Thomas Debass is a Senior Technical Advisor at USAID's Microenterprise Development office (MD) and Global Development Alliance (GDA). In this dual role, Thomas seeks new opportunities to help amplify the development impact of remittances and other diaspora-led activities, as well as managing MD's work on transition to private capital, loan guarantees, and public-private partnerships. Mr. Debass was previously a Senior Economist in the Office of Investment Policy at the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). Jennifer Powers is a Financial Access Practice Manager with EA Consultants and author of “Person-to-Person Lending: Is Financial Democracy a Click Away?” She works on projects in Mexico and Nicaragua designed to improve financial access for small and medium enterprises. Before joining EA Consultants, Ms. Powers was an Investment Officer with Deutsche Bank Social Investments where she managed portfolios in over 15 countries. Earlier she worked as a consultant in microfinance, conducting institutional assessments and research on risk management for MFIs with UNHCR, Catholic Relief Services and Banyan Global. Ms. Powers’ work in development finance has built on her experience as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch where she advised financial institutions in the United States and Europe on accessing capital markets and mergers and acquisitions. Ms. Powers holds a Masters in International Affairs and Economic Development from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. Harvey Grasty is the Head of Business Development at MicroPlace, and is in this capacity responsible –among others- for managing relationships with issuers and microfinance institutions. Harvey previously led business development in PayPal's Merchant Services division and VeriSign Payment Services where he focused on building strategic partnerships and launching new payment services. Prior to PayPal, Harvey was a Global Business Practices Manager at Oracle where he focused on establishing business operations across Oracle's global lines of business. Before entering the high-tech field over 11 years ago, Harvey ran educational programs for the Congressional Youth Leadership Council in Washington, D.C., taught high school, and was a certified ski instructor for the physically challenged. Harvey holds a bachelor's degree from University of North Carolina Chapel Hill as well as an MBA. Steve Ma is President and GEO (Green Executive Officer) of Live Green, an enterprise that seeks to make green living easy and affordable. Previously, he worked at AARP where he expanded innovative, market-based approaches to help people with lower incomes build and protect assets. In 2001, Steve walked 1,523 miles throughout the Garden State in support of campaign finance reform. For his efforts, AsianWeek named Steve their 2001 Asian-American of the Year and his work led to the passage of a landmark Clean Elections law. Steve founded the Indiana Public Interest Research Group, is an advisor to the United States Hispanic Advocacy Association, and serves on the board of Investors Without Borders. >> (microREPORT) Person-to-Person Lending: Is Financial Democracy a Click Away? |
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| Publication Month | 10 | |
| Publication Year | 2008 | |
