Kiva Fellows Program

Spring 2008

Adam Williams | Pearl Microfinance Limited, Uganda

Adam is participating in a Kiva Fellowship as part of a year-long trip with his wife, Genevieve. Adam is a Chartered Accountant and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales. Adam has travelled to over fifty countries during various backpacking trips but of all the places he has visited, Africa has left the greatest impression on Adam. His professional experience includes seven years with two of the world's largest accounting firms Deloitte &Touche and BDO where he was a highly regarded audit manager. Before starting his fellowship, Adam worked for The Australian Red Cross Blood Services, where he played a key role in transforming and optimizing its finance department.

Ai LI Lang | Norwegian Microcredit LLC (Normicro), Azerbaijan

Ai Li is currently on a leave of absence from Deloitte Consulitng LLP, an international management consulting firm. As a Consultant in Corporate Strategy and Relations, her work focuses on helping corporations improve their strategy and operations overseas. Ai Li's main areas of expertise includes global location expansion, supply chain optimization, and workforce and workplace strategies. While at Macalester College, Ai Li was a lead coordinator in the International Study Program where she managed international student orientations and programs for three years. Born and raised in Malaysia, Ai Li has since travelled to over fifteen countries in the past five years. She is conversational in Mandarin, Cantonese, and Malay.

Alec Lovett | Youth Self Employment Foundation, Tanzania

As a junior at Wake Forest University, Alec was elected into the Phi Beta Kappa Society, an award given to the top two percent of each class. After his Kiva Fellowship, Alec has accepted an offer from Bain & Company, a leading global business and strategy consulting, as a Associate Consultant. Alec plans to focus on growth strategy and financial modellng. A recent graduate, he studied international development during his Economics coursework and at the World Bank Institute. Alec hopes to combine his experience as a Kiva Fellow with his study of economics to work in the field of International Development. Alec has traveled in East Africa and throughout China where he studied Mandarin during a Intensive Language Studies Program in Shanghai, China.

Beatriz Mauro | Hluvuku-Adsema, Mozambique

Prior to her Kiva Fellowship, Beatriz was a Senior Analyst at Goldman Sachs Investment Banking Division and Technology, Media, and Telecom group where she was based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, New York City, and London. Beatrriz has extensive experience in Mergers and Accquisitions where she has advised various clients on billion dollar plus projects. Previously, Beatriz worked in marketing at MTV Brazil where she led a team responsible for marketing and branding MTV Brazil into new markets. During her time there, she led the development and launch of MTV's CD's and DVD's. Her interest in microfinance and economic development grew naturally after her volunteer experience in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro with Goldman Sachs. Beatriz has traveled extensively throughout Europe, South America, North America, and Australia. Beatriz is a native Portuguese speaker, is fluent in English and Italian, has advanced knowledge of French and working knowledge of Spanish.

Dan Strack | Christian Rural Aid Network, Ghana

Dan previously worked for Ellwood Associates an investment analyst for a private consulting firm in Chicago serving endowments, foundations and high net worth clients. As a Research Investment Analyst, Dan was responsible for the growth and day-to-day management of over $5 billion in assets for his clients. Dan also has been a successful financial planner, a seasoned lifeguard, a nationally recognized manager of the top selling College Works Painting team. While at the University of Illinois, Dan studied economic development and entrepreneurship where he developed a business plan for a microfinance institution. Dan has also run in a marathon and is a certified National Emergency Medical Technician. He studied abroad in Australia and has spent time in Mexico, Canada and New Zealand.

Disha Zaidi | Zene za Zene International, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Disha has worked in the public policy field in California for over six years. Her experience includes working with think-tanks, a legislative advocacy organization, and a public policy consulting firm. She has worked on issues such as health care access for low-income immigrant families, international trade, and economic sustainability issues. Through her work, Disha has utilized both qualitative and quantitative research methods for program evaluation, analysis, and report writing. She is fluent in English, and Hindi, and speaks Punjabi and Urdu.

Dylan Higgins | Sinapi Aba Trust, Ghana

As a Associate Attorney for a successful law firm in Seattle, Dylan has worked in federal and civil courts and was involved in the firms pro bono immigration efforts which focused on asylum trials. For seven years, he worked at Accenture as a consulting manager where he performed strategy, product management, program management, and IT consulting for multiple Fortune 100 companies. Dylan is also a published freelance writer with works in Seattle Magazine and Spokesman-Review. His business and personal travels have brought him to over 20 countries around the world-Central America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, Asia. He looks forward to understanding how a successful microfinance institution manages the delicate balance between financial self-sufficiency and social mission focus. When not travelling or practicing law, Dylan enjoys spending time sailing on his 28 foot boat 'Saoirse' around Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

Elena Micossi | AMK (Angkor Mikroheranhvatho Kampuchea), Cambodia

Elena for the past nine years was a primary investigator conducting research on the structure of proteins. She currently attends graduate school in France, studying International Business. After graduating, Elena plans to work on global organization with a emphasis on improving conditions in the developing world. Elena believes her Kiva Fellowship will be the great bridge to reach this goal.

