Team

You’re probably reading this because your work, community, or livelihood is connected to an organization we may steward or support. We work alongside and in service to the people who have made it an organization worth relying on, helping businesses and associations grow stronger, more humane, and more trustworthy over the long run. The same economics of integrated back-office services that make private equity companies profitable for their investors enable us to do social equity in a way that can support all our communities, make our cooperative more stable and reliable than our competitors, and help us build the world's largest social safety net. Together.

This page is here to answer a simple question: who are the people you’ll be working with?
(If you want more about how we’re structured, you can find it in our Co-op, Organization, and FAQ pages.)

When things get hard, I get steadier. In moments of uncertainty or crisis, my instinct is to slow down, breathe, and pay close attention to what is actually happening. I listen for feedback, make values-aligned decisions, and help guide the team through the rapids toward the next solid landing, where we can assess, learn, and prepare for what comes next.

I welcome challenging feedback with gratitude and curiosity. Turning toward what is uncomfortable helps us understand what needs to change and how to honor our agreements, whether that means keeping them, revising them, or repairing them when they break.

I believe deeply that well-organized teams outperform even the strongest solo operators. I have dedicated my career to learning how to organize teams in ways that genuinely serve the people doing the work. A Fairer Society exists to give people a lived experience of a workplace that operates differently, one built on clarity, care, and follow-through.

At the heart of my role is making and keeping promises. To workers, sellers, and communities alike, my commitment is to sustain what has been built, honor the people involved, and steward each organization with care and integrity.

I turn big ideas into clear, actionable steps. I am always asking how things actually work in practice, and how they could work better. When things feel muddy or stuck, I create focus by clarifying priorities, coordinating efforts, and asking the hard questions that help systems improve.

I said yes to A Fairer Society because I believe in the vision and trust the leadership behind it. I care deeply about building operations that respect people’s time, effort, and expertise, and that make work feel purposeful rather than chaotic.

What I want workers to feel is that their contributions matter and are treated with care. What I want clients and customers to feel is steadiness, clarity, and trust. My goal is to help build systems that people can rely on, especially when conditions are uncertain.

Good operations are not about control. They are about creating the conditions for people to do their best work together.

I focus on the things that make everything else possible. I think about systems, structures, and details that are easy to overlook but essential for people to do their work well. I thrive on identifying patterns, anticipating needs, and building systems that are not just thoughtful, but dependable.

When things get bumpy, I help keep the back end steady. I make sure agreements are clear, details are aligned, and the fundamentals are handled so others can stay focused on their work without distraction. I find deep satisfaction in creating order that feels supportive rather than restrictive.

Working at A Fairer Society allows me to show up as a whole human being. We are committed to letting what does not matter fade into the background, and to holding what does matter with care and seriousness, no matter how or why it shows up.

I want to be someone others can count on. When the foundation is solid, everything built on top of it becomes stronger.

When things get bumpy, people can count on me for perspective. Most situations feel overwhelming in the moment, but very few are permanent. My life has taught me that what initially looks like the worst possible outcome often turns out to be a doorway to something better, sometimes even freedom in disguise.

I said yes to A Fairer Society because I believe in repaying what I have been given. Years ago, my life was saved by a genuine miracle. Since then, I have carried a simple belief with me: if you receive a miracle, you owe one. For many people, especially those who have been stretched thin, a stable job can feel miraculous. This work is my way of honoring that debt.

As we steward newly acquired organizations, what I most want workers and clients to feel is that they are part of something genuinely different. Something thoughtful, human, and inspired. My role is to help tell that story clearly, honestly, and with respect for the people living it every day.

We have a Root Circle (our board) whose job is to help keep A Fairer Society aligned with its purpose, especially when things get complicated, stressful, or tempting. It’s one of the ways we reduce risk for everyone involved: workers, sellers, customers, community, and investors.

If you want a deeper look at our structure, see our FAQ and Co-op pages. (And if you look up Sociocracy anywhere else, you'll see references to the "Top Circle" — we call that our Root Circle. Our reasons are grounded in the organizational metaphor of the tree, and the ways in which this group of people serves as both an interface with the broader world and a support structure for everything we do.)

Root Circle members

Venn Wylder: operational leader for the day-to-day team, representative from our investors; ultimately responsible for ensuring that we make good agreements, and that we keep them (or fix them when they're broken).

Sarah McCauley: representative from the day-to-day team, responsible for ensuring that the Root Circle is addressing the needs of the rest of the organization.

Nathaniel Whitestone: Root Circle member and representative of our brand partners at A Fairer Society UK. Nathaniel is a governance expert, OD/OT consultant, executive coach, and angel investor, committed to fostering “Healthy Power” in organisations — with a knack for unraveling complex systems and guiding leaders to innovate with integrity and a playful revolution. As our on-call ad-hoc Chief Integrity Officer, and as an embodiment of the role of the Root Circle, Nate also helps ensure that all our parts are acting, with coherence, in alignment with our purpose and with the needs of our colleagues, partners, communities, and the wider world. Not just avoiding doing bad things, this is about listening deeply to our own values and beliefs, and to each other, and carefully (re)designing systems to reduce waste and support creativity.

John Buck: Root Circle member and representative from the International Sociocracy Certification Board (ISCB). John brought sociocracy to the English-speaking world beginning in 1990 and continues to support organisations in developing organic, lively ways of working.