Emerge is a workplace-based wellness program that helps every employee plan a sound financial future. We provide dynamic financial wellness assessments, best-in-class financial education resources and one-on-one counseling and credit-building products resulting in more productive and happier employees. Our proven program is a values-driven business started by a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. Companies across the country seek out Emerge because they know financial stress takes a toll on the health and productivity of their workforce. 

Emerge is a social business with a  commitment to helping employees successfully reach their financial goal. Only with this explicit commitment can our business truly be a powerful force for positive social change.

The Team

Jonathan Harrison is the founding CEO of Emerge and a social entrepreneur dedicated to finding market based solutions to social problems. Immediately prior to starting Emerge, Jonathan was the Operations Director at Rubicon National Social Innovations.

Jonathan has a background in community development finance and was the Business Development Director at MACED (Mountain Association for Community Economic Development), where he led lending programs and was instrumental in developing a social innovation technology solution to combat predatory payday lending.

Earlier in his career, Jonathan co-founded alt.Consulting, a mission driven consulting firm and social enterprise and led the organization as Executive Director for its first five years. In addition to starting and operating entrepreneurial ventures including food coops and a non-profit bakery/apprenticeship program, he was an adjunct professor and business trainer at the Xi’an Institute of Finance and Economics in China and has traveled extensively throughout Asia. Jonathan has an MBA from the Yale School of Management.

If he doesn’t answer the phone on the first ring, he’s probably out in the back smoking a brisket or pork shoulder low and slow or getting walked by the dogs in the dry creek.

Heidi Weller

Heidi has over 16 years of experience leading projects in management consulting, and public policy program research and evaluation. She has worked with both private and public sector clients, ranging from global organizations to local start-ups. First with Deloitte and later with Capgemini, she partnered with varied clients to support strategic planning initiatives, new business development, and operational improvements. Heidi's additional experience at ICF/Kaiser and PRC/Tetra Tech involved developing and evaluating programs for the US EPA, regional and local governments; and designing and implementing community relations programs for the US Navy's base clean-up efforts. She is also a founding team member of The Savvy Source, a web resource serving new parents.

Her work in education includes serving as an Adjunct Advisor for UC Berkeley's Haas graduate business program, as a Trustee on the Ross Valley Schoolk Board, and as a board member for the YES Foundation, fundraising for local public schools. Heidi has a BS in Political Economy from UC Berkeley, and an MBA from Yale.

When she gets the chance, Heidi can be found cycling and hiking north of the Golden Gate Bridge, planning her next trip, and scouring Mental Floss.

Caitlin Cogdill works as a Program Associate for Emerge. She is a recent graduate of UC Berkeley, and as a double major has earned Bachelor’s Degrees in English and History. Originally from San Diego, she is a recent transplant in San Francisco and is enjoying the many opportunities afforded by such a vibrant city.

Her interest in human rights work and social justice began as a longtime volunteer at the San Diego Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired, but she has participated in a wide number of community outreach programs and is dedicated the study of international human rights policy. She loves dancing, relaxing in the sunshine, and immersing herself in all things French.

Camille Blomgren is the Program Manager at Emerge. Before joining Emerge, she was responsible for the inner workings of a successful mobile technology start-up focused on providing mobile solutions to non-profit organizations.

As a graduate of San Francisco State University with a B.A. in printmaking and art history, Camille recently spent a year living in Florence, Italy to practice Italian and emerge herself in the arts and culture. As an avid member of a few local book clubs Camille likes to spend her free time curled up with a good book, or on sunny days, at one of the many beautiful parks the City has to offer.

Jordan Kenney joined Emerge part-time in October 2012 while still studying as an undergraduate at San Francisco State University. After graduating with a BA in Political Science, Jordan joined Emerge as a full-time member of the sales team where he is currently working to support the growth and development of the sales program. When he’s not working, he enjoys studying Arabic, staying up on current events, and kayaking in the San Francisco Bay.

Anna is the Customer Service Representative for Emerge. She was born and raised in San Francisco, and recently graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Political Economy. As an undergraduate she spent half a year studying abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Anna is interested in working with disruptive technologies and innovative ideas. When she's not talking to clients and customers, she enjoys long distance running, yoga and trying new cooking recipes.

Roth Herrlinger is a Founding Advisor to Emerge. He has two decades’ experience working with for-profit and not-for-profit companies in a wide variety of industries throughout the United States and worldwide. He specializes in creating sustainable improvements by leading cross-functional teams to develop productive, intuitive systems and processes. He has worked with startups and established firms as both a senior executive and an outside consultant, leading teams in operations, strategic planning, process improvement, product development, and new business development.

Roth is a founder of Universal Transactions (first U.S. foreign investment firm in Nizhniy Novgorod, Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union), The Handy Guy (home remodeling and repairs in Los Angeles), and Herrlinger Management & Consulting. His passion is to create sustainable, profitable enterprises built on a foundation of integrity and effective communication. He is also an avid pianist, composer and triathlete. Roth holds an AB in Russian Language and Soviet Studies from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

We are currently accepting applications for Operations Internship and Marketing Internship.

Our Partners

Emerge works with mission-aligned banks and credit unions around the country. Emerge has launched with Express Credit Union in Washington state, Liberty Bank in the New Orleans Gulf Region, and St. Louis Community Credit Union in the greater St. Louis area.

Emerge partners with SurePath Financial Solutions, American Financial Solutions and InCharge to offer high-quality financial coaching to our customers.

Emerge partner ScoreLogix helps us make the loan application process easy while offering the lowest possible rates to customers. Our partner FEI helps us to bring our financial wellness solution to more employers nationwide. SaveUp's partnership with Emerge offers employers a new way to incentive ongoing wellness program participation by offering an engaging reward system for good financial choices. Emerge is proud to be a member of the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education.