Eric Brandt | Hattha Kaksekar Limited (HKL), Cambodia

Eric is a accredited travel photographer with several works published by the Associated Press. Prior to his Kiva Fellowship, Eric worked as Program Director for a St. Paul, Minnesota-based nonprofit TRACES Center for History and Culture, coordinating mobile history exhibits which were viewed by nearly fourty thousand visitors. Eric also has extensive volunteer experience which includes historic preservation and archaeological work at the Buchenwald Memorial in Germany where he researched, produced, and narrated a documentary on the history of the concentration camp. Eric was also a member of the curriculum committee for the 1906 Earthquake Centennial Alliance where he helped to develop earthquake-awareness curriculum. Eric developed an early love for travel at age 6 and since then he has studied abroad in Germany and traveled to over twenty countries. Eric is conversational in German.

Genevieve Williams | Pearl Microfinance Limited, Uganda

Genevieve is currently on a year long trip with her husband Adam throughout Africa, where she will spend some of her time as a Kiva Fellow. A seasoned traveler, Genevieve has traveled through six continents and has covered over fifty countries on several trips. Most recently, she was a Lecturer at University of Melbourne, School of Dental Science where she was wholly responsible for courses such as Anatomy, Oral Pathology, and Histology. For the past five years, Genevieve has combined her interest in development with her professional practice of dentistry. She has provided dental care to numerous disadvantaged groups, including the homeless, detained asylum seekers and Australian aboriginals. In addition, Genevieve has written several articles for the Australian Dental Journal. Genevieve is conversational in Hebrew and French.

Isadora Tang | CREDIT MFI -- World Relief, Cambodia

Isadora previously worked for the Council on Foreign Relations which is a nonpartisan membership organization, think tank, and publisher as the Program Coordinator for Corporate Affairs. In this capacity, Isadora redesigned the members' website to make programs and services easily accessible via the web, created an interactive, html-based e-newsletter, and produced a marketing brochure. Her interest in social entrepreneurship began in college, where her first internship was with interrupcion*, a Buenos Aires-based social enterprise. Since then she has worked to bring the products of interrupcion*'s community partners to wide distribution channels. Isadora speaks Mandarin and Spanish, and has lived and worked in Beijing, Shanghai, and Buenos Aires, and studied abroad in Granada, Spain. Following her fellowship, she hopes to pursue an MBA to further study the field of social enterprise and corporate social responsibility.

Jessica Young | MAXIMA Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd., Cambodia

Jessica's thirst for travel and love of cultural immersion has led her to work abroad, study abroad and travel in 22 countries, including 9 developing nations. She has studied International Business in Germany, Switzerland, Finland and the Netherlands, researched private sector development in China, and worked abroad in Paris, France. During her time at Delta, Jessica was responsible for development and execution of the 2007 SkyTeam Cargo ad campaign production. At Ballou PR, a Paris-based agency that specializes in technology industries, Jessica Spearheaded the first initiative to present clients with ROI figures for PR services received: assessed media coverage and created ad equivalency cost structures. Jessica hopes to continue with an assignment with the Peace Corps following her Kiva Fellowship. Jessica speaks French and Mandarin and is looking forward to learning Khmer.

Jon Tonti | AFODENIC, Nicaragua

Before his Fellowship, Jon has spent the past few years working in business valuation, entrepreneurship, copy writing, and sales. It was during Jon's undergraduate career at Loyola Marymount University that sparked his interest in social justice and the belief that access to credit should be a universal human right. With his past experience and perspective, Jon hopes to gain by working on the ground in micro finance, Jon will pursue a life dedicated to building businesses and organizations that facilitate human progress. He has traveled in Latin America, Europe, and Australia.

Jonathon Buser | Aqroinvest CU, Azerbaijan

Jonathan recently completed three years of service in the U.S. Coast Guard as a Lieutennant and deck officer aboard scientific icebreaking ships. During his time in the U.S. Coast Guard, Jonothan conducted aeriel surveys of ice channels in Antartica, created guidelines for diving in extreme Artic conditions, and supported "Deep Freeze" a mission supporting the U.S. Antartic Program. Jonothan has been to Antarctica and the Arctic Ocean, including a rare visit to the geographic North Pole. Jonothan is a expert on U.S. Artic and Antartic Policy Issues. During college, he studied abroad in Australia and participated in an archaeology dig in Jordan. A passion for international travel has created adventures for him in 27 countries across six continents. Jonothan will begin his M.B.A graduate studies in Fall 2008.

