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Distance Traveled: Cliff Worley

At the Kapor Center, we have the privilege of working with talented individuals across the Kapor Family of organizations that come from many different backgrounds. Many have faced barriers that result in a hustle that no elite education can teach, something we like to call Distance Traveled. As we celebrate Black History Month, we’re proud to introduce Cliff Worley and his Distance Traveled story.

Cliff is an Oakland, CA native, marketing expert, and the Senior Director of Portfolio Growth Marketing at Kapor Capital, a venture capital firm that has invested exclusively in early-stage startups that close gaps of access for all since 2011.

Cliff was raised in West Oakland and faced many challenges growing up as a black man in a single-parent household. Despite these difficulties, Worley fell in love with marketing which took him on a path he said was “worth taking the risk for.”

Cliff received his MBA from Babson FW Olin Graduate School of Business and moved to New York after graduation to work with Daymond John of ABC’s Shark Tank. From New York to the Bay Area, Cliff never lost sight of what he truly wanted to do.

After moving back to Oakland, Cliff learned of Freada Kapor Klein and Mitch Kapor and their work to diversify the tech industry headquartered in his hometown. This was the exact problem he was also trying to solve and today works to help Kapor Capital portfolio companies grow and scale through digital marketing and engagement.

“There were so many organizations and people that gave back to me and helped push me forward into the position I am today. I feel the need to do it for everybody else that’s coming up behind me. Without that, I would have never made it coming out of Oakland.” — Cliff Worley

Watch the full video above to hear Cliff’s story and learn more about the distance traveled to Kapor Capital.