Kristen Ragain

Kristen Ragain brings 15+ years of corporate philanthropy expertise and currently serves as the founding Managing Director of the REI Cooperative Action Fund with a mission to create a more equitable outdoors. Founded by REI Co-op in 2021, the Fund is a public charity that gives grants to nonprofit organizations across the country that connects historically excluded communities to the outdoors and create more equitable access to nature. The Fund raises money from REI’s 20 million members and more than 15,000 employees, to support the movement to build a more inclusive and accessible outdoors. Prior to her leadership role at the Fund, Kristen led REI’s corporate philanthropy that aimed to connect people to the outdoors and protect and steward outdoor places/public lands. She also served as the Vice President of the REI Foundation starting in 2018. Kristen started her career spending almost a decade in the environmental education field, which was followed by an entrepreneurial stint before joining REI Co-op in 2007. Kristen lives in the greater Seattle area and loves to camp, backpack and hike with her family.