Brenda Palms

Brenda Palms is the President and CEO of the North Lawndale Employment Network (NLEN) and the founding social entrepreneur behind Sweet Beginnings, LLC. Since 1999, she has led NLEN, growing it from 2 to 59 employees with an annual budget exceeding $7.2 million. Sweet Beginnings, launched in 2004, uses urban beekeeping to create jobs for those with significant employment barriers. Under her leadership, Sweet Beginnings expanded its distribution to over 43 Mariano stores and major airports. NLEN has received numerous awards, including the MacArthur Foundation Award and the Bank of America Neighborhood Builders Award. Brenda has raised NLEN's profile through extensive media coverage and has been recognized with the Cardiss Collins Trailblazer Award. She holds a Master’s in Nonprofit Management and has completed programs at Harvard and Northwestern. Brenda’s innovative approach and commitment to social impact make her a respected entrepreneur and speaker.