Anke Wessels is the Executive Director of the Center for Transformative Action (CTA), an independent education-based 501(c)3 affiliated with Cornell University, that provides fiscal sponsorship for social entrepreneurs with innovative non-profit ventures. Our services allow these change makers to focus on their social mission while we provide a well-established back office infrastructure with business services and mentorship that most start up nonprofits are unable to afford. We also offer educational programs– courses, conferences, and workshops–to help a diverse group of new or experienced social entrepreneurs develop the skills necessary to establish effective social ventures and to learn the leadership practices associated with Transformative Action.

Anke is a lecturer in the Dyson School and teaches an award winning undergraduate course on Social Entrepreneurship (AEM 3380). She also organizes the Finger Lakes Social Entrepreneurship Institute, and is the lead contact for Cornell’s relationship with Ashoka U, a network of colleges and universities that, like Cornell, are providing leadership in the field of social innovation through hands-on educational opportunities, community-driven initiatives, and research.