In 1985, Chris Clamp, a recent college graduate and Quaker Volunteer, first encountered LEAF as it was getting started. LEAF ignited her imagination with its vision of a community-funded cooperative non-profit—an alternative way to engage with society. Introduced to the cooperative model at a time when traditional banks showed no interest in funding them, Chris has been an integral part of the LEAF family for the past 40 years.
Throughout this time, Chris evolved into a scholar, educator, and organizer dedicated to the cooperative model. Her unwavering commitment demonstrated through countless hours, has played a pivotal role in establishing LEAF as a leader in cooperative funding.
From cutting-edge research on worker- and shared-services-cooperatives to linking cooperatives with movements for community economic development and the solidarity economy, Dr. Chris Clamp emerges as a true champion of cooperatives. Beginning her tenure as a professor at Southern New Hampshire University in 1981, she created a master’s program in community economic development for mid-career professionals. Noteworthy examples of her impactful work include establishing a farming cooperative for Somali refugees in Maine and fostering a network of rural village-based cooperatives in Cameroon.
Best known for her groundbreaking research on Mondragon, the world’s largest worker-cooperative, Dr. Clamp enhanced our understanding of how Mondragon navigated globalization and implemented worker-cooperative human resource strategies. Her research for a business school case study on CCA Global Partners led her to co-author a book on shared-services cooperatives, pioneering research across sectors of the U.S. economy in purchasing, marketing, processing, and distribution. Her findings highlighted how governments at various levels can incentivize shared-service strategies, reducing expenses and improving services.
In 2023, Dr. Clamp co-edited “Humanity @ Work & Life: Global Diffusion of the Mondragon Cooperative Ecosystem Experience,” a collection of essays showcasing the ongoing influence of Mondragon in the United States. Through her publications, Dr. Chris Clamp consistently reveals the depth and breadth of her commitment to cooperatives and community-based ownership.
Director, Gerardo Espinoza and Board member Terry Lewis introduced her at the Co-op Hall of Fame. The LEAF team was proud to celebrate Chris for this honor! Read more about the honorees including the unsung hero, Nannie Helen Burroughs.
Note: Thank you to the Cooperative Development Fund for help with this article
Hall of Fame