Jonothan Recipinecz | Senegal Ecovillage Microfinance Fund, Senegal

Jonathon is pursuing a Ph.D. in French with an emphasis in African literature at UC Berkeley. He has interned at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C., and worked in Belgium as a Fulbright teaching fellow. His academic work has stirred him to explore the realities of poverty that many Africans face. Jonathon speaks French and is currently learning Wolof.

Laura Toepfer | Life in Africa Foundation (LiA), Uganda

Laura, an ordained Episcopal priest, has served in parishes in Ohio and California for the past seven years. For the last four years of that as Associate Rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Alameda, CA. During her time there, Laura created programs in support of Laotian refugees. Prior to her ordination, Laura earned a degree in Sign language from the National Institute for the Deaf and she currently is a freelance Sign language interpreter. Laura served on the Board of Directors for the UC Berkeley Canterbury Foundation where she chaired the Buildings and Grounds Committee. Her interest in microfinance and Kiva stems from her belief that microfinancing will allow greater participation in achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

Mark Janko | AMK (Angkor Mikroheranhvatho Kampuchea), Cambodia

Mark most recently was an associate historian for International Historical Research Associates. His work there focuses on the air war in the Southwest Pacific Theater in World War II, with a focus on the aerial campaign. A published author, Mark has contributed to several books on World War II and has also written several scholarly articles on the Holocaust and the U.S. Defense Department. Mark has traveled to Cambodia to conduct human rights work addressing post-conflict reconciliation. Mark is beginning research for two more books as well as a documentary series on peace and conflict worldwide. Mark speaks Spanish and is currently studying Khmer.

Mary Mosely | Caurie Microfinance, Senegal / UIMCEC, Senegal

Prior to becoming a Kiva Fellow, Mary worked as a technology consultant for Accenture, a technology consulting firm, in Washington, D.C. She was a highly regarded Consultant in the Business Systems Integration Consulting Division and Management Consulting Division. Mary consulted clients in such industries as Banking, Government, Defense, Media, Communications and Technology. Mary has traveled throughout Europe, Central America and studied abroad in Paris, France where she studied International Business. Mary has also completed a Intensive Language French course in St. Louis, Senegal. Mary is fluent in French.

Megan Berwick | Afrique Emergence & Investissements, Cote D'Ivoire / Women's Initiative to Eradicate Poverty, Uganda

Before her Kiva Fellowship, Megan worked at a Silicon Valley start up as the Partner Marketing Manager where she helped to grow the company to generate over $25 million a year in revenue. She also worked with AllBright Law Offices, the largest law firm in Shanghai, where she was responsible for communications to clients such as ExxonMobil, Microsoft, and Standard Chartered Bank. Megan has also volunteered at an orphanage in Cambodia. As the Youth Development Coordinator, she helped at-risk youth develop their English and job skills training. Megan believes that microfinance enables the startups and entrepreneurs of the developing world, and she is grateful and excited to be a part of Kiva's work in this field. She will be starting graduate studies in International Policy Studies at Stanford in the Fall of 2008. Megan speaks French, Mandarin Chinese, Italian, Spanish, and Arabic.

Nicholas Clark | South Pacific Business Development, Samoa

Nick recently ended his active duty status in the U.S. Marine Corps after fours years as an intelligence officer working in both a helicopter squadron and an unmanned aerial vehicle squadron. He was primarily responsible for and managed the Intelligence Department whose primary function was to lead the squadron's main effort of collecting, analyzing and disseminating video imagery for intelligence value. Prior to joining the military, Nick was a Systems Enginner in the Aerospace Industry. During his two 7-month deployments to Iraq, Nick gained a deep interest in international development, particularly microfinance. Nick is currently applying to MBA schools and will be attending an MBA program full-time beginning in Fall 2008. Nick has traveled to and worked in several countries in North America, Europe and the Middle East.

Fall 2007

Alexander Pileggi | Fundación San Miguel Arcángel, Inc., Dominican Republic

Alexander has previously worked with non governmental organizations in the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua where he was responsible for marketing and promoting projects on public health and community based sustainable development. While at Tufts University, Alex held internships at several investment and banking institutions and was a research assistant at the Tufts Global Development and Environmental Institute. Alex's interests in poverty, development, and social justice have inspired his travel and academic ventures.

