As both an American and French citizen growing up in a bi-cultural household in New York, Christina has been intellectually engaged and excited by foreign cultures throughout her life. She studied abroad in Beijing and London, worked as a tourist agent in Paris, and has travelled extensively to both developed and developing countries including India and Vietnam. After graduating from Hamilton College with a B.A. in Chinese and Art History, she worked for an entrepreneurial advertising company where she gained a holistic understanding of the business by adapting to various roles, most recently as their Director of Marketing. Her post college exposure to business and her passion for international development led to a growing interest in development economics and is inspiring a career transition. She believes microfinance, in particular, is a sustainable and scalable tool to empower individuals and help alleviate poverty. She is honored to support Kiva’s enduring commitment to financial inclusion in Nicaragua by connecting lenders directly with borrowers in underserved communities.