Carley Kammerer began her career as a social worker and brings over a decade of knowledge supporting youth experiencing homelessness. Her work has spanned roles including case manager, street outreach worker, shelter staff, and drop-in advocate, giving her a deep, firsthand understanding of the barriers young people face.

In 2017, Carley co-founded Wildflyer Coffee, a nonprofit coffee company that creates employment opportunities for youth experiencing homelessness and housing instability. Inspired by the challenges her clients faced in securing and sustaining employment, she helped design a four-month workforce development program. Participants gain the skills, support, and real-world experience needed to secure jobs, build stability, and move out of homelessness.

As Executive Director, Carley leads fundraising, community engagement, strategic growth, and organizational vision for Wildflyer. Her leadership has helped position the organization as a nationally recognized model at the intersection of social enterprise and workforce development. 

Carley’s work has earned widespread recognition, including the 2022 Sprudge 20 Award, the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal 40 Under 40 Award, WomenVenture’s Social Entrepreneur of the Year, and the 2025 Les Dames d’Escoffier International Award for Culinary Entrepreneurship. 

Under her leadership, Wildflyer Coffee has received numerous honors, including the Mutual of America Community Partnership Award, the St. Paul Business Award, the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits Mission Award for Innovation, and the Avivo Champion Award.