Background & Practice
My work sits at the intersection of workforce development, employee ownership, and job quality. I have led regional business engagement strategy within a major workforce system, advised state and national intermediaries, and currently serve in leadership roles advancing employee ownership across the Southeast.
I am a Job Quality Fellow with the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program and collaborate with state centers, funders, and cross-sector partners to align narrative and strategy in service of stronger businesses and broader opportunity.
Current strategic projects reflect active work, but the through-line is consistent: translating complex economic systems into practical strategy that strengthens institutions and expands access to ownership and quality jobs.
Together with Shawn Michael Merfalen, my partner in creative work (and life), we envision a better future for everyone who works in America.
Rachel Eva Merfalen
Founder & Principal Consultant
Shawn Michael Merfalen
Filmmaker and Creative Director
Film for the Future
Narrative has always been a quiet driver of social change. It humanizes policy, grounds strategy in lived experience, and expands what people believe is possible. When ownership and job quality are reduced to frameworks and acronyms, they remain abstract. When they are embodied in real people making real decisions, they become tangible.
Through documentary film and cinematic interviews, we center the voices of business owners and workers navigating questions of succession, responsibility, and shared prosperity. These films are not promotional pieces. They are grounded portraits of people building companies differently.
Shawn Michael Merfalen leads the creative direction and production behind this work. With a deep instinct for visual storytelling and an ability to capture authentic moments, he brings craft, clarity, and emotional depth to every project.
Together, we believe that if we want a different future of work, we must tell different stories about ownership and leadership.
Get in touch
Interested in working together? Make an introduction and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!