Cherrelle Gardner

Executive Director, Co-op Dayton

Cherrelle Gardner, a Kettering Foundation 2026 Dayton Democracy Fellow, joined Co-op Dayton in 2020 to help build the just economy that Dayton deserves. Originally from Columbus, she moved to Dayton to study at the University of Dayton and has since made the city her home. She holds a master’s degree in education from Wright State University and previously worked in diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education. Gardner’s commitment to community and democratic participation in economic life led her to Co-op Dayton as a member-owner of the Gem City Market cooperative and as a facilitator and leader for other cooperative projects, including a trucking co-op, fitness co-op, and real estate investment cooperative. At Co-op Dayton, Gardner advances cooperative and democratic ownership models that strengthen local voices and distribute economic power to community members. She supports the creation and incubation of cooperative enterprises that are rooted in community needs and governed democratically by their members, helping ensure that decisions about jobs, goods, and services are shaped by the people they impact most. Gardner’s leadership is grounded in a deep belief that everyday people working together through democratic cooperative structures can transform economic systems and expand opportunity, dignity, and wealth building in historically underserved neighborhoods. Her work reflects a commitment to community empowerment, collective ownership, and inclusive economic democracy.