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GET TO KNOW OUR STAFF

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William Harris

Executive Director

Will previously served in the roles of Director of Operations and Board President. He has over 15 years of experience in economic development and international relations. Will is a Wisconsin native but has traveled and lived throughout Latin America. He studied Spanish and Latin American history at the University of Arizona and then later received his MBA from the same. He was a recipient of the Rotary World Peace Scholarship, which he used to pursue a master's degree in International Relations at the Universidad del Salvador in Buenos Aires, focusing his thesis on the topic of microfinance in Latin America. Will came to WCCN from the World Council of Credit Unions, where he worked with credit unions across Latin America. He has a deep interest in Latin American culture, poverty issues, and economic development. Will speaks near native Spanish and Portuguese. 

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will@wccn.org

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Joshua Miguel Jongewaard

Director of Lending

Miguel, born in Colombia and raised in Minnesota, has 23 years of experience in financial services and investment management in Latin America, Europe, North America, and Asia. Prior to working at WCCN, he worked for Symbiotics Group, MicroVest Capital Management, NDC (a CDFI), CarVal Investors, Cargill Inc., and US Bank Corporate Trust. His asset management experience includes micro-finance, SME finance (factoring/leasing), agricultural value chains, renewable energy, affordable housing, health services, education services, inclusive technology, private fund investments, loan portfolio acquisition (consumer, residential, commercial), and derivative trades (hedges, swaps, CDS). He holds a degree in International Management from Hamline University in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Miguel is bilingual and holds dual citizenship in the United States and Colombia.  

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miguel@wccn.org

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Rick Tvedt

Accountant

Rick is a graduate of Edgewood College and earned his CPA certification in 1993. He spent two years at the Wisconsin Department of Revenue before joining the accounting firm of Grant Thornton, LLP as a senior tax specialist. Rick serves on the Community Shares Board and is a member of their Finance Committee. He has been a self-employed publisher for many years, producing local music and arts content for LocalSoundsMagazine.com. He is also the founder and treasurer of Madison Area Music Association, a non-profit organization that produces the Madison Area Music Awards and raises funds to promote youth music programs. 

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rick@wccn.org

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Yamila Simonovsky

Portfolio Operations Manager

Yamila joined WCCN's Loan Fund Team in 2018 and currently manages the portfolio operations. She is an economist with more than 10 years of experience in international development. Her expertise lies in international finance and development in the areas of education, health and youth employment. Her previous work experience focuses on data management, partnerships and strategy development in multi-stakeholder institutions, including the United Nations and the Global Fund. A native Spanish speaker, she has studied and lived in six countries, including Argentina and Mexico. 

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yamila@wccn.org

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Amber Vroman

Communications & Social Impact Manager

Amber got her start in communications as a Student Ambassador for Battle Creek, Michigan and made a trip to her hometown's sister city, Takasaki, Japan - which gave her a global perspective from a young age. Amber went on to study Graphic Design and Communications, and graduated from Full Sail University with a BS in Computer Animation where she received mentorship from Disney and DreamWorks animators. She has worked with a variety of clients ranging from small businesses and local bands to larger organizations, and has had the pleasure to work alongside companies such as The Kellogg Company and Thermo Fisher Scientific. Amber ventured to the Pacific Northwest to work with Nintendo of America where she designed, laid out, and wrote reports on the consumer experience and supported major product releases such as Super Smash Brothers Ultimate. Motivated by sustainable agriculture and financial inclusion, Amber joined Oikocredit US in 2020, and spent the last three years as their Marketing Communications Manager, so she comes to WCCN with a background in microfinance. In her free time, Amber paints and is working towards sustainable living on a small homestead with her partner. 

