Kaylene Alvarez | Athena Global

Kaylene is a development finance specialist with over 25 years’ experience in both the private and public sectors in impact investing, access to finance, SME/Entrepreneurial financing, gender lens investing (GLI) and risk management. Over the course of her career, she has worked in grassroots-level organization in community development and microfinance, as well as on Wall Street in Mergers & Acquisitions for financial services companies in emerging markets, and for International Finance Corporation (IFC). She launched Athena Global to help bridge the finance gap to grow sustainable businesses in emerging markets, with a focus on SME, gender-lens and tech-enhanced financial services businesses.

Kaylene believes passionately in using finance as a tool for social good. She is a member of several impact investing committees and mentors a variety of small and growing businesses. Kaylene finished her MBA from the Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania) and Master’s Degree from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). She is a returned US Peace Corps Volunteer, an avid reader, novice Vipassana meditation practitioner and textile aficionado.