Video of Maru’s talk. (link to edited talk)

Maru Bautista is the Director of the Cooperative Development Program at the Center for Family Life in Brooklyn, New York. She has worked with her team and the Sunset Park community to strengthen and scale immigrant-led worker cooperatives in New York City for the past 8 years.

Most notably, Maru has supported the development of the Brightly franchise and the Up & Go App. Maru has served on the board of the U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives for, and on the board of the Democracy at Work Institute.

Maru is originally from Puebla, Mexico. She moved to Brooklyn to pursue a master’s degree in International Development from the New School. She is involved on an international, national, and local level in all things cooperative. Maru is a firm believer in collaboration as the only path forward! She has now transitioned into the role of consultant collaborating with CFL on the exciting BrightlyⓇ franchise expansion to Philadelphia.