President & CEO

Kathleen St. Louis Caliento, PhD

Dr. Caliento has spent nearly three decades focused on issues of social justice, including educational equity, workforce development, and economic empowerment. She currently serves as President & CEO of Cara Collective, a social impact enterprise dedicated to transforming the lives of individuals affected by poverty and promoting a more inclusive economy. Cara Collective produces nearly 1,000 jobs annually, surpassing national retention norms by nearly 20 points.

Prior to her role at Cara Collective, Dr. Caliento served as the Chief Learning and Design Officer at the Academy Group. She helped students land coveted mentorship and internship opportunities throughout Chicago. Her impact extends to her time at Spark Program, where she held multiple leadership roles and led a 3x increase in revenue, corporate investment, and workplace apprenticeships.

Dr. Caliento is deeply committed to civic leadership and community engagement. She is the Vice Chair of the Adler University Board of Trustees and on the Leadership Greater Chicago LFA Board. She is also a Fellow of the 2020 class of Leadership Greater Chicago, a member of the Economic Club of Chicago, and a graduate of the University of Chicago’s Civic Leadership Academy.

A published author, Dr. Caliento earned her Master of Arts and her Doctor of Philosophy in Secondary Science Education from Columbia University and her Master of Business Administration from Geis College of Business at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Kathleen’s first job: “I delivered newspapers seven days a week when I was 12 years old.”