Robert Shuh has extensive workplace experience in primary agriculture in dairy, poultry, field crops and apples in Southern Ontario, and in international economic development managing a sesame seed project (Produmer) for Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) in Nicaragua.

Robert is a Past President of MEDA Canada, and has held positions on the Executive and Audit Committees of Mennonite Savings and Credit Union.  He is President of Foreign Agricultural Resource Management Services (FARMS) which manages Canada's agricultural temporary foreign worker program.  He holds a Masters degree in Agricultural Business from the University of Guelph and has also studied theology and music.

With over 25 years of experience in international development, Lindsay has spearheaded economic analysis, impact measurement, program design, and strategic initiatives. Her expertise lies in conducting economic research and modeling across the education, agriculture, and financial inclusion domains. Additionally, Lindsay is the current board chair of the Canada Forum for Impact Investment and Development (CAFIID). Recently, Lindsay held the position of Director of Strategy at Limestone Analytics, an international consulting firm. Her role encompassed steering strategy development, conducting market analysis, fostering business growth, and providing senior-level consultation on diverse projects within international development.

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Prior to her consulting tenure, Lindsay dedicated eight years to the Mastercard Foundation, where she assumed multiple roles, including as Head of Impact/Director of Strategy and Learning. In these capacities, she orchestrated the conception of their new strategy, championing private sector growth and business-driven solutions to alleviate poverty. Lindsay’s career has been characterized by her steadfast advocacy for translating intricate concepts into accessible thought leadership, catering to diverse audiences. Lindsay’s academic background includes an M.A. in Public Administration and Policy from Carleton University, along with an M.A. in Economics specializing in Environmental Studies from the University of Toronto. Furthermore, she holds a B.A. in Political Science and Economics from McGill University.

Jenny Shantz of Mercedes Corporation, and co-owner of Stone Crock Inc, a family operated restaurant and food service business, has actively been involved in St Jacobs’s operations since 1991. She has managed and developed the St. Jacobs Country brand since 2002, creating a partner marketing consortium and taking an active role in regional tourism development efforts. Jenny also participates in the strategic development of several company entities, including St Jacobs Outlets and the village properties. From 1992-2006, she produced and presented an annual series of music, dance and theater performances at St. Jacobs Schoolhouse Theatre. Jenny is president of Grand River Child and Youth Services, vice chair of the Grand Philharmonic Choir and past president of the Centre for Family Business, Waterloo Region. She continues to be active with a number of community organizations

Octavio Cortés is the former CEO of MiCrédito and holds a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) and a Bank Management Diploma. He has been MEDA’s country manager during the past 10 years, overseeing the development of the different programs in the country. He was involved directly in supervising Chispa and in participating in its merger with other equity partners in order to establish the regulated financial institution called CONFIA. He also served as president of its board becoming acquainted with how a bank works in a regulated environment. He was instrumental in the establishment of MiCrédito in 2004.

Serge LeVert-Chiasson leads the Sarona team, overseeing all business aspects and the compliance program as Chief Compliance Officer. He believes in the role of private businesses in fostering healthy economies. Before joining Sarona in 2009, Serge was VP of MEDA Investments, worked at Export Development Canada and Crédit Lyonnais, and founded Agro Capital Management. He serves on advisory committees, corporate boards, and was the founding chair of the Canada Forum for Impact Investment and Development.

Serge holds an MSc in Accounting and Finance from the London School of Economics, an-International MBA from the Schulich School of Business, and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter holder.

Jennifer Trudy MacBruce is the Senior Director of Investment Finance at MEDA, where she oversees the impact investment strategy and portfolio policies, including the MEDA Risk Capital Fund and the Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund. With over 15 years of experience in financial services, she has led teams across North America, Europe, and Asia, bringing her expertise in investment management, financial analysis, and product development. She has worked on creating financial models, macroeconomic analysis, and risk management strategies, aligning innovation and investment decisions with corporate growth objectives.

She holds several professional designations, including Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Chartered Investment Manager (CIM), and Canadian Risk Management (CRM) Designation. She holds a Bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Toronto and an MBA in finance from the University of Birmingham. In addition to her professional experience, she volunteers with various nonprofit organizations, advocating for a more equitable environment for women in the financial sector. She has been recognized with awards such as the 2024 Elite Women in Insurance Award and the Ontario Volunteer Service Award.

She has a Degree in Public Accounting with a Specialization in Finance from the National Autonomous University of Nicaragua. She has training in banking management from INCAE Business School in Costa Rica, has a diploma in microfinance from the University of Anahuac del Sur in Mexico, and recently, Verónica attended the professional training program "Strategic Leadership for Microfinance Programs" at Harvard Business School. She has been part of Boulder Institute programs twice, for Rural Microfinance in Turin, Italy, in 2015 and for Microfinance training in 2019, in Washington, DC, USA. 

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For eleven years, Verónica worked for Banco Popular de Nicaragua in different key positions. She later began her relationship with the microfinance sector, first as Financial Manager for the MEDA Microcredit Program, then at CONFIA / Procredit Nicaragua. After several years, Herrera, along with a group of colleagues, founded what is now MiCrédito. She was president of ASOMIF for two terms, where she began to promote the proposal to capture deposits in microfinance in Nicaragua. In 2018, she was named by The Economist magazine as one of the influential Central American women leaders who were willing to change the region. In 2024, she will be awarded the Inspiring Leader award by Andares Mujeres in the 10+ years of leadership category. She is currently CEO of MiCrédito Holding Corp., managing assets of more than U$60 million dollars in those institutions and where she has been a key player in opening operations in Costa Rica and Honduras as she continues with her dream of improving the lives of people living in poverty through different large-scale financial services throughout Central America. 

Gerhard Pries Senior expert in impact investment / development finance, Kitchener ON Canada. Gerhard’s career focus, for the last 35 years, has been in impact investing and innovative finance in emerging markets. He is a senior expert in investment, development finance and private/public collaboration. Most notably, Gerhard was the founder and CEO of Sarona Asset Management, a firm investing private equity and private debt in mid-market companies across Africa, Asia and Latin America. Sarona invests on behalf of private and public sector – families, foundations, pension funds and governments – with a commitment to strong financial returns, while creating deep and lasting impact wherever it invests.

As a visionary impact investing leader, Gerhard has also been heavily involved in guiding other organizations, including MEDA Investments Inc (Waterloo; 1994; Founder), MicroVest Capital Management (Washington; 2001; Co-founder), Grand Challenges Canada (Toronto; 2011; Board, Investment Committee), ImpactAssets (San Francisco; 2012; Board). Today, Gerhard serves as director and advisor on numerous private company and non-profit boards in developed and emerging markets alike.