Charline Yim | FDM (Fundo De Desenvolvimento Mulher), Mozambique

Charline has traveled extensively throughout Asia and Europe and has spent time volunteering abroad first in an environmental reserve in Pohangina, New Zealand and then was a summer leader at the refugee summer camp for Global Child Organization in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Charline is writing her honors thesis on the subject of microfinance and its contribution to sustainable development. While at UCLA Charline has gained extensive volunteer experience as a student leader with Relief International, Focus Features, the US Attorney's Office, Darfur Action Committee, and a variety of tutoring/mentoring program. Charline is fluent in Cantonese and Portuguese.

Chris Federer | Manuela Ramos / CrediMUJER, Peru

Chris has considerable travel experience in South America. In addition, he has solo backpacked throughout Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. He previously had a internship in Buesnos Aires, Argentina teaching English as a second language to primary school students. Before that Chris was a volunteer in Paraguay where he taught and promoted health, education, and environmental sustainability in a rural community development program. When not travelling, Chris earned his Emergency Medical Service certification and was a professional ski instructor for two years. His other professional experience includes work in drafting, designing, and illustrating residential and commercial projects for a Architectural firm in Colorado

Dana Lunberry | BRAC Tanzania, Tanzania

Dana is a recent graduate of Wheaton College in the fields of urban studies, human needs and global resources, and communication. Dana's interest in poverty issues and international development stems from her over twelve years of experience outside of the United States. She has lived in Japan, Uganda, Kenya, and India, and has travelled to over ten other countries. It was during her internship internship with Calcutta Urban Service in Kolkata, India that Dana developed her interest in microfinance. With the desire to pursue this field of development, Dana plans next to return to East Africa for the year before going on to do further studies.

Darin Greyerbiehl | MAXIMA Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd., Cambodia

Darin is the former Director of Operations for a successful beverage company where he helped to develop products distributed throughout the United States. Since then Darin has traveled throughout Southeast Asia where he has learned that economic development for the very poor is a critical component to any effort at reducing detrimental human impact the environment. As a Kiva fellow, Darin hopes to learn more about micro-finance and community development.

Drew Kinder | Share an Opportunity Microfinance Ltd., Uganda

Drew has for the past 27 years owned and operated a successful business in the wholesale agricultural supply industry. He previously worked for Procter and Gamble as a sales executive. A veteran of the U.S Navy, Drew was posted to Kodiak, Alaska, Spain, Italy, and Greece. It was the inspiration from his daughter's volunteer work as well as his extended travels abroad that sparked his interest in microfinance. He has completed a backpacking expedition starting from California, through Central America and ending in South America. Most recently, his travels have brought him to Jordan, Dubai, Israel, Java, Bali, and Indonesia.

Elizabeth Li | MIFEX, Ecuador

Elizabeth's past volunteer experience includes working at a rural health clinic in Belize, an orphanage in Mexico, as part of the development team at TransFair USA in Oakland, and with various local grassroots community groups. Elizabeth is currently a Intensive Care Unit nurse. She plans to pursue a M.S. in International Agricultural Development in the near future. Elizabeth has traveled throughout Latin America, Europe and Asia. Elizabeth is proficient in Mandarin Chinese and Spanish.

Joannah Davis | Sero Lease and Finance Ltd. (SELFINA), Tanzania

Joannah has extensive volunteer experience where she most recently volunteered for a grassroots NGO in Ghana, where she was teaching, and involved in various community development projects . Her interest in development and microfinance continue to direct her educational and travel plans. She plans on pursuing a Master of Finance degree in Australis or Ireland.

Jordyan Edmiston | CREDIT MFI -- World Relief, Cambodia

Jordyan's has traveled to 45 countries on 5 continents. ï¾ She has held positions in finance, business development, and sales with JP Morgan Chase, Qualcomm, and Kendall Jackson, respectively. Jordyanï¾'s myriad of international volunteer experience includes organizing tsunami disaster relief and creating a corporate donation program that connects used computers to programs that teach Beijing migrant workers how to use computers. Locally, Jordyan tutors in San Francisco's ESL after school program. Following her fellowship in Cambodia, she plans to attend business school in the Fall 2008. Jordyan speaks Spanish, Chinese, Khmer and French.

Maren Misner | Microfinanzas PRISMA, Peru / FINCA Peru, Peru

Maren has been to over 20 countries on four continents, exploring the fields of teaching, photography, writing, and non-profit work, with her most recent adventure taking her hiking 600 miles across Spain's Camino de Santiago. Prior to her Kiva fellowship Maren worked for a non-profit in Minneapolis, Feed My Starving Children. Maren is fluent in Spanish.

