# Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins

> Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins is the co-founder and CEO of Promise, an Oakland-based govtech company valued at $520 million that helps municipalities and utilities offer zero-interest payment plans to struggling residents. A former union organizer turned labor federation executive turned music manager for Prince, she now runs a platform that has reached 5 million+ households across 20+ states, proving that treating people with dignity is not just ethical — it is a business model. Named #247 on the Forbes Self-Made 250, she built Promise from a YC Winter 2018 bet to a $23 million-funded company generating $33M+ in annual revenue.

- **Role:** Co-Founder and CEO at Promise
- **Organizations:** Promise, Y Combinator (Alumni, W18), Green For All, South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council, Working Partnerships USA, Partnership for Working Families, Honor, New World Foundation, Women's Fund of Silicon Valley, California Forward Leadership Council
- **From:** California, United States
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Bachelor's degree, California State University, Northridge
- **Known for:** Named #247 on Forbes Self-Made 250 — the 250 greatest living self-made Americans, Built Promise into a $520 million company, Raised $20M Series A — one of the largest rounds for a Black, women-led startup

## Career timeline

- **1998** — Graduated CSUN; joined SEIU Local 715 as union organizer in San Jose, focusing on home health care workers
- **2000s** — Joined Working Partnerships USA as education coordinator; rose to Executive Director within five years
- **2000s** — Became Executive Director of South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council, representing 100+ unions and 110,000 members
- **2000s** — Expanded nation's first county-based universal children's health insurance program to cover 160,000+ children
- **2003** — Founded Partnership for Working Families, a national coalition for workers and communities
- **2009** — Joined Green For All as CEO; secured $860 million for green job training in House climate bill
- **2014** — Began working with musician Prince as digital-rights management advisor and manager
- **2016** — Helped Prince secure lifelong goal of master ownership of his recordings; Prince passes away
- **2015** — Joined Honor as Head of Care (in-home care technology startup, San Francisco)
- **2017** — Co-founded Promise with Diana Frappier; initially focused on criminal justice bail reform
- **2018** — Accepted into Y Combinator Winter 2018 batch without a prototype or engineer
- **2018** — Pivoted Promise from bail reform to utility and government payment infrastructure
- **2021** — Closed $20M Series A round — one of the largest for a Black, women-led startup; backed by Kapor Capital, Bronze, First Round Capital
- **2024** — Named #247 on Forbes Self-Made 250; Promise valued at $520 million
- **2024** — Promise reaches 5M+ households across 20+ states

## Achievements

- Named #247 on Forbes Self-Made 250 — the 250 greatest living self-made Americans
- Built Promise into a $520 million company
- Raised $20M Series A — one of the largest rounds for a Black, women-led startup
- Promise serves 5M+ households across 20+ states
- Secured $860 million for green job training in the U.S. House-approved climate bill
- Expanded the first county-based universal children's health insurance program to 160,000+ children
- Helped musician Prince secure ownership of his master recordings
- Founded Partnership for Working Families in 2003, a national labor-community coalition
- Led South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council representing 110,000+ union members
- Created one of the first community benefits agreements in the United States
- Silver Spur Award (2018)
- Named one of 100 most powerful people in Silicon Valley by San Jose Magazine
- Silicon Valley Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree
- 2009 Visionary Leadership Award
- Y Combinator Winter 2018 alumni
- 93% repayment rate on Promise's flexible payment programs vs. less than 25% for traditional government programs

## Latest updates

- **2024-08** — Featured in Forbes; Promise valued at $520 million; named #247 on Forbes Self-Made 250
- **2024** — Promise reaches 5M+ households across 20+ U.S. states with payment assistance programs
- **2021-02** — Closed $20M Series A funding round, backed by Kapor Capital, Bronze, and First Round Capital

## Links

- Website: https://joinpromise.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/phaedra-ellis-lamkins-9b51206
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterat43/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/phaedra-ellis-lamkins
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-24