Conan French, Director of USAID’s Microenterprise Development office, manages programs and activities to maintain the Agency’s worldwide technical leadership in microfinance, enterprise development, and enabling policy and regulatory reform, and to provide training and other field support to USAID missions and partners. Prior to this appointment, Mr. French served as the White House Liaison in the USAID Administrator’s Office. Before joining USAID, Mr. French was Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for Management at the United States Department of the Treasury. Previously, Mr. French served in the State of Massachusetts with two former governors, Ambassador Paul Cellucci and Governor William F. Weld. Mr. French holds an MBA from Georgetown University and a BA in History and Economics from Dickinson College.

 

Sandra Adams, Vice President of External Affairs at Grameen Foundation, has more than three decades of nonprofit development, communications and marketing experience. Throughout her career her focus has been on women’s and health issues and on environmental protection. An avid student and proponent of philanthropy, she has served as President of the Washington, DC chapter of the Association of Fund Raising Professionals, was twice elected Chair of the AFP national board of directors, and is currently on their advanced certification board. She was named Washington’s Outstanding Fund Raising Executive of the Year in 1994. Ms. Adams has also served on the board and chaired the finance committee of EarthShare. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Mercyhurst College and a Master’s from the University of Massachusetts.

 

Dennis Ripley, Senior Vice President for International Business Development, sets strategy and provides oversight for the grant and equity funding raised and placed in Opportunity’s banks and insurance companies in 29 countries.  He serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Micro Insurance Agency, a global brokerage institution that has secured life, health and crop insurance policies that cover 3.5 million lives in ten countries and has served as the Managing Director for the Opportunity Loan Guarantee Fund. Prior to his time at Opportunity, Dennis served as a Vice President for World Relief Corporation, heading up their Refugee and Immigrant Services Division which provided resettlement and economic development services to refugees, immigrants and internally displaced families.  He also served as the founding President of Exodus World Service.  He holds a Master of Divinity Degree from Trinity University in Deerfield, Illinois.

 

Kate McKee, Senior Adviser, joined CGAP in September 2006 as senior adviser for Policy, Outreach and Aid Effectiveness. She is acting director of the savings team and is carrying out several special projects. From 1998, Ms. McKee served as director of the Microenterprise Development office at the United States Agency for International Development. Ms. McKee is a development economist, with a master’s degree in Public and International Affairs from the Woodrow Wilson School of Princeton University.