Karla Ballard

Founder and CEO
HUMN.World

Karla Ballard is the Founder & CEO of HUMN.World, a fintech leveraging the blockchain, helping people turn their relationships, skills, and everyday interactions into real economic opportunity. Over the past decade she’s been preparing HUMN to support the shift toward a more flexible, human-centered economy—where people can earn, collaborate, and build income through trusted networks. She often speaks on the “Sharing Economy” towards “Shareable Economies”  She combines community-driven gig models with community contribution scoring, blockchain infrastructure, and stablecoin payments, HUMN creates a simple path from connection to earning.

Karla brings experience across civic leadership, technology, and economic development. She Co-Founded with her mentor Jim Gilliam Sr., the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League in DE, a former appointee to the FCC, and was the Vice Presidential candidate on the Independent ticket in 2020. Born and raised in Germantown, Philadelphia, she is a descendant of Vice President Aaron Burr.

Her work is grounded in a simple belief: when people are connected and equipped, they can build stronger, more resilient economies together.