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amber@wccn.org

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John Hecht 

Chief Financial Officer

John offers financial and management advisory services to businesses and community financial institutions, including practical strategies for growth and profitability. A licensed CPA, John’s financial background and award-winning CEO start-up bank experience provides proven ideas for success. Most recently, he was President/CEO of WPS Bank, a successful Wisconsin de novo community bank. In April 2015, the Bank was sold to Starion Financial and John was asked to take on the role of Madison Market President. In this new capacity, he successfully guided the integration of the two local teams and built the highest performing group in the Company. Prior to WPS Bank, John led the commercial banking group for a $5 billion Midwest super-community bank in Illinois and Wisconsin. John’s background includes 14 years as corporate CFO and M&A point person and he was actively involved in the analysis, negotiation, due diligence and integration of community banks and other financial firms and startups. In this role, he chaired ALCO, developed profitability and pricing systems, raised capital and managed investment portfolios, administered incentive plans, expanded funding sources and worked directly with investment bankers, regulators and legal counsel during branch expansion, mergers and consolidations.

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GET TO KNOW OUR BOARD

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Leilani Yats

President

Leilani is the Vice President of the WCCN Board of Directors. She is the Founder of Naturally Smart Travel, a tour coordination company partnering impact investors and social entrepreneurs in the developing world through immersive travel. Earlier in her career she gained experience in the Los Angeles startup industry, growing small domestic teams into international success. Leilani has a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and Master's degree in Business Management. 

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Daniel Guerra Jr.

Vice President

Daniel is WCCN's Board Secretary and is also the founder of the Altus, a platform that enables healthcare professionals to track and meet annual compliance and education requirements. His immigrant father’s bumpy healthcare journey fuels his passion for innovations for patients and the dedicated workers in clinics, hospitals, and other facilities.

 

As a young entrepreneur, Guerra chose to give back to his community as chairperson of the board of directors Madison’s Community Development Authority from 2011 to 2019. This agency champions redevelopment efforts for the city and oversees the Section 8 federal housing program and the city’s public housing program that serves 1,800 people. Guerra has participated in national Hispanic efforts including a program at Stanford University. He currently serves on the board of directors for the Latino Professional Association of Greater Madison, Inc. Prior to starting Altus, Guerra worked in the web technologies and software development industry.

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Juan Gómez

Treasurer

Juan Gómez is our Treasurer and is also Vice President of Lending and Investments at Madison Development Corporation, a nonprofit organization that provides affordable workforce housing and attainable business loans to the residents and businesses of Dane County. He assumed that role earlier this year after two years as capital finance officer for the State of Wisconsin and five years as technology investment manager for the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. He has extensive experience in economic development, public finance, and real estate. Juan holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and MBA, both from UW-Whitewater. He is fluent in Spanish and can also speak Russian. Juan is an avid runner and enjoys travel.

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David Diggs

Secretary

David Diggs is a Leader of Product Strategy and Operations for Search Platforms at Google.  David provides trusted, independent insight, and drives strategic alignment to enable Search Platforms to deliver at full potential.  David's work is a natural extension of the 9 years he spent as a divisional leader and management consulting working at American Management Systems, Cambridge Technology Partners, and various start-ups; 7 years working in Financial Services at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, the World Economic Forum, and E*Trade; and, 5 years in Non-Profit / Volunteer work leading Stanford Alumni in Chicago as President and Board Chairman.  For the last 12+ years, David has been focused on Organizational Performance...improving processes, increasing accountability, and finding ways to direct teams to partner on shared outcomes.  David addresses the “people” issues, the “numbers” issues, and the “strategic execution” issues with practical experience coupled with degrees in each discipline: B.A. in Organizational Behavior, Sociology (Stanford University), M.S. Financial Analysis & Investment Management (Saint Mary’s College), and a MBA in Strategy (University of Chicago, Booth School of Business).  David chose to pursue a Board role at WCCN to "empower entrepreneurs" to help themselves and their communities by investing in people.

