Jessica Jackley is the Barer Visiting Fellow at Drew’s CRCC.
Jackley graduated from Bucknell University and earned her MBA from Stanford. Inspired by her experiences on an undergraduate study abroad program in Uganda, Jackley conceived and co-founded KIVA.org, a pioneering on-line micro-lending site that now facilitates nearly $350 million in micro-loans annually from 800,000 individual lenders to empower over a million people in 220 countries around the world by allowing them to improve their lives through entrepreneurship. KIVA boasts a loan repayment rate of nearly 99%. Jackley has appeared on TED, and in 2009 TIME magazine recognized her as one of the world’s 100 most influential people. Last fall Economist magazine awarded Jessica Jackley its prestigious “No Boundaries” Innovation Award. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton frequently cites her work with KIVA as a prime example of how social entrepreneurship can radically change poverty around the world. She is currently featured in a series of national television advertisements by the Best Buy company.
For more information please contact Dr. Chris Taylor, Director of the Drew University Center on Religion, Culture & Conflict at (973) 408-3641.