Role: Senior Advisor

Yolanda “Cookie” Parker is an executive advisor, philanthropist, and community activist whose mission is centered on economic, social, and political equity. As a seasoned entrepreneur her expertise is in the field of technology where she created the first digital onboarding software for HR departments. Parker’s firm, KMS Software, whose global clients included GE, KPMG, O’Melveny & Myers, bebe, TD Ameritrade, and Citigroup among others, was acquired by SAP in 2013.

In addition to the National Foster Youth Institute, Parker currently is a board member for nonprofits such as People For The American Way Foundation (Board Chair) and VoteRiders. Through her work with The Brain Trust, Parker also raised substantial funds for brain cancer research at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. In 2019, she co-founded Yes2Jobs, a non-profit whose mission is to change the economic paradigm for under-resourced communities by improving opportunities for advancement, empowerment, & financial equity. Yes2Jobs is focused on developing a pipeline of exceptionally qualified individuals of color for the tech, creative arts, health care and financial industries.

Parker served on President Obama’s 2008 & 2012 National Finance Committees, the original finance team for The Common Purpose Project, and was a DNC Presidential Partner. Additionally, she was a National Co-Chair for Technology for Obama (T4O), was appointed to the Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee for the United States Export-Import Bank, worked with Environment California & Environment America to produce a study presented at the UN Copenhagen Climate Conference, and has been published by Employment Relations Today.

Yolanda Parker received her BA and MA degrees from New York University. She is based in Los Angeles and has a son, daughter, and grandson.