Corporate Social Innovation: Strategy and Leadership

Cheryl Kiser serves as the Executive Director of The Lewis Institute for Social Innovation and The Babson Social Innovation Lab at Babson College, spearheading initiatives to integrate social innovation and entrepreneurship into the curriculum and co-curricular activities. With a rich background in corporate citizenship and social responsibility, including her role as Managing Director of the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship, Kiser has been instrumental in positioning Babson as a global hub for social entrepreneurship resources and networks. Her expertise spans developing new markets for social change organizations, building communications strategies, and fostering collaborations between businesses and educational institutions. Kiser's passion for social innovation extends to sustainable food systems, co-creating Food Sol, an "action tank" at Babson's Social Innovation Lab. At Babson, she teaches "From Corporate Social Responsibility to Corporate Social Innovation" and contributes to the "Entrepreneurial Mindset and Leadership" Professional Certificate program. With a graduate degree in community organization and social policy from Boston College, Kiser brings a unique blend of academic knowledge and practical experience to her role, continuously working to advance the role of business in creating positive social impact and preparing the next generation of socially conscious business leaders.

Ken Freitas serves as an Executive in Residence and Senior Fellow in Social Innovation at The Lewis Institute at Babson College, bringing over 25 years of experience in corporate strategy, responsibility, brand building, and communications. With an MBA from Babson College and a BS in Business Administration from Northeastern University, Freitas has held leadership positions at major companies like Timberland, where he was Vice President of Global Marketing and Social Enterprise, integrating corporate responsibility into the brand's core identity. His expertise extends to roles at Cone Communications as Vice President of Corporate Responsibility and Cause Branding, and as Director of Marketing & Communications for FIRST, a nonprofit inspiring youth in science and technology. At Babson, Freitas co-teaches the course "From Corporate Social Responsibility to Corporate Social Innovation" and contributes to the "Entrepreneurial Mindset and Leadership" Professional Certificate program. His diverse experience, including board memberships and advisory roles with organizations like the Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin-Robbins Community Foundation and the New Hampshire Commission for National and Community Service, positions him as a valuable bridge between academic theory and real-world application in social innovation and corporate responsibility.