Naomi Arron | Action Now: Kenya, Kenya

Naomi has worked, volunteered, and traveled within 4 continents including Asia, Australia/Oceana, Europe, and Central America. Throughout her travels she has had a keen interest in micro entrepreneurship and the impact microfinance can have on peoples's lives. When not traveling, Naomi has had extensive professional experience focusing on community development with positions that have ranged from marketing to teaching to agriculture. She is currently completing her final year of her MBA in Community Economic Development at Cape Breton University.

Oliver Subasinghe | Women`s Economic Empowerment Consort, Kenya

Oliver has studied and traveled to the United Kingdom, Italy, Costa Rica, Austria, Turkey and Sri Lanka. Oliver gained experience in the non-profit sector at Amnesty International and interned at the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington, D.C. A recent M.B.A graduate, Oliver has worked for Witt Associates, a management consulting firm that specializes in disaster mitigation, response and recovery for governments and businesses. His responsibilities included business development and assisting in risk analysis studies for clients. During his time as an undergraduate he served on Eckerd College's maritime search & rescue team, responding to 129 calls for assistance in a variety of emergency situations.

Roslyn Wang | Sinapi Aba Trust, Ghana

Roslyn was born in Taiwan and has travelled to numerious countries throughout Southeast Asia. Her inspiration to become a Kiva Fellow came during her time in rural Paraguay and Honduras where she was a volunteer. While there she lived with two families and helped develop and refine community health projects in rural communities. Roslyn will be receiving her B.A. in Global Economics from the University of California, Santa Cruz next Spring.

Sam Imende | SISDO

Sam grew up in Kenya where his parents are pastors of New Hope Outreach Ministries.ï¾ He moved to the USA in 2000 to attend Wake Forest University in North Carolina where he received his B.A. in Economics.ï¾ Sam went on to work in the Africa Division for the International Republican Institute (IRI); an NGO based out of Washington DC.ï¾ At IRI he supported various political programs in Southern and West Africa to strengthen democratic institutions and promote good governance.ï¾ In the fall of 2007 Sam returned to Kenya to pursue a career in microenterprise development.

Sapna Bhatt | SISDO

During her time at Drexel University, Sapna spent a term studying business and history courses in London, England.ï¾ Her worldwide travel experience ranges from The Netherlands to British Columbia to India and to Ireland.ï¾ Also at Drexel, Sapna co-founded the South Asian student organization, better known as the Variety of Indian Cultural Expressions (VOICE). For the past two years, Sapna was an associate with Mondrian Investment Partners where she managed the marketing initiatives for the company's fixed income and equity products, specifically the Emerging Markets strategies. ï¾ Prior to Mondrian, Sapna spent two years working as an analyst at Hamilton Lane Advisors where she developed and maintained the company's private equity marketing and business development efforts. ï¾ Sapna was a program coordinator and volunteer for Urban Blazers, a non-profit organization that provides unique opportunities for physical activity and education, contact with nature, and social connection to promote the healthy development of underserved youth in Philadelphia.ï¾ Sapna also volunteers with Kiva.org's East Coast Development Manager where she helps to build awareness and educate the public on how Kiva.org operates. Sapna is fluent in Hindi

Tamara Moore | Lift Above Poverty Organization (LAPO), Nigeria

Tamara has been a Middle School teacher in Minneapolis for the last 2 years. She has extensive volunteer experience in Eastern Europe, having spent a number of years traveling to Albania to work in orphanages. In addition she has worked with numerous non-governmental organizations to develop refugee camps and English language learning programs. Her most recent travels include regular visits to the Czech Republic and Albania for her teaching and volunteer work.

Tami Rowan | MAXIMA Mikroheranhvatho Co., Ltd., Cambodia

Tami has spent the past two years exploring and traveling throughout Southeast Asia. Previously, Tami had traveled to over 20 countries. Before her current travels, Tami was a project manager in the field of corporate design and decor. Her responsibilities entailed coordination with clients, building departments, contractors and engineers for mid to large scale office and corporate campus projects. Most of her time has been spent in Southeast Asia where she has found herself repeatedly amazed at the resilience and determination of people who have undergone the horrors of government conflict and war. Working as a Kiva Fellow is her chance to tell some of these inspiring stories.

Taylor Moore | Lift Above Poverty Organization (LAPO), Nigeria

Prior to Kiva, Taylor was an Associate at Norwest Equity Partners, a $3.0 billion private equity firm in Minneapolis, MN. Taylor evaluated potential investment opportunities, helped manage portfolio investments and worked with management teams to execute growth, buyout, and industry consolidation transactions. Previously, Taylor worked for a middle-market investment bank and small venture capital fund. Taylor is also currently working with the The HealthStore Foundation to start up a indoor residual spraying ("IRS") malaria prevention franchise in Uganda. Taylor has traveled to over 23 countries in Latin America, Europe, Asia and taught an English as a Second Language (ESL) class in Minneapolis. Taylor and his wife Tamara are completing a year long Fellows assignment with Kiva.

