The TeamWorks Development Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. It partners with worker-owned house cleaning cooperatives and community organizations to transform a $10 billion industry characterized by "dead-end" low wage jobs into an arena for powerful economic and social development. The organization was formally established in 2016 but grew directly out of founder David Smathers Moore's 12 years of experience developing the TeamWorks Cleaning cooperative and consulting with other cooperatives.
The staff, consultanting team, and board of directors are committed to creating the Institute as a self-managing organization using "teal" principles adapted from the groundbreaking book Reinventing Organizations by Frederic Laloux. Accordingly we do not generally use staff titles but rather are building partnership based on a deep sense of shared purpose and colleague agreements.
The staff, consultanting team, and board of directors are committed to creating the Institute as a self-managing organization using "teal" principles adapted from the groundbreaking book Reinventing Organizations by Frederic Laloux. Accordingly we do not generally use staff titles but rather are building partnership based on a deep sense of shared purpose and colleague agreements.
Team
Elizabeth Arredondo, apprenticing consultant
Elizabeth works primarily at TeamWorks Cleaning where she started cleaning houses in 2008 soon after immigrating from Nayarit, Mexico. A few laters she started helping to create invoices for the co-op and learning Quickbooks. Her role in the office grew over the years and she now spends most of her time doing accounting, running payroll, and serving as a member of the co-op's management team.
In 2014, she began teaching and consulting with other cooperatives, while continuing to work principally as a member-owner of TeamWorks Cleaning.
Elizabeth served for four years on the board of the Democracy at Work Institute (DAWI), a national resource for cooperative development affiliated with the U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives. She has presented at several national conferences and is a graduate of in DAWI's eight-month co-op leadership program Líderes Cooperativistas en Acción.
Elizabeth works primarily at TeamWorks Cleaning where she started cleaning houses in 2008 soon after immigrating from Nayarit, Mexico. A few laters she started helping to create invoices for the co-op and learning Quickbooks. Her role in the office grew over the years and she now spends most of her time doing accounting, running payroll, and serving as a member of the co-op's management team.
In 2014, she began teaching and consulting with other cooperatives, while continuing to work principally as a member-owner of TeamWorks Cleaning.
Elizabeth served for four years on the board of the Democracy at Work Institute (DAWI), a national resource for cooperative development affiliated with the U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives. She has presented at several national conferences and is a graduate of in DAWI's eight-month co-op leadership program Líderes Cooperativistas en Acción.
Bianca Sánchez, apprenticing consultant
Bianca works primarily at TeamWorks Cleaning where she was one of the three founding members of TeamWorks Cleaning when it was first formally established in 2006. She leads recruitment, training, and quality support and is a member of the co-op's management team.
In 2014, she began teaching and consulting with other cooperatives, while continuing to work principally as a member-owner of TeamWorks Cleaning. .
Bianca completed the Democracy at Work Institute's eight-month co-op leadership training program Líderes Cooperativistas en Acción. She is originally from Puebla, Mexico.
Bianca works primarily at TeamWorks Cleaning where she was one of the three founding members of TeamWorks Cleaning when it was first formally established in 2006. She leads recruitment, training, and quality support and is a member of the co-op's management team.
In 2014, she began teaching and consulting with other cooperatives, while continuing to work principally as a member-owner of TeamWorks Cleaning. .
Bianca completed the Democracy at Work Institute's eight-month co-op leadership training program Líderes Cooperativistas en Acción. She is originally from Puebla, Mexico.
David Smathers Moore, founder
In 2004, David started cleaning houses and building a small cleaning company. After a 15 year career in nonprofit organizations, he started learning business and cooperative development from the ground up. In 2006, David, Adriana Sanchez, and Bianca Sanchez, became the founding members of TeamWorks Cleaning when they formally established it as a cooperative. It has grown to sustain 20 full-time living wage positions with health insurance, many other benefits, and professional advancement pathways.
