Logo
Rachael Chong Headshot
Report a problem with this profile
[email protected]

Rachael Chong  

Founder and CEO of Catchafire

Rachael Chong is founder and CEO of Catchafire, the nation's leading online pro bono network that connects talent and purpose. Chong is a social entrepreneur and a visionary leader. Prior to Catchafire, she helped start up BRAC USA by strategically utilizing pro bono talent. Fresh off this success, Chong founded Catchafire in 2009 with a vision to create a more efficient and effective social good sector, and a world where it is commonplace to serve for the greater good.

Catchafire has been featured in The New York Times, Mashable, NPR, FOX Business, CNN Money, Crain's, Forbes, Fast Company, TechCrunch and Daily Candy. In 2012, Chong received the prestigious NYC Venture Fellowship, the Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Award, and was named one of Fast Company’s most 100 creative people in Business 2012.

She has a Master of Public Policy Degree from Duke University and graduated magna cum laude from Barnard College at Columbia University.

Speech Topics

Rethinking Giving + Scaling Social Impact

Presented with the realities of poverty as well as luck of circumstance at a young age, Rachael Chong committed her life to empowering others to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. She calls on an array of experiences that have shaped her belief in generosity. Whether it be utilizing pro bono relationships to raise millions of dollars to scale an affiliate of one of the largest nonprofits in the world (BRAC USA) or devising creative tricks to supply beggars in Bangladesh with aid that wouldn’t end up in the hands of the corrupt, or developing a solution to reinvent the way we give, Rachael’s multiyear exploration of generosity challenges listeners to get in touch with their empathetic side. She believes that all people should have the opportunity to be transformed by a positive volunteer experience and that all social good organizations should have access to top talent. She asks nonprofit leaders to think strategically about the human capital available to them and encourages individuals to volunteer the best of themselves—their skills and talents—to amplify their power to change the world.

Employee Engagement 2.0

Rachael Chong believes that every company has the opportunity to infuse meaning into the workplace. With employee disengagement rates reaching 70%, she knows that companies must think of new, creative ways to engage their employees, while also tapping into the needs of the millennial generation who will make up 75% of the workforce by 2020. The millennial generation is highly motivated by the opportunity to make a difference in the world and companies must address these unique values through quality volunteer service programs. Capitalizing on an understanding of her own generation, Rachael shares insights on how to think about making the business case for service and also how to think about investments for these types of programs. Her work provides proof that holistic and well-tailored engagement programs have the potential to enhance the company’s bottom line while increasing employee morale, productivity and return on investment. Rachael’s goal is to inspire leaders to rethink the way companies interact with their stakeholders, ultimately inspiring a new wave of employee engagement programs. Empowering the millennial generation—which prioritizes giving back—to become leaders and changemakers in the workforce will undoubtedly make our world a better place.

Related Speakers View all

More like Rachael