Summer 2007

Alan Mc Gee | SEED Development Group, Kenya

Alan is a business systems integration and technology consultant with Accenture, a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. His time at Accenture has allowed him to work with people spanning across the globe, which ultimately influenced his enthusiasm for international development. In the near future, Alan plans to pursue another degree in Economics with a emphasis on technology and international development. Recently, Alan has backpacked through Ireland.

Andrew Flowers | Lift Above Poverty Organization (LAPO), Nigeria

Andrew is the recipient of an internship grant from the Human Rights Program at the University of Chicago. Andrewﾡﾦs experience includes interning with the Department of Trauma, Cook County Hospital, studying health care infrastructure and violence prevention. Beyond various research and program assistant positions at the University of Chicago, he has volunteered for Project H.E.A.L.T.H., the Community Service Leadership Training Corps and the Office of Community Affairs. His travels include volunteer work in Ensenada, Mexico and study abroad in Paris.

Anne Sophie Bruening | Kraban Support Foundation (KSF), Ghana

Anne is currently a Regional Field Consultant at Gymboree Corp. Originally from Denmark, Anne has traveled and/or lived in Europe and the U.S. and traveled extensively in India, Nepal, Denmark, Mexico, and Jamaica. She is on the board of Project Ahimsa and has traveled on behalf of the organization to Southeast Asia to assess the work of the Project's grant awardees. Anne is fluent in Danish, Norwegian and Swedish.

Charlotte Bailey | CREDIT MFI -- World Relief, Cambodia

Charlotte is currently at the London School of Economics, specializing in Social Anthropology. She has research experience in International Development and its relation to micro credit. Her research has led her to become particularly interested in the way that access to credit can affect women and gender relations. For the past three years, Charlotte has worked for a company that supplies foreign currency to aid agencies. Previously, Charlotte worked on a volunteer project in South America and she was a Kiva translator. Charlotte has traveled throughout Western and Eastern Europe, South America, and India.

Dalia Palchik | Microfund Togo, Togo

Dalia was previously the Assistant Media and Development for the Microcredit Summit Campaign where she managed all media relations, including for the Global Microcredit Summit 2006. She also communicated with and prepared grant reports for donors to the Campaign. Her prior research in anthropology included work with the Latino entrepreneurs working in Somerville, MA and the North African business community in Paris, France. She is dedicated to the reduction of poverty through microfinance and will travel next to Latin America to continue her work in the field. Dalia is fluent in French and a native Spanish speaker.

Daniela Greville | Adelante Foundation, Honduras

Daniela has traveled to more than 25 countries in Asia, Europe, and Central and South America including living and/or studying abroad in England, Costa Rica, Spain, and Australia. Her professional experience includes work in consulting, where she worked with financial institutions to bring their consumer financial products to market, and more recently, in the real estate finance industry, where she worked for an affordable housing investor and an institutional investment manager. She is an active volunteer with the Bay Area Youth Fund (BAY. Fund), which helps teens become the first in their family to graduate college and is a member of the Silicon Valley Microfinance Network. Daniela is fluent in Spanish.

Delana Lensgraf | Kraban Support Foundation (KSF), Ghana

Delana's international experience includes study abroad in Valparasio, Chile and England, work for English Opens Doors Program in Vina del Mar, Chile, travel to Bangkok, Thailand for Tsunami relief, volunteering in an orphanage for refugee children from Laos and Cambodia, work on an environmental conservation project in Costa Rica, and travels throughout Europe. Delana is proficient in Spanish and interns as an ESL instructor with UNC Apples Service-Learning program.

Felix Lam | Mekong Plus, Viet Nam

Felix has held a wide range of positions focused on social responsibility and education. Most recently, he has worked in the field of child development with Children's Hospital Autism Intervention (C.H.A.I.) and as a volunteer caseworker at the Suitcase Clinic (a women's shelter). During his time with Breakthrough Collaborative, he was co-director of an English immersion summer program for at-risk youth in Hong Kong. His experience also includes residential advising for U.C. Berkeley Residential and Family Living, college counseling at Youth Together, and mentorship/advising at Project S.M.I.L.E.

Dr. Jacqueline Carol Marshall | Kraban Support Foundation (KSF), Ghana

Jacqueline has diverse experience in community development with leadership positions in over twelve organizations; most recently, she founded and served as president for h30, a non-profit which focuses on the development of female leaders from within at-risk communities. She has also worked for US Airways'Xstudying cultural and comparative educational systems in the context of eight target countries. Jacqueline'_s athletic achievements include ranking in the top 5 in tennis and squash in Jamaica and the Caribbean. She currently runs her own personal coaching and consulting company that specialized in strategies and support for business, career, and life transitions.