David was twice elected to the board of the U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives and served as the first board president of the Democracy at Work Institute (DAWI). He has done work with the Arizmendi Association of Cooperatives and served as the Director of Cooperative Development at Women's Action to Gain Economic Security (WAGES, now Prospera). He was certified as a co-op Peer Advisor by the Democracy at Work Network (DAWN).
Before dedicating himself to cooperative development, David had a career in community organizing and community development, including with PACT, the PICO National Network’s affiliate in San Jose; the Center for Labor and Community Research (now Manufacturing Renaissance, in Chicago); and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. He is a graduate of Hampshire College (Amherst, MA) where he studied social sciences with a focus on economic development.
In 2004, David started cleaning houses and building a small cleaning company. After a 15 year career in nonprofit organizations, he started learning business and cooperative development from the ground up. In 2006, David, Adriana Sanchez, and Bianca Sanchez, became the founding members of TeamWorks Cleaning when they formally established it as a cooperative. It has grown to sustain 20 full-time living wage positions with health insurance, many other benefits, and professional advancement pathways.
David was twice elected to the board of the U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives and served as the first board president of the Democracy at Work Institute (DAWI). He has done work with the Arizmendi Association of Cooperatives and served as the Director of Cooperative Development at Women's Action to Gain Economic Security (WAGES, now Prospera). He was certified as a co-op Peer Advisor by the Democracy at Work Network (DAWN).
Before dedicating himself to cooperative development, David had a career in community organizing and community development, including with PACT, the PICO National Network’s affiliate in San Jose; the Center for Labor and Community Research (now Manufacturing Renaissance, in Chicago); and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. He is a graduate of Hampshire College (Amherst, MA) where he studied social sciences with a focus on economic development.
Board of Directors
Ivette Melendez, Treasurer
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, Redwood City
Ivette first joined the planning and launch of a cooperative in 1995, soon after she arrived in East Palo Alto as a single mother from worn-torn El Salvador. She says the experience completely transformed her life. That co-op was the first launched by the group then known as WAGES, a nonprofit where Ivette then went on to work for 18 years as a co-op trainer and coach. She has played a key role in the launch of five immigrant-owned cooperatives.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, Redwood City
Ivette first joined the planning and launch of a cooperative in 1995, soon after she arrived in East Palo Alto as a single mother from worn-torn El Salvador. She says the experience completely transformed her life. That co-op was the first launched by the group then known as WAGES, a nonprofit where Ivette then went on to work for 18 years as a co-op trainer and coach. She has played a key role in the launch of five immigrant-owned cooperatives.
Ingrid Hernández, Secretary
Product Manager, Oportun
Ingrid Is from Guatemala and grew up in East Palo Alto. She graduated from Stanford University in 2010 with a degree in Management Science and Engineering. She worked at TeamWorks Cleaning as an operations and sales manager and has been active in the "dreamer" movement for many years.
Her poetry was published in Harvard Educational Review's 2011 special edition on Immigration, Youth, and Education.
Product Manager, Oportun
Ingrid Is from Guatemala and grew up in East Palo Alto. She graduated from Stanford University in 2010 with a degree in Management Science and Engineering. She worked at TeamWorks Cleaning as an operations and sales manager and has been active in the "dreamer" movement for many years.
Her poetry was published in Harvard Educational Review's 2011 special edition on Immigration, Youth, and Education.
Jennifer Martínez, Ph.D., President
Faith in Action
Jennifer is a community organizer leading efforts to address growing economic disparity and displacement in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her organization was one of three in a coalition that rsecured an agreement with Facebook to invest $20 million in affordable housing and economic opportunities for the communities surrounding its campus.
She holds a Bachelors of Arts from Stanford University in political science and government and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Nottingham.
Faith in Action
Jennifer is a community organizer leading efforts to address growing economic disparity and displacement in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her organization was one of three in a coalition that rsecured an agreement with Facebook to invest $20 million in affordable housing and economic opportunities for the communities surrounding its campus.
She holds a Bachelors of Arts from Stanford University in political science and government and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Nottingham.
David Smathers Moore, board member
(see bio above)
(see bio above)
