Microfinance Alliance

2006 Global Microcredit Summit

Muhammad Yunus and co-founder Mary Jo Kochendorfer at the 2006 Global Microcredit Summit in Halifax.

The Microfinance Alliance representatives, Ben Balto-Bongard and Mary Jo Kochendorfer, traveled to the Global Summit to learn about what other Universities and organizations are doing to get involved with Microfinance.

Mission

Educate, inspire, and activate a passion for bettering the plight of the world's poor by,

• Promoting microfinance as a tool for alleviating poverty both locally and globally.
• Creating and providing opportunities for ambitious individuals in the field.
• Establishing a platform to foster awareness about the positive social impact of the microfinance sector.

Objectives

The Microfinance Alliance strives to:

• Create GOOD value
• Conduct rigorous research on the microfinance industry
• Identify and create career opportunities / internships
• Establish a global / local microfinance network
• Mobilize the: student body, faculty, alumni, and general public

Team

Adrienne Peirce

Adrienne Peirce is currently a full-time student at the Carlson School of Management, focusing in Finance and Entrepreneurship.  Adrienne was awarded a Carlson School Scholarship and was also named one of two Forte Scholars from the Class of 2008 (the Forte Foundation is a national organization for the advancement of women in business).  She is involved in Net Impact (a national corporate social responsibility MBA club) and the National Association for Women MBAs (NAWMBA).  Before coming to Carlson, Adrienne worked for six years as an engineer in medical device product development for Boston Scientific, Velocimed (a small startup), and St. Jude Medical.

Outside of work and school, Adrienne is currently a member of the Start Up Committee for the local branch of the global non-profit Youth Venture, which is a project of Ashoka.  Previously, she was Director of Community Development for the Boston Junior Chamber of Congress.  She has also spent time through the Society of Women Engineers and other organizations encouraging young women to pursue careers in math and science.

Diana Berlinerblau

Diana Berlinerblau graduated summa cum laude from the University of Minnesota in 2006 with a dual degree from the Carlson School of Management and the College of Liberal Arts. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business with majors in International Business and Finance and a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Global Studies. She wrote her senior thesis on the Commercialization of Microfinance in Latin America.

Diana is fluent in Spanish and proficient in French. Her recent international experiences include studying abroad in Dijon, France; teaching English to business professionals in Toluca, Mexico; and attending the International Mission on Business in China. She currently works in Corporate Auditing at 3M and volunteers as a youth mentor at La Oportunidad. She was an athlete on the University of Minnesota’s cross country running and track teams and enjoys distance running, cross country skiing, and international travel.

Mary Jo Kochendorfer

Mary Jo Kochendorfer is a graduate of the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management with Bachelor of Science degrees in International Business and Marketing. She also attended a sustainability seminar at INCAE business school in Costa Rica. Upon graduation, Mary Jo worked for Deloitte Consulting as a Business Analyst. At Deloitte she worked on various projects in healthcare operations, financial process improvement, and sourcing & procurement.

Mary Jo’s determination to make a positive impact and give people the means to achieve their dreams drives her to work towards the Microfinance Alliance. When she is not focused on the Alliance, she interns at the Minnesota International Center and Pro Mujer (a Microfinance Network in Latin America) and works part-time consulting for a small business. Currently she seeks a career in Microfinance.

Peter Rich

Peter Rich is a graduate of the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management with Bachelor of Science degrees in Entrepreneurial Management and Marketing. He also studied International Strategic Management and Global Marketing at the Wirtschaftsuniversität in Vienna, Austria. In 2002, he was elected president of his class of Alpha Kappa Psi, the country's premier business fraternity.

Later, he left the financial services industry to pursue an academic career. His research interests include entrepreneurship's relationship with community development, as well as institutional innovation. The Carlson School¹s Center for Entrepreneurial Studies employed Peter as a research assistant for the summer and fall of 2006. He currently works for the Center for Integrative Leadership, a joint initiative between the University of Minnesota¹s Carlson School of Management and the Humphrey School of Public Policy. During his free time he enjoys playing music, perusing literature, and international travel.

Vineet Shukla

Vineet Shukla is currently a full-time student at the Carlson School of Management, focusing in Strategic Management and Marketing.  Vineet was awarded a Carlson School Scholarship and  is involved in Net Impact (a national corporate social responsibility MBA club).  Before attending the Carlson School of Management, Vineet worked for 10 years as an engineer in the computer hardware industry.  He has been involved in the community through volunteering efforts at the Science Museum and the Minnesota Literacy Council.