Kerry Brandon | Action Now: Kenya, Kenya

Kerry has traveled throughout East Africa, Australia, South-East Asia and Europe and volunteered with the Friends of Urambo and Mwanhala in Tanzania. Her professional experience includes work as a project and administrative assistant at the Mills-Peninsula Health Service and internships with the Foundation for Sustainable Development and the California Pacific Medical Center. She was a counselor at Camp AmerKids, a program for children afflicted with HIV/AIDS.

Lisa Casey | Senegal Ecovillage Microfinance Fund, Senegal / GHAPE, Cameroon

Lisa is in her final year of her MBA at the Schulich School of Business, with a concentration in Economics and Finance. She has previous international development experience working for Health Aid in Ghana, where she helped develop an HIV/AIDS educational campaign targeted at one of the poorest regions in the country. During her time in West Africa, she also volunteered as an Adult English Instructor in Togo. She has traveled throughout West Africa and South East Asia. Her professional background is in finance, including a year as an Investment Banking Analyst. Lisa has an intermediate proficiency in French.

Liz Vallette | Norwegian Microcredit LLC (Normicro), Azerbaijan

Liz is nearing completion of an M.BA with concentrations in International Business and International Development. Prior to her graduate studies, she attended the U.S. Military Academy and then served six years in the U.S. Army as a logistics officer. It was during her two years abroad for military assignmentsﾡXone year in South Korea and one year in IraqﾡXthat she developed an interest in the microeconomic development of Central and Southwest Asian nations. During her M.BA program, Liz interned with the Tejano Center for Community Concerns in Houston, teaching homeownership courses and creating efficiency improvements in management operations. Liz has traveled to 25 countries on 5 continents and intends to pursue a career in international development.

Maura Lee Burk | Life in Africa Foundation (LiA), Uganda

Maura's travels through rural Morocco and Turkey motivated her to learn about sustainable poverty alleviation initiatives. Maura is one of Stanfordﾡﾦs HAAS Center for Public Service Fellows, an International Relations honors student, a member of the Public Service Scholars Program, and a recipient of an Undergraduate Research Program Grant. Completing her undergraduate degree in three years, she is currently writing her senior honors thesis assessing the social impact of microfinance on rural women in Uganda. Maura spends her free time high jumping for Stanfordﾡﾦs nationally ranked varsity track and field team and working as a financial manager for Residential Education. She enjoys volunteering for the American Cancer Society and the Special Olympics, and will enroll in a masters program at Stanford in the fall.

Pontus Patterson

Pontus developed a passionate interest in microfinance and Kiva after an eye-opening trip to Kenya and Uganda with Kiva co-founder Jessica Flannery in March 2007. He will graduate from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business MBA program in June 2007. Before and during business school, Pontus spent five years working in finance and investing at Goldman Sachs, Investcorp, Altor Equity Partners and Sageview Capital in London, Palo Alto and Stockholm. After graduation, Pontus will be joining the London office of private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. Pontus speaks fluent English and Swedish and has working knowledge of French.

Randy Fay and Nancy Lewis | Friendship Bridge, Guatemala

Randy and Nancy are currently on a 3-year bicycle trip from Canada to the bottom of South America. Randy was a computer consultant and Nancy was a graphic artist for CH2M Hill in Denver, Colorado. Their epic bicycle journey began above the Artic Circle in Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada on June 2006. They hope to reach Ushuaia, in Tierra del Fuego in Argentina by June 2009. Randy and Nancy are currently in Guatemala.

Roxanne Miller | Youth Self Employment Foundation, Tanzania

Roxanne has a background in marketingﾡXfocused on small business acquisition and product development. She has worked for Mercer Management Consulting, American Express and is currently the Marketing Manager at Yahoo! Roxanne is a dedicated volunteer; she helped develop Yahooﾡﾦs Employee Foundation website and every week provides ESL tutoring at the Building Skills Partnership program at Yahoo. Roxanneﾡﾦs travels include backpacking in Chile and Egypt and trips to Italy and Croatia. After completing the Kiva Fellows Program, Roxanne will be starting the MBA program at University of California, Berkeley.

Shannon Gallagher | Hluvuku-Adsema, Mozambique

In her eight years at Yahoo!, Shannon has managed a variety of programs which focused on international marketing & programming, international operations, and international liaisons. Prior to Yahoo! Shannon worked for the United Nations and Delta Air Lines. Shannonﾡﾦs extensive resume of world travel includes study abroad in Venezuala, Masterﾡﾦs research in Santiago, Chile, volunteering in Boliva with the Cordillera/Shaman Project (UCSF), an internship in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and business travel to Europe/Latam/Asia for Yahoo!. Shannon is fluent in Spanish.

