ABOUT US
Our Team
Building a more inclusive organization from the inside out
Our own executive leadership and staff is built around the knowledge that our diverse skill sets and backgrounds help us develop innovative financial products and services that will make a meaningful impact for women, their families and communities.
Christina Maynes
Regional Head, Southeast Asia
Kalpana Ajayan
Regional Head, South Asia
Women’s World Banking, Inc.
Women’s World Banking, Inc. is a New York-formed not-for-profit corporation classified as a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Women’s World Banking is governed by a Board of Directors, comprised of recognized leaders in banking, finance, law, and women’s economic participation. The Women’s World Banking Board has fiduciary responsibility for the organization and is charged with approving the organization’s policies, strategies, and annual budgets. The Board meets quarterly.
Officers
Janet Truncale
Vice Chair and Regional Managing Partner of the Americas Financial Services Organization, EY
Chair
Directors
Emer Dooley
Professor at the University of Washington
Rupal Patil
Partner at EY
Zouera Youssoufou
Managing Director & CEO of the Aliko Dangote Foundation
Seema Hingorani
Managing Director at Morgan Stanley Investment Management (MSIM) Founder and Chair of Girls Who Invest
Honorary Members for Life
Ela Bhatt
Former Board Chair of Women’s World Banking Founder of SEWA
Michaela Walsh
Founding President of Women’s World Banking
Stichting to Promote Women’s World Banking Board of Directors
Women’s World Banking is a Dutch registered Stichting, or charity organization. Women’s World Banking is governed by a Board of Directors, all of whom are long-standing champions of Women’s World Banking and are recognized leaders in law, business, and finance. This Board is responsible for overseeing the activities of SWWB in its capacity as an international organization supporting Women’s World Banking, Inc.’s programs and activities.
Directors
Elizabeth Munson
President and Chairman of Rockefeller Trust Company, National Association
Sylvia Fung Chin
Partner at White & Case LLP.
For inquiries about the board, please email board@womensworldbanking.org.
Southeast Asia Advisory Council
Formed in 2018 under the auspices of Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Southeast Asia Advisory Council informs Women’s World Banking’s regional strategy and advocates for women’s financial inclusion across Southeast Asia.
Council Members
ZINO DANIEL AFIEGBE
Senior Relationship Manager, Africa
Zino Afiegbe is a Senior Relationship Manager in the Network team at Women’s World Banking, responsible for Business Development, Relationship Management and provision of Strategy support, in collaboration with member institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa. Digital Financial Services has been an underlying theme throughout his career, which has spanned pan-regional financial services providers, including Guaranty Trust Bank and First Bank, where he sustained cohesive teams that launched pacesetting international and domestic payment programs. Zino also worked with Visa, where at different times he served as Country Manager for Nigeria, Ghana and The Gambia, sustaining market share, driving customer loyalty and building brand preference. In addition to completing a variety of leadership, business development & strategy programs from Lagos Business School, Visa Business School & MasterCard Academy, Zino holds a Bachelor’s degree in Actuarial Science from the University of Lagos and is an alumnus of Oxford University’s Saïd Business School Fintech program.
AJIT AGARWAL
Manger, Development & Advocacy, India
Ajit Agarwal joined Women’s World Banking India Team as a Product Manager. He is supporting in designing and delivering savings, credit and digital financial initiatives for low income women in India and Bangladesh. Ajit is also supporting fund raising and network building activities for South Asia. Previously, Ajit worked with PricewaterhouseCoopers Government Advisory team as an Associate Director and managed projects pertaining to financial inclusion, MSME development & financing, FinTech, credit underwriting using alternate data and, women entrepreneurship for nearly a decade with projects spanning primarily across South Asia (Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Srilanka). Ajit holds an Executive Post Graduate Diploma in International Business from Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), New Delhi.
Soji Akinyele
Director of Policy, Africa
Soji Akinyele is a trained economist, government relations expert and senior management leader. He joins Women’s World Banking as Policy and Advocacy Director for Africa, after his time at the Nigerian Stock Exchange where he was advocating policies on behalf of the over $120 billion capital market ecosystem. Prior to this, Soji was an Advisor and Technical Assistant within the Office of the Vice President of Nigeria, where he was instrumental in the implementation of policy reforms in the ‘trade & investment cluster’ at national and subnational levels. This led to Nigeria’s remarkable rise by 39 places, in the World Bank’s ‘Ease of doing business’ rankings. He spent the early part of his career in research and consulting roles with the World Economic Forum (WEF), Africa CEO Forum, UNDP and UK-DfID among others. Soji enjoys playing tennis, swimming and listening to classical music.
