Kevin F. Adler

Founder & Board Chair, Miracle Messages; Author, Sociologist, Social Entrepreneur

Kevin F. Adler is an award-winning social entrepreneur and the author of the new book, When We Walk By, a must-read guide for ending homelessness in America. He serves as Founder and Board Chair of Miracle Messages, a nonprofit that helps people experiencing homelessness rebuild their social support systems and financial security through family reunification services, a phone buddy program, and the first basic income pilot for unhoused individuals in the US, backed by Google.org and as part of a $2.1 million randomized control trial led by researchers at USC. Kevin’s pioneering work on homelessness and relational poverty has been featured in many major media outlets, including New York Times, CNN, on a billboard in Times Square, and TED Talk.

As a public speaker, Kevin has given talks at esteemed institution including The Commonwealth Club, HUD, Google, UC Berkeley, and more. Kevin has received many honors including as a Presidential Leadership Scholar, TED Resident, and Rotary scholar, for which he served one year in Oaxaca, Mexico. Prior to his work tackling homelessness, Kevin co-founded three education technology startups: alumn.us (acquired), Entangled Group (acquired), and BetterGrads (nonprofit).

Kevin received his MPhil in sociology from the University of Cambridge and his BA in politics from Occidental College, where he was the 2018 Young Alumnus of the Year and where President Obama’s favorite professor said, “in 40 years of teaching, Kevin is the single best student I’ve ever had.” Motivated by his late mother’s work teaching at underserved adult schools and nursing homes, and his late uncle’s 30 years living on the streets, Kevin believes in a future where everyone is recognized as invaluable and interconnected.