Kristen Parkinson

Kristen Parkinson is currently the Strategy & Office of the CEO at Ferrara Candy Company. Previously, she served as Chief of Staff at the same company.1 Kristen was also selected as part of the Summer 2022 Cohort for the Chicago Venture Fellows program, which aims to help aspiring venture capital professionals from underrepresented backgrounds break into the VC industry.1 This program provides participants with opportunities to gain key skills, build an investment track record, and receive mentorship and professional development in venture finance.

The Chicago Venture Fellows program is an initiative by Chicago, supported by organizations like GET Cities, World Business Chicago, and TeamWorking by TechNexus. It was created to address the underrepresentation of women, non-binary individuals, and people of color in the tech and venture capital sectors in Chicago.1