Jacquie Amacher
Director of Communications & Marketing
Jacquie Amacher is the Director of Global Communications & Marketing with experience in working in digital payments, fintechs and microfinance organizations, and is an proven marketing and communications leader in highly innovative and fast-moving environments. Vast experience building brands, teams, and marketing operations on agency and client-side, Fortune 100 companies, and technology start-ups. After a fast-paced career in corporate marketing, advertising agency account management, and new tech ventures, Jacquie shifted focus to early-stage tech companies and has helped architect brand 'rudders' to drive customer acquisition and communications strategies, enable sales teams, and create industry recognition and credibility through compelling thought leadership. Prior to Women's World Banking, Jacquie led early stage fintechs’ communications strategies and actively mentored at start-up founders through Tech Stars and 1871. Most relevantly, she held the position of VP Global Marketing at San Francisco fintech and microlender to the underbanked, Juvo, where she positioned and launched the company from stealth mode onto the global stage, and built an organization to drive top-line revenue and lead the brand story through a successful Series B funding round and incremental growth into new global markets. She brings over 20 years of experience in growing businesses in the mobile technology ecosystem through compelling and complex marketing strategies and programs. Jacquie was at the forefront of high-profile product and digital mobile service launches and campaigns from leading-sector companies including Verizon and Motorola, launching the iconic “Hello Moto” campaign.
ANGELA ANG
Specialist, Advisory Services
Angela Ang is a Specialist in Advisory Services Team. Prior to joining Women’s World Banking, she worked at a tech start-up, HireHand, in London and was a Business Banker at the National Australia Bank where she started her career. Angela holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Monash University, Australia. She is fluent in Indonesian, English and Hokkian.
Vitasari Anggraeni
Deputy Director of Policy, Southeast Asia
Vita joins Women's World Banking as Deputy Director of Policy, Southeast Asia. She was a product manager of digital banking in one of the largest Indonesian state owned bank. After working in banking industry for 7 years, she started working on international development agency and led financial inclusion and local economic development initiatives with a DFAT-funded project. Prior to joining Women's World Banking, Vita was a partnership manager in the UN agency under the Executive Office of UN Secretary General network. She managed partnership portfolio with government, private sectors, and international organizations in Asia Pacific. Her portfolio includes financial inclusion and MSME projects. Vita holds a Master Degree in International Political Economy from University of Groningen, the Netherlands and a Bachelor degree in International Relation from Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia.
JUSTIN ARCHER
Global Research Lead, Quantitative
Justin Archer is the Lead for Global Quantitative Research at Women's World Banking. Prior to joining the organization, he worked as a research consultant for the World Bank, Population Services International, Marie Stopes International, and many other international development organizations. Before consulting, he lived in Ghana for 2 years while managing micro-savings RCT projects for Innovations for Poverty Action. He received a Master's of Science in Public Policy and Management from the Heinz College at Carnegie Mellon University and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Gettysburg College.
Lehlé Baldé
Program Manager, Advocacy Hub - Women's Digital & Financial Inclusion
Lehlé Baldé is Program Manager for the Women’s Digital & Financial Inclusion Advocacy Coalition at Women’s World Banking.Prior to joining WWB, Lehlé was as an award-winning editor and media professional. She is an International Monetary Fund Youth Fellow and an Acumen fellow. She is a bilingual professional moderator having led over 100 events. She hosted and produced Africa's first radio program on financial inclusion and has worked in the public and private sector in Canada, the United Kingdom, Nigeria and Cameroun practicing journalism, new media strategy and communications for development. Lehlé has used media to advocate for financial inclusion and literacyy and impact investing for young Africans. Lehlé won the Future Award for intrapreneurship in 2020 and the Lords Achievers award for media. She graduated from the University of Waterloo and received her masters form the University of Northampton.
Elisabeth Ballreich
Principal Investment Officer & Operations Manager, Women’s World Banking Asset Management
Elisabeth Ballreich is a Principal Investment Officer and Operations Manager with WAM. Since joining the team in 2016, she has conducted investment due diligence and transaction negotiation on a range of financial service providers throughout Latin America, Africa and Asia. She is also responsible for managing WAM’s operations and has taken a leading role in structuring and fundraising Women’s World Banking’s second gender-lens investment fund. Prior to joining Women’s World Banking, Ms. Ballreich was an Investment Officer with the Inter-American Development Bank Group, a Project Leader with Dalberg Global Development Advisors, and a Consultant with the Boston Consulting Group. Ms. Ballreich holds a Masters in International Economics and International Relations from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and is a CFA Charterholder.