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Lisa Abraham

Board of Directors

Lisa is a sustainable finance professional with over ten years of experience across the public and private sectors and spanning many different geographies. She is passionate about promoting economic development in emerging and frontier markets, and has a keen interest in Latin America. She currently is a partner at Brown Advisory, a global asset management firm, where she leads a sustainable investment research team that supports a suite of global fixed income strategies. Lisa’s initial interest in sustainable investing came from her early work in microfinance at Envest Microfinance Fund. Later, she worked at the Millennium Challenge Corporation, where she assessed the environmental, social, and economic impacts of U.S. government investments in emerging and frontier markets. She holds a BA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MBA from The Johns Hopkins University. Lisa lives in Madison, Wisconsin with her family, and makes frequent visits to Honduras, where her husband’s family is from.

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Hector Gutierrez

Board of Directors

Hector is passionate about financial literacy, both at home and abroad, particularly in under-represented populations. Hector graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee with a background in Psychology and Business. He was a recipient of the Chancellor's Scholarship, which promoted volunteerism and developing a focus in a field that would impact people, which is what led him to pursue a career in financial planning.

Hector joined Schock & Associates at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company in December 2019. His focus is financial planning and assisting with portfolio management. Hector has a passion for research in the investment space and enjoys collaborating with peers for solutions to create positive change. In his free time, Hector enjoys exploring Mexico as well as visiting craft breweries with friends in the Midwest. Fun fact about Hector, he is a self-proclaimed "foodie" and loves to discover new places to eat.

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Edgar Hernandez

Board of Directors

Edgar is a Senior Manager of Multicultural Business Strategy at TruStage, where he uses innovation, behavioral science, and data analytics to improve the financial well-being of underserved communities.

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Prior to this role, Edgar worked for Design Concepts, a top-tier design and innovation firm that helps Fortune 500 firms and start-ups launch game-changing products.  He also spent 9 years at American Family Insurance, where he was recruited to join their first Client Research team, first Customer Experience team, and once again, the company’s first Innovation team.

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Edgar received his bachelor’s in finance from Iowa State; his MBA in from University of Wisconsin-Madison; and a Certificate in Strategic Decision and Risk Management from Stanford University.  In 2023, he was named among Wisconsin’s 40 Most Influential Latino Leaders.

 

In his spare time Edgar enjoys spending time with his family; serving at a bilingual church in Madison, WI; and dancing to Latin/Tango music.

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Layla Kaiksow

Board of Directors

Layla was raised in Madison, WI and spent 12 years living overseas in Palestine working in various fields of international development. She has extensive experience working in fair trade and is a World Fair Trade Organization certified Fair Trade Auditor. Layla currently serves as the Executive Director of a small non-profit, Americans for a Vibrant Palestinian Economy, whose mission is to promote the ongoing development of a vibrant and sustainable economy in Palestine by building bridges and supporting the indigenous business community. Layla is fluent in spoken Arabic and loves to read and spend time with her children. She is passionate about racial and social justice and believes firmly in walking the walk, not just talking the talk. Layla now lives in Houston, Texas with her husband, Mohammed, and her two children, Nishan and Zayna. 

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Anna Kaminski

Board of Directors

Anna is passionate about economic justice and believes that access to capital is one of the most important aspects to disrupting generational and intergenerational poverty. At age 16 she went to Nicaragua on a Spanish Instruction and Cultural Immersion trip and fell in love with Latin America. She went on to earn a degree in International Affairs, with a focus on Latin America, from Northeastern University in Boston. Anna has over a decade of experience working in nonprofits and in 2018 was recruited to work for CUNA Mutual Group’s Horizon 3 Innovation Center as a Customer Experiences and Product Innovation Manager where she is designing financial products to help people achieve economic security. Anna lives in Madison, Wisconsin where, in addition to her work, she fills her time volunteering for New Leaders Council and spending time with her niece and nephew.

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Antoinette Kenmuir-Evans

Board of Directors

Antoinette Kenmuir-Evans was inspired to join the board of WCCN to support and promote its mission of improving the lives of those living in underserved communities. Based in New York City, Antoinette is Vice-President, Private Client Advisor in JP Morgan’s Wealth Management division for high net worth individuals, families, and small institutions. Prior to her 16-year tenure in finance, she worked at IDEXX Laboratories in the Environmental Division where she held various roles, most recently as Regional Sales Manager of the Asia-Pacific region. While at IDEXX, she travelled extensively and learned firsthand about the importance of clean and safe water in developed and non-developed communities. Antoinette is a graduate of Bates College in her native state of Maine where she received a B.A. in Biology. She is passionate about making a positive impact whether it be for her clients or the nonprofits that she works with in her free time.

