Kristen Barker is a social entrepreneur and the President and Co-Founder of the Cincinnati Union Co-op Initiative (CUCI). CUCI creates jobs that are accountable to workers and our communities by developing worker owned businesses based on the Mondragon-United Steel Workers union co-op model. CUCI has launched two co-ops and has five projects in various stages of feasibility/business planning. Prior to working full for the union co-op movement through Mondragon USA, she spent 12 years at the Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center fostering faith, labor & community partnerships. She is the mother of a resilient daughter with special needs. She is a lifelong Cincinnati resident (except 2 years in El Salvador) and a Xavier graduate.