MEGAN BAUMANN
Regional Research Lead, Latin America
Megan is the Regional Research Lead for Latin America and also leads global qualitative research at Women’s World Banking. Megan holds PhD and MS degrees in Geography, and focuses on designing transformative mixed methods research to examine women’s livelihoods and their access to and use of resources. Megan has led research projects in Nicaragua and Colombia, and contributes to the Research Team topical expertise in agriculture and rural livelihoods. She previously secured funding for her research from the National Science Foundation and the Fulbright Association. In addition to research, Megan brings to Women’s World Banking her background in teaching, mentoring students, and non-profit work.
Alexandra Beizan-Diaz
Project Manager
Alexandra Beizan-Diaz leads the project and portfolio management function at Women’s World Banking. Prior to Women's World Banking, Alexandra worked at the International Rescue Committee establishing project management best practices and routines. Alexandra has over 10 years of experience managing international portfolio, program, and project objectives. She holds a B.A. from the George Washington University in International Affairs. She is a native English and Spanish speaker.
Chelsea Bennington
Digital Marketing & Engagement Specialist, Communications & Marketing
Chelsea Bennington is the Digital Marketing & Engagement Specialist on the Communications & Marketing team, where she manages Women’s World Banking’s digital platforms, creates digital communications strategies, & and manages executive thought leadership and engagement efforts. Prior to joining Women’s World Banking, she was a Senior Social Media Experience Manager at Sprinklr, where she helped lead social media and content marketing strategy. She began her digital marketing career as the Content Marketing Manager for the tech startup, Julius. Chelsea graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a BFA in Performing Arts.
Jaclyn Berfond
Director, Insights & Performance Management
Jaclyn Berfond is a Manager for the Research, Monitoring and Evaluation team of Women’s World Banking. She leads the monitoring and evaluation initiatives for the organization. Prior to joining Women’s World Banking, she worked at the Council on Foreign Relations and the Atlantic Trust Private Wealth Management. She holds a B.A. in International Relations and Economics from Boston University, and a Master’s of Business Administration in International Organizations from the University of Geneva.
FRANCESCA BROWN
Global Director of Policy & Advocacy
Francesca leads Women’s World Banking’s policy and advocacy work to advance women’s financial inclusion and economic empowerment. With a professional background in international development, public affairs and compliance, she was previously Head of Community Programmes globally for Standard Chartered Bank, funding community projects focused on providing education, employability and entrepreneurship opportunities to young people. Between 2015-2018, Francesca was Head of Profession for the Private Sector Development cadre of advisors at the UK Department for International Development (now UK Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office) and a Private Sector Development Adviser leading on financial inclusion. Francesca holds a Masters in Development Studies from the London School of Oriental and African Studies and an undergraduate degree in Economics from Durham University, UK.
Sarah Buitoni
Director, Leadership & Diversity Programs
Sarah is responsible for designing and delivering learning solutions that help global financial inclusion leaders better serve women customers and build diverse talent. Prior to joining Women's World Banking, Sarah consulted on post-conflict and alternative education initiatives for UNICEF. Sarah holds a Master of International Affairs from Columbia University and a BA in Latin American studies and Spanish from Barnard College. She is trained in the Co-Active® coaching methodology and certified in the Center for Creative Leadership Benchmarks® 360 Assessment Suite, the Myers Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI) and the Neethling Brain Instrument (NBI™).
Molly Burns
Manager, Development and Strategic Partnerships
Molly Burns joined Women’s World Banking as a Development Associate. Prior to joining the Global Team, Molly worked at Mercado Global, a nonprofit that empowers women artisans through market access, providing connection to major retailers, community-based education, and microloans. At Mercado Global, Molly worked in development and community outreach. Before that, Molly worked for Abriendo Mentes in Costa Rica and Della LA in Los Angeles. Molly has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, with a minor in History from Loyola Marymount University.
Maggie Callahan
Investor Relations and Marketing Officer
Maggie Callahan is the Investor Relations and Marketing Officer at WWB Asset Management, which directs equity investment into inclusive finance institutions. Prior to joining Women’s World Banking, Maggie was a Vice President in Investor Relations at Lindsay Goldberg, a middle-market private equity firm. Before joining Lindsay Goldberg, Maggie worked as an investment banking analyst in the Consumer & Retail Group at J.P. Morgan. Maggie holds a B.A. in Economics from Princeton University.
SWATI CHOWDHARY
Director of Network Development and Advocacy, India
Swati is a Solutions Specialist on the India team, responsible for the developing opportunities to strengthen and grow the network in South Asia. She also maintains strategic relationships with corporations, foundations, and government agencies and assists in the advisory function in the region. She is a financial services professional with experience spanning microfinance, MSME, Agribanking and Fintech sectors. Prior to joining Women’s World Banking, she worked with a leading private bank for a decade in various profiles across financial inclusion, product management, business relationship management and credit risk, working towards client retention, organic growth and improving the overall risk and profitability. Preceding her work with the bank, she was a part of the core team in setting up a capacity building organization for microfinance institutions promoted by two of Women’s World Banking’s network partners. She holds a Bachelor degree in Economics and an MBA in Rural Management from Institute of Rural Management, Anand.
