Zen Trenholm

Zen Trenholm serves as the Senior Director of Employee Ownership Cities and Policy at The Democracy at Work Institute since October 2015, focusing on integrating employee ownership into standard city practices to foster healthier and more equitable local economies. In previous roles at the organization, Zen developed the Shared Equity in Economic Development Fellowship program, collaborating with city leaders to promote inclusive economies through democratic business ownership. Zen also worked as a Local Initiatives Organizer, enhancing the business support ecosystem for worker cooperatives. Prior to this, Zen held the position of Development Director at the California Student Sustainability Coalition, where responsibilities included designing fundraising strategies to support organizational campaigns. Zen holds a B.A. in Conservation and Resource Studies with a focus on Cooperative Business Development from the University of California, Berkeley.