Description
Despite new financial technologies and tools coming to market to mitigate the financial challenges many face, countless low-income Californians are excluded and left behind by new tech-driven financial products that have not been designed to meet their unique needs. Nonprofits have a key role to play in bringing the financial needs – and the financial power – of low-income people into the fintech Conversation. At the Assets Matter Symposium, EARN, MyPath, and MAF would like to discuss the role nonprofits can play in the fintech sector and how nonprofits can shape the future of financial services, not just as advocates but also as service providers. These three Bay Area based nonprofits are founding members of nLIFT– nonprofit leaders in financial technology. Together, nLIFT members are taking the opportunities that technology provides to build a more inclusive financial system that genuinely serves everyone. At the symposium, we will share more about:
- The development and evolution of nLIFT
- The unique value proposition that nonprofits bring to the fintech conversation
- How nonprofits can begin using technology in their work
Attendees will leave the discussion with a better understanding of the nonprofit fintech space, how technology can fuel nonprofit innovation and will be better equipped to make decisions around how technology may enhance their services and programs.
Speakers
 | Megan Wong, Director of Strategic Initiatives, EARN Megan joined EARN in 2016 to lead strategic initiatives supporting the organization’s national expansion. Under her leadership, EARN has launched a series of prize-linked savings programs, developed a pilot income volatility savings product, and scaled its reach through national partners and employers. Prior to EARN, Megan was a business analytics consultant at ZS Associates, working with pharmaceutical clients to develop data-driven sales and marketing solutions. She entered the fintech savings space in business school where she led a variety of projects in asset-building and college access. Megan holds a BSE in Operations Research and Financial Engineering from Princeton University and an MBA from the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business. |
 | Ivan Becerra, Chief Development Officer, MyPath An anthropologist by trade, Ivan manages fund development, communications and marketing for MyPath, bringing together his passion for social justice, research, storytelling and partnership development. Prior to joining MyPath, Ivan consulted for nonprofits and government agencies on strategic communications, crisis and issues management, and community outreach at Fineman PR, a San Francisco-based Public Relations firm. Ivan also has more than 12 years of marketing, public affairs and market research experience with a myriad of public, private and nonprofit organizations. When he is not reading the news or running after his indefatigable three-year-old son, Ivan enjoys traveling around the world, hiking with his dogs, cooking — and eating — as well as binge-watching Sci-Fi dramas. |
 | Jorge Contreras, Partner Management Director, Mission Asset Fund As the Partner Management Director, Jorge supports MAF’s Lending Circle partnerships in more than 17 different states in the United States. Jorge and his team support a network of partners that work in the intersection of immigration, financial inclusion, and asset building. Before joining MAF, Jorge managed and directed programming for system impacted youth in San Mateo County. Using a collective approach to problem solving, Jorge positioned his former agency in the forefront of innovative service delivery efforts. Jorge takes pride in his role to bring the first college accredited course to incarcerated juvenile students in San Mateo County. Jorge is a former Capital Fellow, McNair Scholar, and current MPA candidate at San Francisco State University. Jorge is the ninth born in a family of ten. Jorge is an immigrant, scholar, and youth advocate. Jorge also loves to pretend to be a coffee expert- but he isn’t. Pronouns: he, him, his |