NONGGOL DARAPATI
Regional Content, Communications, and Marketing Manager, Southeast Asia
Nonggol Darapati is the Regional Content, Communications, and Marketing Manager for Southeast Asia, based in Jakarta. With a deep background in communications and marketing, prior to joining Women’s World Banking, Dara worked in multilateral governmental and international organizations in Indonesia, such as The ASEAN Secretariat and the Islamic Development Bank. She has extensive experience in leveraging market research, SEO, SEM, social media and email campaigns for effective communications and public relations. In addition, Dara also possesses extensive experience in the private sector and in the startup world. She has worked closely with Founders and C-Level executives in the field of finance, education, and international media. Dara is fluent in English, Indonesian and French.
Marina Dimova
Director, Global Head of Financial Industry & Network Advocacy
Marina is the Global Head of Financial Industry & Network Advocacy and leads the efforts to support Network Members and financial services providers across the industry to adopt best practices, share knowhow and take tangible actions to advance women’s financial inclusion. In her previous position as Managing Director of Design & Innovation, she focused on identifying and designing innovative financial solutions for women and girls. Marina is a designer with over 16 years of experience developing, implementing and scaling innovative solutions to social problems. Previously, Marina was a Vice President at ideas42 and Associate Research Director at Ikatu International. She has also worked on agricultural value chains and private sector development at the World Bank, and in finance and healthcare consulting. Marina holds an MPA in International Development from Harvard Kennedy School, and a B.A. in Economics and Government from Franklin & Marshall College.
Yashmin Fernandes
Director, Development and Strategic Partnerships
Yashmin Fernandes is a Director for the Development Team where she develops and maintains strategic relationships with corporations, foundations, and government agencies. Her previous experience includes roles at the US Justice Department, CEB, Accenture, Wachovia and TD Ameritrade. She holds a Bachelor of Science in International Politics from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. She speaks fluent Spanish and conversational French.
Enrica Ferrarotti
Associate, Board Relations
Enrica is a Board Relations Associate at Women’s World Banking. In this role, she works with the Office of the President to support all Board-related activities. Prior to Women’s World Banking, Enrica worked for a foreign policy non-profit and volunteered for several months with Save the Children in Rome to aid with the refugee crisis. She holds an undergraduate degree in Political Science from McGill University and a data analytics certificate from Cornell. Enrica is fluent in English, French, and Italian.
Sam Gagakuma
Manager, Administration
Sam Gagakuma serves as Office Manager on the Administration’s team of Women’s World Banking. He has been part of the organization since 1992, managing the general workspace of the organization and providing logistical and administrative support onsite and for external events. He graduated from New York University as a Certified Translator, and as a Legal Secretary from Lehman College at the City University of New York. Before joining Women’s World Banking, Sam worked with the University of Ghana, Air Afrique and Gaseteria Oil Corporation.
Angie Goenaga
Private Equity Investment Analyst
Angie Goenaga joined Women’s World Banking as Private Equity Investment Analyst with Women’s World Banking Asset Management. In this role, she conducts financial analysis on portfolio companies and prospective investments, as well as sector and market research. She previously worked as an investment banker for Dinamo and Titularizadora Colombiana. Angie has an MS in Sustainability Management from Columbia University and a B.E. in Industrial Engineering at Universidad de los Andes.
Casey Gregory
Director, Accounting
Casey Gregory is the Accounting Director at Women’s World Banking, responsible for maintaining Women’s World Banking’s financial records as well as developing and implementing systems for collecting, analyzing, verifying, and reporting financial information. Prior to joining Women’s World Banking, Casey worked as a public accountant for ten years, serving both for-profit and nonprofit entities throughout New York City. She holds a BS in Accounting and an MBA in Management from Wagner College.
Carolyn Hagerty
Budget and Finance Specialist
Carolyn Hagerty serves as a Finance Associate on the Women’s World Banking Finance and Operations team. In this role, Carolyn is responsible for monitoring, updating, and analyzing all project budgets and expenses. Previously, she served as a Senior Budget Analyst for the NYC Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget. She holds a BA in Economics and Public Policy & Administration from Wagner College and an MS in Finance from the University of Rochester Simon Business School.
