Root Capital

Team

Cambridge Staff
	Sara Aviel, Director of Marketing & Communications Diego Brenes, Director of Lending Bonnie Cockman, Vice President of Finance & Administration Roselle Croitoru, Portfolio Servicing Officer Patricia Lee Devaney, Director of Investor Relations Abigail Downs, Executive Assistant Samantha Fernandez, Investor Relations Associate William F. Foote, Founder and President Vanessa Gabela, Investment Officer Cindy Greene, Vice President of Education & Training Emily Judem, Marketing and Communications Associate Namrita Kapur, Vice President of Business Development Stella Klemperer, Finance and Office Assistant Briana Rae Malloy, Portfolio Servicing Associate Brian Matthew Milder, Business Development Officer Jennifer Neira, Accounting Manager Luis Miguel Ormeno, Investment Officer José Luis Rojas Villarreal, CFA, Vice President of Lending
Field Staff
	German Ilich Ampuero Bejarano, Investment Officer Jerónimo Bollen, Regional Director, Latin America Rosario Castellón, Monitoring & Investment Officer Manel Modelo, Project Director, Porvenir Financiero Daniel Rivera, Investment Officer Evelyn Rodas, Monitoring Assistant Kendy Ramos Rodas, Office Assistant Nate Schaffran, Investment Officer

Cambridge Staff

	Sara Aviel, Director of Marketing & Communications Prior to joining Root Capital, Ms. Aviel was a strategic innovations advisor at Mercy Corps, responsible for facilitating corporate partnerships and long-term strategic initiatives. Previously she led the advocacy and communications strategy for a consortium of 13 NGOs in advance of the first presidential elections in Afghanistan. Ms. Aviel was also a lecturer at Yale College and worked for CARE in Afghanistan and throughout Africa. She speaks Spanish and has a M.B.A., as well as a M.A. and B.A. in political science, all from Yale University.

	Diego Brenes, Director of Lending A Costa Rican national, Mr. Brenes has an extensive background in investments, banking and finance. He worked as a financial controller and investment officer for BanIstmo Private Equity Inc. and Central America Investment Managers Limited, two Central American venture capital funds. Before that, Mr. Brenes worked in two commercial banks in Costa Rica as credit officer. Mr. Brenes holds an M.Sc in environmental science from Lund University (Sweden) and a B.A. in business administration from Universidad Autónoma de Centro América (Costa Rica). He is fluent in Spanish, English and Portuguese.

	Bonnie Cockman, Vice President of Finance & Administration Ms. Cockman joins Root Capital with deep experience in building organizational infrastructure for an international nonprofit, having been the vice president of finance for Conservation International over an 8-year period when the organization grew from $30 million in annual expenses to $115 million. She also served as director of finance for Georgetown University's Center for Intercultural Education and Development, which implements international training programs. Ms. Cockman is a C.P.A. and holds an honors degree in business from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She connects with our mission in her spare time as well - volunteering for the spring and fall harvest at The Food Project - a Boston nonprofit that is working to build a community around sustainable food systems.

	Roselle Croitoru, Portfolio Servicing Officer Ms. Croitoru holds a B.A. in economics and international relations form Boston University. Prior to joining Root Capital Ms. Croitoru interned at the Washington office on Latin America, researching the impact of Free Trade Agreements on human rights in Latin America, particularly in Chocó, Colombia. Ms. Croitoru also has banking experience from an internship at Banco Sudameris in Bogotá, Colombia. At Root Capital, Ms. Croitoru is responsible for coordinating lending transactions, preparing and tracking loan documentation and managing the status of the active portfolio. Ms. Croitoru grew up in Colombia, and is fluent in Spanish and English, and proficient in Hebrew.

	Patricia Lee Devaney, Director of Investor Relations Prior to joining Root Capital, Ms. Devaney was an independent consultant, focusing on microfinance research. She previously worked for five years at ACCION International, where she was responsible for the organization’s start-up poverty assessment project and other quantitative and qualitative research in microfinance. Ms. Devaney holds an M.P.A. from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and a B.A. in international studies from Colby College.

