Bio

I have spent the past 15 years focused on removing market constraints to advance youth financial inclusion in emerging markets. As Youth Finance Portfolio Manager at UNCDF I brought access to financial services to close to 1,000,000 youth. My portfolio grew from 8 to 13 countries, and from USD 12 to USD 20 million from 2015 to 2020. I enjoy building and leading innovative strategies and partnerships to make sure young people not only access finance but also digital innovations, skills, networks and economic opportunities. I am passionate about ways to reduce the gender gap and to address the obstacles to achieve women’s economic empowerment. I have worked with policy makers, banks, MFI's, mobile money operators, FinTechs, developers of digital solutions, youth serving organizations and NGOs’ across Africa and Asia and supported them to integrate financial and non-financial services, train staff, develop products, improve delivery channels and develop strategies to increase youth clients with an emphasis on young women. I am the author of several financial education modules, technical notes and papers focusing on access to finance for youth. I have a masters degree in International Affairs and Economic Development from Columbia University, and a Bachelors Degree from Externado de Colombia University and l’Institut de Sciences Politiques de Paris (Sciences-Po). I am originally from Colombia and the proud mother of three wonderful kids.