Rokaya Helfer
Director, Governance and Operations
Rokaya Helfer is the Director of Governance and Operations at Women’s World Banking. In this role, she focuses on fulfilling the organization’s global governance requirements and supporting initiatives led by the Board of Directors. Rokaya also works with teams across the organization and external partners to assess, establish, and sustain Women’s World Banking’s presence internationally. She previously worked at Richards, Kibbe & Orbe LLP and at Thomson Reuters. She holds a B.A. in History and International Affairs from Boston University.
JENNIFER IWUEZE
Regional Research Lead, Africa
Jennifer Iwueze is a Research Specialist at Women’s World Banking. She leads industry-facing research and solutions projects to design new products for low-income women in emerging markets. She has been in the research industry for over 15 years and has a track record developing and implementing strategies that support business objectives. She joined Women’s World Banking from Marketing Support Consultancy Limited, where she was a Research Specialist. Prior to that she worked as a Project Lead in Busara Center for Behavioral Economics, a Senior Project Manager in Nielsen and has financial sector experience as she worked in Stanbic IBTC Bank. She holds a BSC in Sociology and a Diploma in Public Administration.
KEVIN KAMEMBA
Principal Investment Officer & Head of Africa, Women’s World Banking Asset Management
Kevin Kamemba is based in Nairobi. Kevin brings twelve years of experience investing in private equity and real estate in Africa with a strong recent focus on financial inclusion. He joins Women’s World Banking from Incofin Investment Management, where he served as the Regional Director for Africa and oversaw the Africa portfolio in Debt and Equity for Financial Inclusion and Agro clients. Prior to his work at Incofin, he was an Investment Director with Ascent Capital, an East Africa SME-focused PE fund and prior to that he worked at Centum Investment, the largest listed PE company in Sub-Saharan Africa. Kevin has an undergraduate degree in Economics and has received the CPA, CFA and CAIA designations. He speaks fluent English and Swahili and is an intermediate French speaker.
Zachary Kashdan
Monitoring and Evaluation Associate, Insights and Performance Management
Zachary Kashdan joined the Insights and Performance Management Team as a Monitoring and Evaluation Associate in December 2021. Prior to Women’s World Banking, he worked in monitoring and evaluation roles at several non-profits in the Boston and New York areas. He holds an M.A. in international relations with a concentration in monitoring and evaluation from The Fletcher School at Tufts University and a B.A. in political science and environmental studies from Binghamton University.
SONJA KELLY
Director of Research and Advocacy
Sonja Kelly is the global lead for Women’s World Banking research. Through research on the financial sector, policy trends, financial services providers, and end users, Sonja and her team advocate for women’s financial inclusion. Before joining Women’s World Banking, she advised the U.S. Department of State on strategy for U.S. Embassy engagement in digital finance around the world. She has served as the director of research at the Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion, has held consulting roles at the World Bank and the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), and has worked in microfinance at Opportunity International. Sonja holds a PhD in International Relations from American University where she researched financial inclusion policy and regulation.
Akanksha Kochhar
Development Operations Specialist
Akanksha Kochhar is a Specialist on the Development and Strategic Partnerships team, responsible for leading the donor reporting, grant proposal writing, and maintaining relationship with individual donors. She worked as a summer volunteer with the Development team in 2018, focusing on donor landscape analysis and prospect research for a portfolio of multilateral and bilateral funders. Akanksha has worked as a consultant for impact management and monitoring with nonprofits and private advisory teams. At Nobel Laureate, Kailash Satyarthi’s Children Foundation, Akanksha was leading the creation and dissemination of strategic knowledge products for diverse stakeholders. Her previous experience includes roles at Petros Connecticut Fund, Enzo Advisors, The Cordes Foundation, and a sustainable finance fellowship at 17 Asset Management. She started her career in investment research at S&P Global Market Intelligence in India. She holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Delhi and a post graduate program in Management from ICFAI Business School. Akanksha has cleared CFA Level I and II in first attempt.
Gil Lacson
Director, Business Development and Network Management
Gil Lacson is the Director of Business Development and Network Management at Women’s World Banking. He started working for the organization in 1999 and is work focuses on finding and creating opportunities to strengthen and grow the network. He earned a B.S. in Business Economics from the University of the Philippines School of Economics and a Master’s in Business Management from the Asian Institute of Management. Before joining Women’s World Banking, Gil worked for TSPI Development Corporation in the Philippines.
Yrenilsa Lopez
Principal Investment Officer & Portfolio Manager, Women’s World Banking Asset Management
Yrenilsa Lopez is a Principal Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager with WAM. Since joining the team in 2015, she has sourced, structured and negotiated several investments in the WAM portfolio and has taken a leading role in establishing the investment process and policies for Fund II as well as managing the pipeline of new transactions. Prior to joining Women’s World Banking, she was an Investment Officer with BlueOrchard Finance based in Lima, Peru and the Relationship Manager for Latin America with Developing World Markets based in Stamford, CT. Ms. Lopez holds a Master of Public Administration (MPA) with a focus on Economic and Financial Policy from Cornell University’s Brooks School of Public Policy and a B.A. from Cornell University, and is a CFA Charterholder. She speaks fluent English, Spanish and conversational Portuguese.
