Khalif Nunnally-Rivera is a Cooperative Business Developer on the ICA Group’s Cross Program. He joined the organization in May 2022. He was born and raised in Springfield, MA. Khalif recently relocated to Queens, New York. He has always had a passion for history, government, and social justice issues. Through the ICA, Khalif hopes to reduce wealth inequality, be an advocate for employee ownership, and create new opportunities for people of color and working class communities.
Khalif earned a B.A. in Human Geography from UMass Amherst in 2017. After graduation, he returned home to work for the Springfield Public School District. During his time at the district, he worked as an Attendance Specialist and a College Financial Aid Advisor. His experiences with the school district inspired him to pursue a Master’s Degree in Public Policy and Administration at UMass Amherst.
Throughout his graduate school career, Khalif showed high interest in policy equity issues. In the Spring of 2021, Khalif was selected as a fellow for the Civic Action Project, a nonprofit organization with a focus on building future leaders in public service. Through this fellowship, he secured an internship with the Office of State Senator Eric Lesser. As a legislative intern, he worked on various projects surrounding healthcare, education, workforce development, and housing equity. During his second year of graduate school Khalif worked as a Graduate Assistant with the UMass Amherst Office of Student Engagement, where he advised dozens of student run organizations. Khalif recently earned a Master’s of Public Policy and Administration from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
I lead ICA’s New Ownership Opportunities work to I am on the organization’s cross program team. As part of this group, I work on a variety of projects regarding business conversation, feasibility reports, market assessments, research, and policy analysis.
One of my favorite organizations is the Wellspring Harvest in my hometown of Springfield, MA. The Wellspring Harvest is an affiliate of Wellspring Cooperative Corporation, an organization that aims to build a network for worker-owned cooperatives throughout the city. The Wellspring Harvest supplies fresh produce to local grocery stores, school districts, and other organizations in Western Massachusetts. Their community building work in my hometown has always been an inspiration to me.
I discovered what I’ve come to think of as “dirt therapy” I think work-life balance is key to overall well-being. I enjoy spending time with family and friends, watching movies, listening to music, video games, and learning about history. I also like exploring many of the great activities happening around NYC.
I am based out of New York City. I work from both the ALIGN: the Alliance for a Greater New York offices and my home office in Queens.
A People’s History of the United States, by Howard Zinn is a book that greatly influenced my passion for public service and nonprofit work. As an avid history buff, I enjoyed Zinn’s telling of American history. However, more importantly, I was inspired by stories of resilience, resistance, collective action, and leadership from everyday people. These are stories that are often left out of typical American discourse. Although it is not a traditional book on leadership, I believe it teaches valuable lessons on collaboration, creating a vision, and overcoming difficult circumstances. Ultimately, this book taught me that with enough passion, anyone can be a leader in their own right
Have questions about employee ownership or cooperative development? Whether you're exploring a business transition, starting a new cooperative, or seeking tailored solutions to strengthen your industry, our team is here to help. Let us guide you toward a more equitable and resilient future for your business and community.