	Abigail Downs, Executive Assistant Ms. Downs graduated from Barnard College where she studied comparative literature, concentrating in English and Spanish. While at Barnard, Ms. Downs was a research assistant at the Barnard Center for Research on Women and a fellow at the Goddard-Riverside Community Center. Before working at Root Capital, she worked in American Jewish World Service's advocacy department. Ms. Downs also studied at the Universidad de Chile in Santiago.

	Samantha Fernandez, Investor Relations Associate Prior to joining Root Capital, Ms. Fernandez was an associate consultant at The Bridgespan Group, a non-profit strategy consulting firm, where she conducted quantitative and qualitative analyses for strategic planning projects. In addition, she has had a wide range of experiences in the non-profit and philanthropic sector, including coordinating ESL tutoring programs for immigrant women and migrant farmworkers, volunteering at a South African AIDS orphanage, and interning at an education-focused New York City foundation. Ms. Fernandez holds a B.A. in economics and Latin American studies from UNC-Chapel Hill and has studied socioeconomic development abroad in Chile, Cuba, South Africa, and Tanzania.

	William F. Foote, Founder and President Mr. Foote began his career as a financial analyst in the Latin American Corporate Finance group at Lehman Brothers, and as a journalist in Mexico and Argentina. In March 2008, he was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, an honor which recognizes and acknowledges the top 200-300 young leaders from around the world for their professional accomplishments, commitment to society and potential to contribute to shaping the future of the world. In September 2007, Mr. Foote was named an Ashoka Global Fellow, an international distinction given to innovative social entrepreneurs committed to systemic social change. Mr. Foote is a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He serves on the steering committee and is a founding member of both the Finance Alliance for Sustainable Trade (FAST) and the Aspen Institute’s Aspen Network for Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE). He serves on the board of the Open Learning Exchange (OLE), a nonprofit committed to universal access to basic education in developing countries, and is a member of the Sustainability Committee of the Specialty Coffee Association of America. In 2006, he was named one of the Boston Business Journal’s “40 Under 40,” which recognizes leading young innovators in the Boston area. Mr. Foote holds a B.A. from Yale University and a M.Sc. in development economics and economic history from the London School of Economics. He is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.

	Vanessa Gabela, Investment Officer Prior to joining Root Capital in 2005, Ms. Gabela was an investment analyst at Monument Group, a private equity capital raising firm in Boston, responsible for conducting the due diligence efforts for the domestic and international private equity funds the firm raised. Ms. Gabela holds a B.A. in international relations from Wellesley College and also studied in Spain at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Ms. Gabela grew up in Colombia and Argentina and speaks Spanish, Portuguese, and French.

	Cindy Greene, Vice President of Education & Training Ms. Greene has extensive experience in international organizations solving strategic, operational, and financial issues for companies and not-for-profits. Prior to joining Root Capital, she worked for Electric Insurance, General Electric’s insurance company, managing the growth and profitability of the Midwest business. Previously she worked for The Boston Consulting Group and for J.P. Morgan in investment banking in New York and Venezuela. She holds an M.B.A. from The Wharton School, an M.A. in international affairs from Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies, and a B.A. in math and environmental studies from Dartmouth College.

	Emily Judem, Marketing and Communications Associate Prior to joining Root Capital, Ms. Judem spent a year teaching English in Quito, Ecuador. She graduated from Colby College in 2006 with a B.A. in American studies and creative writing. After graduating, Ms. Judem worked at Colby College’s Office of Communications where she created the college’s first podcast, now an award-winning publication series. She also studied at La Universidad de Salamanca in Salamanca, Spain and is fluent in Spanish.

