE, a project of Social & Environmental Entrepreneurs, provides training, peer learning, mentoring and seed capital funding guidance for social entrepreneurs. Densmore is an entrepreneur herself, having founded three hospitality businesses, an insurance agency and two nonprofit organizations. Immediately prior to launching ASE, she managed an office and lead programs for a global training and development organization for six years. Her prior experience also includes a decade of service as the Executive Director of a community foundation, running an energy services social enterprise, and serving as the Manager of Consumer and Community Affairs for a Fortune 500 retailer. Currently, she is an Adjunct Professor at Golden West College, where she teaches in their Entrepreneurship program, and co-leads a Social Enterprise Academy at UCLA and a Philanthropy & Social Impact course at USC. She serves on the board of Innovative Housing Opportunities and is a vestry member and Treasurer at St. John the Divine Episcopal Church in Costa Mesa.
Jan Cohen has been a consultant, speaker, and trainer working with nonprofit organizations for more than 20 years. Her specialties are diversification of revenue, earned income, marketing planning, and strategic planning processes. Ms. Cohen serves as Lead Social Enterprise Trainer, Consultant and Coach for the Academies for Social Entrepreneurship, training & coaching fledgling entrepreneurs who are developing social enterprises. She also serves in Interim Executive positions in organizations with an earned income focus during periods of transition in leadership. Ms. Cohen has been a featured speaker or trainer at more than 200 meetings and conferences within California and nationally. She has led work sessions, from 2 hours to multiple days, focused on social enterprise business development or earned income strategies that diversify sources of funding while providing mission related services. Her clients come from all corners of the social sector, from workforce development to health to environmental focused groups. Ms. Cohen has served on the Boards of both local and national nonprofit organizations. Currently she is Vice Chair of the Board of CalNonprofits Insurance Services.