PALLAVI MADHOK
Director, Advisory Services, India
Pallavi Madhok is the Lead for Advisory Solutions in India. She works with partner institutions to develop innovative products and solutions that unlock value for both their women customers and their stakeholders. Her prior experience has been in product management and in management consulting. She has completed her graduation in Economics (Delhi University) and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management – Bangalore.
Hong Mah
Senior Associate, Information Technology
Hong joined the organization in 2017 as IT Associate, assisting his manager in keeping the organization’s hardware infrastructure in working order. He resolves staff’s requests in emailing, Jabber phone, BOX, and Salesforce issues. Hong also provides on-boarding IT & Salesforce training to new staff. Hong was promoted to Senior Associate position in 2018. He previously worked at Millennium Partners Sports Club Management, where he has completed Microsoft Windows Server training courses.
CHRISTINA MAYNES
Regional Head of Southeast Asia
As Senior Advisor, Market Development, Southeast Asia, Christina is leading Women's World Banking's efforts to expand its Southeast Asia business footprint. A Singapore Permanent Resident with 20+ years of experience in Asian financial markets, she has worked for Moody’s Singapore, DBS Bank’s corporate strategy group, and BNP Paribas Asian Project Finance team. She has also advised Asian financial institutions providing wholesale funding for microfinance institutions and Asian Fintechs involved in financial inclusion. Having started her career as an Asian project finance banker, financing oil and gas, roads, and water, Christina is fully credit-trained and previously worked and lived in Jakarta. Christina graduated from Cornell University and obtained a Master’s in Public Policy from the Ford School at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.
Angelika Mendes-Lowney
Director, Development and Strategic Partnerships
Angelika Mendes-Lowney is the Director of Development and Strategic Partnerships. Before joining Women’s World Banking, Angelika worked for Jesuit Refugee Service in eastern Africa and their head office in Rome and for the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. She holds a Masters in Philosophy and Theology from University of Munich, a Certificate in Fundraising from New York University and a Certificate in Development Studies from Munich School of Philosophy. Angelika volunteers for the Refugee Immigration Fund, serves on the advisory board of Voices of Faith, and sings in the Choral Society of Grace Church.
Mehrdad “Mehi” Mirpourian
Data Science Manager
As Data Science Manager, Mehi is leading Women's World Banking's efforts in using machine learning, econometrics, and alternative data for building a more inclusive finance through designing new and innovative financial products. Prior to joining Women’s World Banking, he worked as a Statistician (Fraud Data Scientist) with the New York City Department of Finance. Mehi holds an MS in Statistics (Baruch College), an MS in Management Engineering (Polytechnic University of Milan), and a BS in Industrial Engineering and Optimization (K.N.Toosi University of Technology).
AYUSHI MISRA
Advisory Services Associate, South Asia
Ayushi is a development finance professional and has almost a decade of experience working with a leading Public Sector Bank in India across Credit Policy, Credit Product Design and Credit Operations. After working with the bank for over 8 years, she returned to academia and has recently completed her Masters in Development Studies from the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, UK. She has completed a research internship with the Asian Development Bank and has secured a Chartered Banker status in ethical lending from the Chartered Banker Institute of Scotland. Ayushi has also been trained in Digital Transformation by the Boulder Institute of Microfinance, USA. Ayushi is based out of Mumbai in India.
ELWYN PANGGABEAN
Director, Advisory Services, Southeast Asia
Elwyn is the Advisory Lead for Southeast Asia at Women’s World Banking. With 14 years of experience working in financial industry and development sector, Elwyn leads the advisory projects, research and business development. He was a senior banker at one of the largest state-owned Banks in Indonesia. Prior to joining Women’s World Banking, Elwyn was a Manager at a consulting firm focuses in financial inclusions, to assist the development of (digital) financial inclusions and socio-economic inclusion in Indonesia. His areas of expertise and interest include research, strategy, business development, and evidence-based policy analysis. Elwyn holds an MA in Development Studies from the International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Gbemisola Olaoye
Specialist, Advisory Services, Africa
Gbemi joined Women’s World Banking as an Advisory Services Specialist. She previously worked at Agusto Consulting, a wholly owned subsidiary of Agusto & Co. Prior to working at Agusto Consulting, she worked within the Advisory Line of Service at PwC. She was involved in projects across the following competencies: Operations, Technology, Strategy, Capital Projects & Infrastructure, Finance & Accounts and People & Organization. Before joining PwC Gbemi worked at Sawubona Advisory Services. She has worked on projects for clients across various fields, some of which include Manufacturing, Pension, Government, Financial Market Infrastructure, Investments, Oil & Gas, Banking, and Insurance. In her previous role at Agusto Consulting, her team was engaged by the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on the COVID-19 Economic Recovery Advocacy Project in Lagos State; they conducted research on the impact of Covid-19 on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Lagos State and made key policy recommendations. Gbemi is a graduate of Engineering Science from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. She also has minors in Business, Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
Jorge Ordonez
Director, Information Technology
Jorge Ordonez is the Information Technology Director for Women’s World Banking. He joined the organization in 2012, assisting with the installation, maintenance, and operation of local area networks and associated computer hardware and software. His work allows staff to reliably use this web of networking technology to communicate, share, store, and process information. He holds a BS in Computer Information Systems. Before becoming part of Women’s World Banking, he was Staff Sergeant at the USARMY. He is fluent in Spanish.
