Janelle Alba Garner is a human-centered entrepreneur and equity advocate based in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood. After graduating from the University of St. Thomas in 2021 with a degree in Justice and Peace Studies and American Culture and Difference, she founded Janelle Jasmine Virtual Solutions to help good people do great work, better.
Guided by her values, Janelle partners with mission-driven women of color across Chicago’s South and West Sides to strengthen their systems, structure, and strategy so they can drive change sustainably. She believes organizations can achieve even greater impact when they intentionally build structures that protect their teams’ well-being and capacity. Committed to ending the cycle of self-sacrifice in the name of service, she helps co-create solutions that honor both the work and those doing it.
Through Change Collective, Janelle is focused on building partnerships and expanding access to resources for organizations across the city. She’s strengthening her ability to guide, advise, and speak with confidence while connecting leaders to the knowledge and networks they need to succeed.
When she’s not at her desk, Janelle spends time baking, reading, and running around with her partner, Ryan, and their two dobermans, Nas and Nala.