	Namrita Kapur, Vice President of Business Development Ms. Kapur joined Root Capital in 2003. As Vice President of Business Development, she has direct responsibility for strategy, investor relations and marketing & communications. Prior to joining Root Capital, Ms. Kapur was an equity research analyst at the investment bank, Adams, Harkness & Hill (now CanAccord Adams), where she built the Resource Optimization Technology franchise. She has previously directed programs for the Environmental League of Massachusetts and Berkshire Natural Resources Council, and worked as a consultant for the United Nations Development Program. She currently serves on the Board of the Environmental League of Massachusetts. Ms. Kapur holds an M.B.A. from Yale University, an M.E.M. from Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies and a B.A. in molecular biology from Princeton University. Along with English, she speaks Hindi, Portuguese and Spanish.

	Stella Klemperer, Finance and Office Assistant Ms. Klemperer graduated from Brown University in 2006 with a B.A. in development studies and economics. While at Brown, she was president of her campus chapter of Oxfam America and an active member of United Students for Fair Trade. Ms. Klemperer joins Root Capital after a year-long fellowship in Amazonian Ecuador where she worked with the Kallari Association, an indigenous artisan cooperative.

	Briana Rae Malloy, Portfolio Servicing Associate Ms. Malloy graduated from Tufts University with a B.A. in international relations and Spanish. While at Tufts, she was an active member of an environmental advocacy group that dealt with Fair Trade and socially responsible investing issues. She also studied at the Universidad de Chile in Santiago, Chile and the Universidad de Sevilla in Sevilla, Spain. She is fluent in Spanish.

	Brian Matthew Milder, Business Development Officer Mr. Milder focuses on developing new markets and financial products to support Root Capital’s strategic growth. Previously, he served as Boston site director for Project HEALTH, a national nonprofit organization that connects low-income families to the resources they need to be healthy. He also worked in Chile as an entrepreneur-in-residence for the Nonprofit Enterprise and Self-sustainability Team (NESsT), which operates a venture fund to incubate sustainable social enterprises. Mr. Milder holds a B.A. in social studies from Harvard College and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. He is fluent in Spanish and is on the Board of Directors of Patagonia Sur Foundation.

	Jennifer Neira, Accounting Manager Ms. Neira completed a master's degree in public policy & administration with a certificate in Latin American studies from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She has experience working abroad with a nonprofit business incubator in Cuenca, Ecuador where she assisted programs supporting entrepreneurship, small business development, and tourism in rural indigenous communities. Prior to completing her graduate work, she worked in the Trust Accounting & Reporting Department at Investors Bank & Trust for five years. Ms. Neira holds a B.S. in business administration from Bryant University with concentrations in finance and international studies and studied abroad in Granada, Spain. She speaks Spanish and German.

	Luis Miguel Ormeno, Investment Officer Prior to joining Root Capital, Mr. Ormeno worked for several years on conservation and development initiatives in the Amazon and Andes regions of his native Peru and in Guatemala’s Maya Biosphere Reserve. His work focused on helping communities improve their harvest and processing techniques; tap better markets for their existing products; and develop new products for export. Mr. Ormeno holds an M.A. in sustainable international development from Brandeis University. He is fluent in Spanish and English.

	José Luis Rojas Villarreal, CFA, Vice President of Lending Mr. Rojas, a Mexican national, has worked in both the for-profit and nonprofit sectors. Prior to joining Root Capital, he held positions with UBS Warburg in Mexico, the Soros Foundation in Mongolia, the United Nations in Ethiopia, and CRU International in the U.K. and the U.S. Mr. Rojas holds a master's degree of international affairs focused on international finance and economic development from Columbia University, and a B.A. in international relations and economics from the University of Pennsylvania. He is currently a member of the Boston Securities Analyst Society and a scholarship-recipient member of the Latino Professional Network. He is fluent in Spanish, English, and French.
Field Staff
	German Ilich Ampuero Bejarano, Investment Officer Prior to joining Root Capital, Mr. Ampuero worked in the field of microfinance as a Loan Analyst at Scotiabank and at the Banco del Trabajo. He has extensive experience in financial analysis and project evaluation, having also worked at Derrama Magisterial, a financial services company for teachers, and at the Banco Santander Central Hispano, a large global bank. Mr. Ampuero holds a B.A. in economics from San Marcos University in Perú.

