Ariel DeNey Rainey

Ariel DeNey Rainey is an award-winning social impact leader, policy advocate and strategist whose work centers on strengthening families and creating opportunities for mothers to lead. A proud native of Chicago’s Englewood community, Rainey is the Founder and CEO of Hustle Mommies, a social service organization serving mothers and families across Illinois and Maryland. She has transformed her lived experiences into a career spanning community safety, economic opportunity, parent advocacy and public policy.

Under Rainey’s leadership, Hustle Mommies has served thousands of families and awarded more than $150,000 to women entrepreneurs while supporting families impacted by gun violence. Its signature initiatives—including Paint the Hood Orange, #EducateUS, Mom Means Business and Pitch Like a Mom—address education, entrepreneurship, community safety and the elevation of mothers as advocates and decision-makers. Rainey is also the founder of White Starr Consulting, where her work encompasses branding, government relations, communications and community engagement.

Rainey earned a Master of Arts in Public Policy and Administration from Northwestern University, recently completed her MBA studies and is beginning graduate studies in social work at Howard University. An Obama Foundation Leader, she has also participated in the University of Chicago Community Violence Intervention Leadership Academy, where she is advancing “Hood Trauma,” her conceptual framework for examining the cumulative effects of chronic community violence, grief, loss and trauma.

Beyond her professional work, Rainey is the proud mother of two college-aged children. An avid reader, she also makes volunteering a regular part of her life, dedicating time each month to different organizations—a personal commitment that reflects the service-centered philosophy behind her work.