Sharada Ramanathan
Southeast Asia Lead Program Manager, M&E and Donor Relations
Sharada Ramanathan is the Southeast Asia Lead Program Manager, M&E and Donor Relations at Women’s World Banking. She has 14+ years of global program management experience across the private and non-profit sectors. In her last role, she served as Program Lead for the Poverty Probability Index (PPI®) at Innovations for Poverty Action. The PPI is a simple, credible, poverty measurement product built using a machine learning (ML) model that allows organizations to integrate objective poverty data into their reporting, assessments, and decision-making frameworks. In her prior roles at the Grameen Foundation, she oversaw pan-Asia strategic initiatives including developing an earned revenue strategy for the region, identifying opportunities for interventions in new markets, and managing marketing and communication for Grameen Foundation’s India-based subsidiary. She previously worked at Citibank N.A and Kotak Life Insurance in India. She holds a Bachelors degree in Engineering, and a MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta.
Gilles Renouil
Director, Microinsurance
As a Director of Microinsurance, Gilles Renouil manages all insurance-related engagements, replicates existing products, develops new services and provides strategic direction in the insurance area. Prior to joining Women’s World Banking, Gilles served as a Director at Swiss Re Company Ltd. where he held different roles in risk management and group underwriting strategy. Prior to Swiss Re, Gilles worked for Allianz. He holds a MSc. from École Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées. He speaks fluent French, German, English, Spanish and conversational Modern Greek.
Ara Sadiq
Manager, Advisory Services, Africa
Ara Sadiq is a Manager, FSP Advisory for Women’s World Banking, responsible for Africa. Ara has fifteen years of experience in banking and financial technology sectors and prior to joining Women’s World Banking, she worked in various roles in a large commercial bank in Nigeria and led the expansion of a US-based fintech start-up in Africa and Middle East. Ara also conducts multidisciplinary research on innovation in Digital Financial Services and the application and use of digital technology for financial inclusion. She recently developed a Resilience Toolkit to guide and train financial service providers focused on financial inclusion in building resilience capabilities to survive business and operational disruptions. Ara holds an MBA from Lagos Business School and a Master of Advanced Management from the Yale School of Management.
AGNES SALYANTY
Regional Research Lead, Southeast Asia
Agnes Salyanty is the research lead for Women’s World Banking. She leads research activities around digital financial services, Government-to-Person, policy advocacy and various industry facing-research to promote financial inclusion for women. Prior to joining Women’s World Banking, she was a senior analyst, holding roles with a demonstrated history of working in themes such as banking, fintech, product development, risk management, value chain finance, social assistance program and policy advocacy for 4 years. She also has 9 years of experience working as a branch manager and a merchant business manager at one of the largest state-owned banks in Indonesia. Agnes holds a MSC in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from the Manchester Business School-University of Manchester.”
FLAVY SEN SHARMA
Regional Research Lead, South Asia
Flavy Sen Sharma is the Regional Research Lead for South Asia at Women’s World Banking. Prior to joining the organization, she was a Research Manager at J-PAL South Asia where she worked on randomized evaluations and managed research projects across several thematic areas such as agriculture, governance, and crime and violence in urban and rural India. Flavy has also supported projects on energy and environment and sustainable development at organizations like the Chatham House in London, Rockefeller Foundation in Bangkok and ICRIER in New Delhi. Flavy holds a MSc in global politics from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) with a focus on international development and a bachelor of arts degree in history from Lady Shri Ram College for Women.
