ANDE Member Spotlights

At ANDE (Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs), I interviewed four leading professionals in the international economic development sector and edited the transcriptions. These professionals included:

Priya Thachadi, CEO, Villgro Philippines
Villgro Philippines inspires, funds, and nurtures entrepreneurs who are addressing the most urgent social and environmental issues through innovative market-based models. As an early-stage impact incubator, Villgro specializes in four key sectors, including agriculture, healthcare, education, and climate.

Leah Katerberg, Vice President of Innovation and Impact, MEDA
MEDA (Mennonite Economic Development Associates) is an international economic development organization that creates business solutions to poverty. For over 65 years, MEDA has been creating business solutions to poverty that are sustainable, scalable, measurable and replicable in Latin America, Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe. Currently, MEDA’s organizational strategy is focused on doing the organization is in a moment of fundamentally rethinking how they do business in this rapidly changing landscape, especially for entrepreneurs.

Jennifer Fox, Senior Program Officer, IREX
IREX is a nonprofit organization committed to global development and education, focusing on people and communities since 1968. IREX bridges geopolitical divides by fostering the exchange of scholars, teachers, students, and ideas.

Mark Harwood, CEO, ygap
ygap is an international organization that sees inclusive entrepreneurship as a powerful lever for change in the world. It currently supports entrepreneurial initiatives across Africa, South and South East Asia, the Pacific Islands, and Australia.