Joel Chrisco

Joel managed the IRC’s Microenterprise Program in San Diego from May 2008 - May 2013. His primary responsibilities included loan packaging and underwriting, client outreach and recruitment, business counseling, and program management. Joel held various positions with the IRC, including Financial Literacy Coordinator and Micro-Lending Coordinator. His extensive experience also includes working with family owned small businesses.

Stephen Conroy
Director, Center for Peace and Commerce & Professor of Economics
University of San Diego (USD)

Steve is a Professor of Economics and Director of the Center for Peace of Commerce at the University of San Diego, where he joined the faculty in the fall 2004. His research interests include economics of poverty, microfinance, housing and real estate economics, economics of education, business ethics, and economics of aging. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in applied microeconomics and gets students involved in microfinance projects both in and outside the classroom. “Microfinance needs a social mission. It’s more than just making loans, it’s about helping people. Microfinancing is one tool for poverty alleviation. It’s an act of social justice through a business medium“. http://www.sandiego.edu/business

Rob Gailey
Director, Center for International Development & Associate Professor
Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU)

Rob teaches in the International Development Studies major at Point Loma Nazarene University and serves as the faculty advisor to PLNU’s Microfinance Club. As Director of the Center for International Development, he is actively engaged in bringing awareness and solutions on social issues that impact our global economy. Rob also teaches a Microfinance 101 course in partnership with the San Diego Microfinance Alliance.
www.pointloma.edu/

Kaitlan Hammock
Microenterprise Program Manager, International Rescue Committee

Kaitlan Hammock is the Microenterprise Program Manager for the International Rescue Committee (IRC) where she oversees the business counseling and lending services made available to refugee entrepreneurs in the San Diego region. She previously worked at CDC Small Business Finance where she helped small business owners obtain up to $250,000 in financing. She enjoys working contributing to the field of microfinance where she can work to provide opportunities for marginalized individuals to experience the dignity of work through entrepreneurship. www.rescue.org/sandiego

Murugi Kenyatta
Executive Director, Foundation For Women

Murugi serves as the Executive Director of Foundation for Women (FFW) in San Diego. Her position is key in the linking of member volunteers, internal staff, board members, stakeholders and local organizations. She is responsible for overseeing the organizational operations and program development. Murugi is committed to the Foundation’s mission of eliminating global poverty through microcredit. Born and raised in Kenya, Murugi knows firsthand the power and effectiveness of microcredit and brings her personal experience and passion to the mission. She has seen the positive impact of microcredit on women and its role in community development in Kenya. www.foundationforwomen.org

Susan Lamping
Vice President of Community Lending, CDC Small Business Finance

Susan Lamping is the Senior Community Loan Officer at CDC Small Business Finance. She is a founding member of the Microfinance Alliance and has worked at the CDC for the last eight years. For more information visit www.cdcloans.com.

Anna Lu
EPTEAM Network, University of California, San Diego (UCSD)
Eliminate Poverty through Education and Microfinance

Anna is the Founder of the EPTEAM Network at the University of California, San Diego. EPTEAM is an action-oriented group dedicated to combining the benefits of education and microfinance with the goal of breaking the cycle of poverty for impoverished families. http://epteam.ucsd.edu.

Elizabeth Makee
Executive Director, ACCION San Diego

Elizabeth has been working with ACCION San Diego for 6 years in marketing, operations and management. She initially learned about microfinance on the international side researching ACCION International, a partner affiliate of ACCION San Diego who works in countries all across the world. She is passionate about the impact microfinance has on entrepreneurs, their families and communities and she was part of the team who founded the San Diego Microfinance Alliance. www.accionsandiego.org

Chris Nayve
Director of the Center for Community Service-Learning
University of San Diego (USD)

Chris has been with the University of San Diego since 1996 and his service-learning, community development, and social responsibility background includes microfinance, fair trade, corporate social responsibility, developing civil rights and social justice education, and facilitating diversity and inclusion trainings. For more information, visit www.sandiego.edu/csl.

Nate Ritter

Owner, Perfect Space

Nate Ritter is a San Diego business owner who sees micro-finance, specifically micro-lending, as an opportunity to enable and empower the less fortunate who have the motivation to change their circumstances. Nate is the resident internet/web advisor to the SDMFA with more than 15 years experience to utilize. www.perfectspace.com

Elisa Sabatini
Executive Director, VIA International

Elisa Sabatini serves as Executive Director for Via International. Formerly with World SHARE, she helped create an autonomous SHARE organization in Guatemala, develop sustainable food distribution in Mexico and an agricultural loan fund. At Via International she provides strategic direction, creates new programs, and secures all resources for activities in Mexico, Guatemala, the United States and Canada. Program areas include family health, micro-finance, sustainable agriculture, community organizing and development education. In 2003, the VolunTours “social business” joined the family of Via programs. www.viainternational.org

Travis Vaughan
Dominican Republic Program Manager - Edify, Inc.

Travis Vaughan is the Dominican Republic Program Manager for Edify, Inc. Previously, Travis worked with CDC Small Business Finance providing microfinance and advisory services to entrepreneurs in Southern California. As Program Manager with Edify, Travis helps provide loans and training to sustainable schools for impoverished children. He oversees the strategic growth of the organization, lending and education initiatives, and manages relationships with local partner microfinance institutions. www.edify.org