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Martin Kokholm Nielsen

Board of Directors

Martin Kokholm Nielsen is from Denmark, grew up in Tanzania and Botswana and has worked two years in Eswatini (previous known as Swaziland). Just out of Business School Martin and his family joined “Green Families of Denmark” who’s mission was selfsustained living, with focus on energy and waste consumption. Martin’s interest, in supporting Oikocredit US, comes from his many years living in Africa and experiencing how microfinancing can support family business. Martin is an experienced Chief Financial Officer, has worked many years in Denmark, USA and Chile. Salt Lake City, Utah is Martin’s home and where he works as Vice President, regional CFO for FLSmidth, a global Danish Mining and Cement Equipment group. Previous to joining FLSmidth, Martin held difference finance and CFO roles in larger Danish companies, one being Denmark’s largest green energy group. He comes with 12 years auditing experience, from Deloitte, PwC and RSM. Martin holds a Master Degree in Auditing and Accounting, from Copenhagen Business School, Denmark.

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Jordan van Rijn

Board of Directors

Jordan is Senior Economist for the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) and Associate Lecturer at the University of Wisconsin- Madison's department of Agricultural and Applied Economics. He has 10 years of experience in international development, microfinance, and economic research in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and the United States. Prior to joining CUNA, Jordan worked as a Senior Loan Officer for Accion New Mexico, a non-profit microcredit organization. Before that, he worked as a Project Associate for ideas42, where he utilized insights from behavioral economics to improve microcredit services in Colombia. Jordan holds a PhD in Agricultural and Applied Economics from UW-Madison and is a Fellow at UW-Madison's Center for Financial Security. He also holds a master's degree in International Development and Economics from UC-San Diego and a BA in International Studies from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. 

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Ligia Vado

Board of Directors

Ligia (Ligi) Vado boasts over two decades of experience in economic and finance policy research. Joining the Credit Union National Association (CUNA) in 2022, the largest national trade association advocating for American credit unions, Ligi serves as a Senior Economist in CUNA's Policy Analysis department. Her responsibilities include conducting economic research, supporting public relations and advocacy, and contributing to forecasting. With a Ph.D. in Economics from North Carolina State University, Ligi has a robust background in data science solutions, machine learning models, and quantitative analysis. She brings extensive knowledge from roles at CUNA Mutual Group, Thomas More University, and the World Bank. Holding dual American and Italian citizenships, Ligi is committed to advancing credit unions' interests in her strategic role at CUNA.

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Richard Woodhull

Board of Directors

Richard Woodhull is an emerging market private credit and impact investing professional with over 12 years experience supporting the microfinance sector. He joined British International Investment in 2022 and currently serves as a Director on the Intermediated Financial Services team based in London.

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Previously, Richard spent ten years working at the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation where he was a Director on the investment team in Washington, DC focusing on expanding access to finance and supporting social enterprises globally. Prior to that, he’s held roles focused on emerging market private equity, international development consulting and impact investing. He has an MA from the University of St. Andrews and an MBA from George Washington University.

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Megan Vander Wyst

Board of Directors

Megan is the President of the WCCN Board of Directors. She works at Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin managing the FoodShare Outreach team. In this role Megan spends time in the community assisting clients as well as building partnerships with community organizations to better serve clients and tackle food insecurity in our local community. Prior to working at Second Harvest, Megan worked at a wholesale artisan fair trade company where she supported operations at the Wisconsin based warehouse, communicated frequently with South American staff and artisan groups, and assisted with the planning of educational tours in South America. Megan speaks Spanish and has spent time studying, living, and volunteering in Central and South America.

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