Noor Shams
Manager, Development & Strategic Partnerships
Noor joins Women’s World Banking with over a decade of diverse experience in international development and non-profit fundraising. She previously worked in development and communications for Chhaya CDC, Grameen America, Grameen PrimaCare, and the office of Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus. She has also worked as a consultant with several non-profits and UN agencies, including UNFPA, World Food Programme, UNCDF and UN Women. She holds a Bachelors in Business Management from Moscow University Touro and a Masters in International Affairs from the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. Originally from Bangladesh, Noor grew up across multiple countries and speaks fluent Bengali, conversational Hindi, and some Russian and Arabic.
Nithyasri Sharma
Director, Global Strategy
Nithyasri Sharma joined Women’s World Banking in 2016 as a Specialist on the Strategy team. In this role, Nithya supports the development and implementation of the organization’s strategic plan. Prior to joining Women’s World Banking, Nithya worked as a Senior Consultant at BluePrint Research Group and as a consultant at IMS Consulting Group. She received her BA in English and Economics from Dartmouth College, her MBA from the Yale School of Management and her MA in International Development Economics from Yale University.
HUGO SPAULDING
Private Equity Investment Analyst
Hugo is an Investment Analyst at Women’s World Banking Asset Management, where he conducts financial analysis on companies in the portfolio and pipeline. He previously worked in democratic development grantmaking at the National Endowment for Democracy and conflict analysis at the Institute for the Study of War. Hugo holds a Master of International Affairs with a concentration in International Finance and Economic Policy from Columbia University and a B.A. in Russian Studies from Davidson College.
Kerry Stephens
Director, Development Operations
As the Director of Development Operations, Kerry oversees all operational components of Development including grant proposals, donor relations and communications, prospect research, annual giving, and database management. Prior to joining Women’s World Banking, Kerry held marketing and management roles in the high-tech sector, including Strategy & Communications Manager at Xerox Corporation. She received her BA from Alfred State College.
Glory Sunarto
Specialist, Advisory Services, Southeast Asia
Glory Sunarto has 15+ years of multicultural experience, focus on development programs and applies various methods and adaptive management to different projects as key to achieving high result deliverance. Community development, financial literacy and inclusion, women entrepreneurship, and digital financial services are cross-cutting issues that she managed, to name a few. She has overseen a research-based program that linked and measured the activity of women micro-entrepreneurs in utilizing mobile financial services through the available branchless banking agents. She held a certificate from the Entrepreneurial Leadership Program at Portland State University and was certified in Project Management for Development Professional. These equipped her to manage the actualization of a complex research-based program involving different stakeholders, including a national bank, research organizations, and a survey firm on the rollout of the digital financial services operations and capacity building for the bank agents and women micro-entrepreneurs. Glory started her career as a development-sector professional in Aceh back in 2005 and has managed a multi-year community development program.
Ker Thao
Design Specialist, Southeast Asia
Ker Thao joined Women’s World Banking as a Design Specialist with the Design and Innovation team. In this role, Ker uses a spectrum of design techniques and methodologies to develop highly effective innovative financial inclusion solutions for women, in order to establish Women’s World Banking as a thought leader and industry expert. He has a BFA, Graphic Design from University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point and an MFA in Transdisciplinary Design from Parsons School of Design.
ANNE-SOPHIE TRIBOULET
Microinsurance Project Manager, Advisory Services
Anne-Sophie Triboulet is a Regional microinsurance project manager at Women's World Banking. Based in Kampala, she supports partner institutions to develop insurance solutions in East Africa. Prior to joining Women's World Banking, Anne-Sophie worked as a project manager for development and humanitarian affairs at the French Embassy in Kenya. Anne-Sophie holds a dual master degree in development economics and project management from the University of Auvergne. Anne-Sophie speaks French and English, and is conversational in Swahili.
Arianne Wunder
Communications & Events Specialist, Communications & Marketing
Arianne Wunder is the Communications & Events Specialist on the Communications & Marketing Team. Prior to joining Women’s World Banking, she was a Communications Manager at World Connect, an international development grassroots nonprofit. She began her communications career in client services and strategy at gyro, an international B2B advertising agency, working with clients like Mastercard and EmblemHealth. Arianne graduated magna cum laude from University of South Dakota with a BA in Advertising and Public Relations and minors in French and Photography.
The Women’s World Banking Speaker Bureau offers senior experts on topics ranging from financial services for women to behavioral science and leadership development. For inquiries, please email speakerrequest@womensworldbanking.org with the name, date, location and topic of the event.
Senior Leaders
Our Senior Leaders are seasoned presenters at large scale events as well as intimate settings who can offer insights on a variety of topics from across Women’s World Banking’s areas of work.
Technical Experts
Our Technical Experts are leaders in their field and experienced presenters who can share Women’s World Banking’s hands-on expertise in women’s financial inclusion as well as the following subtopics. Please click to read their full bios.