How to support entrepreneurs in emerging markets

Catherine Cheney is a Senior Reporter for Devex. She covers the West Coast of the U.S., focusing on the role of technology, innovation, and philanthropy in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. And she frequently represents Devex as a speaker and moderator. Prior to joining Devex, Catherine earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Yale University, worked as a web producer for POLITICO and reporter for World Politics Review, and helped to launch NationSwell. Catherine has reported domestically and internationally for outlets including The Atlantic and the Washington Post. Outside of her own reporting, Catherine also supports other journalists to cover what is working, through her work with the Solutions Journalism Network.

Allie brings nearly two decades of experience working with entrepreneurs and innovators at the intersection of tech and social change to her role as CEO of Village Capital. Prior to joining the organization in 2016, she served as a senior executive at Revolution and the Case Foundation, the venture capital firm and private family foundation created by former AOL executives Jean and Steve Case. In that role, she led the organizations’ communications and marketing teams, and was instrumental in the development of major initiatives including the Rise of the Rest, the Startup America Partnership and the Be Fearless campaign.

Japheth is building The Innovation Village; Uganda’s launchpad for leading Innovators and entrepreneurs co-creating the future through the smart application of technology to unravel challenges and create unique solutions. He works with mission-oriented entrepreneurs to capture new value from digital—creating products, experiences, and businesses. He helped set up The CEO Summit; a community of the top 100 captains of business and industry to dialogue and shape trends driving Uganda’s economy with the Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Development. Formerly he was Head of Talent at Uganda's largest utility, his mandate was to put the best Talent behind the company's Corporate strategy.

Leslie Koo is a Nutrition Team Lead with the USAID Bureau for Global Health. She has previous advisory experience in nutrition with Save the Children International, Concern Worldwide, and UNICEF. She received her MS in Food Policy and Applied Nutrition from Tufts University.

Paul Burford serves as Branch Chief and Supervisory Contracting and Agreement Officer supporting the Bureau for Food Security and the President's Feed the Future initiative. He has over a decade of contracting and procurement experience across a number of USAID programs.