Stephanie Cornell

Stephanie Cornell is a social entrepreneur and thought leader, serving as executive director of the Walton Family Foundation. In this role, Cornell oversees all aspects of the foundation’s operations, including strategic grantmaking, planning, and evaluation, working with a team of more than 100 staff across multiple locations. The foundation advances its mission to create access to opportunity by focusing on improving education, protecting rivers and oceans, and investing in the economic vitality of Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta. Cornell’s leadership includes initiatives that expand business opportunities, enhance housing access, and strengthen environmental stewardship through climate-smart agricultural practices and fisheries management.

Before joining the Walton Family Foundation, Cornell was managing director at Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation, a venture philanthropy firm supporting early-stage, high-impact social enterprises. She is also the co-founder of several social ventures, including Strategic Grant Partners, Project Healthy Children (now Sanku), and the Maranyundo Initiative, reflecting her commitment to innovative solutions for complex social challenges. Cornell’s expertise includes advisory roles with organizations such as The Elevate Prize and the One8 Foundation, and she has served as board chair for Fathers’ UpLift.

Cornell’s career includes guiding organizations through periods of growth and transformation, establishing her as a leader in the social impact sector. She is a fellow of Harvard’s Advanced Leadership Initiative and holds degrees from Oberlin College and Stanford University. Her public speaking engagements, including appearances at major forums such as Aspen Ideas Festival, highlight her advocacy for collaborative problem-solving and her focus on systemic change in philanthropy and nonprofit leadership.