	Jerónimo Bollen, Regional Director, Latin America Mr. Bollen most recently worked for Manos Campesinas, a premiere coffee cooperative in Guatemala, where he worked in sales, co-op management, farmer relations, and credit analysis. Mr. Bollen has served on various boards and councils devoted to advancing economic justice in Guatemala and has consulted to the Max Havelaar Foundation, one of Europe's leading fair trade certification organizations. Mr. Bollen holds an M.B.A. from the Universidad Rafael Landívar in Guatemala, as well as degrees in business communications and international marketing management from universities in The Netherlands. He is fluent in Dutch, Spanish and English.

	Rosario Castellón, Monitoring & Investment Officer Based in Managua, Nicaragua, Ms. Castellón is an agrarian economist who has served as, among other things, the feneral manager of PRODECOOP, a federation of coffee farmer co-ops in northern Nicaragua; the producer relations manager at Equal Exchange, the first US-based Fair Trade importer; and as project director for a coffee quality program jointly funded by Starbucks Coffee Company and Oxfam International in Mexico.

	Manel Modelo, Project Director, Porvenir Financiero Mr. Modelo manages Root Capital's financial education project in cooperation with EARTH University. Mr. Modelo has worked in a producer support program at Twin/Twin Trading, a U.K. foundation and leading Fair Trade importer. Based in San Cristobal de las Casas, Mr. Modelo assisted small-scale coffee growers in southern Mexico and Nicaragua strengthening their financial, productive, organizational, and commercial capacities. Mr. Modelo has also worked for Setem, a non- profit organization that provides financial education to fair trade coffee growers in Mexico, El Salvador, and Nicaragua, while helping them access the Spanish Fair Trade marketplace. With significant experience in coffee exporting, micro-lending, and commercial banking, Mr. Modelo is a graduate of the Spanish National University where he majored in sociology and has done postgraduate work in international development and education. He speaks English, Spanish, and Catalan.

	Daniel Rivera, Investment Officer Mr. Rivera leads Root Capital's South American office. His experience and skills include financial analysis, project evaluation and monitoring, and economic research. Prior to joining Root Capital, he worked as a financial manager at Rainforest Trading, a consortium supporting the business interests of coffee farmers in Peru; he also worked as a loan analyst at Banco del Trabajo, in the microfinance industry. He holds a B.A. in economics from Catholic University in Peru.

	Evelyn Rodas, Monitoring Assistant Prior to joining Root Capital, Ms. Rodas worked for Manos Campesinas, a small coffee producer association financed by Root Capital, where she was responsible for internal control systems and third party certifications. Previously she worked for the community development organization, Asociación Patronato Vivamos Mejor Guatemala, as a field extension technician and for the Swedish Cooperative Center where she served as a project coordinator. Ms. Rodas graduated from San Carlos University in Guatemala with a degree in agricultural engineering focused on agriculture production systems.

	Kendy Ramos Rodas, Office Assistant Ms. Rodas joined the Root Capital team in the regional office in Guatemala. She has strong administrative skills, and has completed a number of law courses. Previously, she administrated a project involving social responsibility. She enjoys learning new things, staying informed, and sharing her time and knowledge with others.

	Nate Schaffran, Investment Officer Mr. Schaffran is Root Capital’s investment officer for Africa. He previously worked as a business accounts manager at TransFair USA, the U.S. certifier of Fair Trade products. Prior to that he worked in Nicaragua with Cooperativa Juan Francisco Paz Silva, a sesame production and export cooperative. Mr. Schaffran holds an M.S. in foreign service, with a concentration in international development from Georgetown University, and a B.A. in economics and political science from Swarthmore College. He is fluent in Spanish.