Stephen Mulholland | Women`s Economic Empowerment Consort, Kenya

Stephen spent the last 6 years honing his financial skills working for Callan Associates, an investment-consulting firm in San Francisco servicing Endowments, Foundations and other institutional investors. A Chartered Financial Analyst, he is profoundly interested in the potential of modern finance and markets to further advance economic development in less developed countries. Most recently, he has played a vital role in building and maintaining Kivaﾡﾦs internal accounting processes. While his professional responsibilities have kept him busy in the last few years, he always finds time to explore the world and most recently visited Croatia. He taught accounting while in college under the guidance of his finance mentor. On behalf of his former employer, he developed and presented coursework on credit investments to a wide array of finance professionals.

Tanuj Parikh | Ebony Foundation (Eb-F), Kenya

Tanuj has traveled extensively throughout North America, the Carribbean, Europe, India and China. He volunteered for an NGO in Ahmedabad, India last summer and locally in New York City and Cambridge, MA. At Harvard University, he is the chair of a group dedicated to raising awareness about and funds for issues of economic development, poverty alleviation and social justice in South Asia. This year alone they raised $10,000 for an NGO in Delhi and are in the process of creating a fund to be used to make microfinance loans via Kiva.

Students Of The World 2007

Brown Unversity team working in conjunction with The Clinton Global Initiative to create a documentary film of Kiva's Microfinance Partners in Kenya

Stephen Salisbury | People Microcredit Investment Bureau, Kenya / Kisumu Medical & Education Trust (K-MET), Kenya

In addition to working as a Production Assistant for ¡§Star Tomorrow¡¨ (NBC), Stephen is a Media Lab Consultant at Brown University and has worked for the last several years as a counselor at the Pediatric Therapy Network. Stephen¡¦s travels have taken him to Mexico¡XTijuana and Rosarito.

Max Schoening | People Microcredit Investment Bureau, Kenya / Kisumu Medical & Education Trust (K-MET), Kenya

Max organized the Northeast Regional Conference for student Darfur activism and is the Co-leader for the Darfur Action Network at Brown University. Max interned with San Francisco Defense Attorney, Stuart Hanlon and has worked as an on-site production assistant with Mekanism¡Xa film, animation, and interactive content production studio. A contributor to Brown University¡¦s Daily Herald, Max has also interned as a writer/translator for San Francisco¡¦s bilingual newspaper, El Tecolote Newspaper. Max is currently collaboratively working to develop a website that will be the centerpiece of an upcoming international Darfur advocacy campaign. Max¡¦s volunteerism includes a community service project in Costa Rica and his travels have taken him backpacking through Europe.

Ryan Heath | People Microcredit Investment Bureau, Kenya / Kisumu Medical & Education Trust (K-MET), Kenya

Ryan¡¦s interest in international development led him to Ethiopia (2006) to film an HIV documentary for Working for Students of the World. His leadership development experience includes serving as Founder / Director for Heath Leadership Consulting and work for Brown Outdoor Leadership Training. He has also worked as a Research Scientist at ProThera Biologics, Rhode Island Hospital. Ryan¡¦s volunteerism includes EMT work with Brown University Emergency Medical Services and service with Students of the World, Brown University.

Justine Marie McGowan | People Microcredit Investment Bureau, Kenya / Kisumu Medical & Education Trust (K-MET), Kenya

Justine Marie has traveled to more than 15 different countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and America. Her overseas work includes interning with an NGO in Sudan and ESL work with deaf students in Patandi Village, Tanzania. Justine Marie is an active participant with the Darfur Action Network and Students of the World. She is Co-founder and Administrative Director for the Brown Chapter of the Roosevelt Institution (a nationwide student think-tank focused on international policy) and has interned for the Bank of Montreal conducting field studies for Consumer/Retail Equity Analysis.? Justine speaks French and Arabic.

Winter 2007

Shelby Clark | Women's Initiative to Eradicate Poverty, Uganda

Shelby was born in Aurora, Colorado. Shelby attended Northwestern University on a swimming scholarship where he studied biomedical engineering. Upon graduating, he moved to Argentina for 6 months to study Spanish, and then accepted a job in Chicago with Mercer Management Consulting, where he worked for two and a half years. He has traveled to over 40 countries, lived in 6 countries on 5 continents, and has studied 6 languages. Growing up with the Rockies in his back yard, he is an avid snowboarder and loves the outdoors. Shelby was Kiva's first fellow, and spent time working with the Women's Initiative to Eradicate Poverty, in Mbale, Uganda.