Alyssa was born and raised in a small farm town in Connecticut where she spent her childhood reading and spending time with her horse. She attended Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT where she double majored in International Business and Marketing. In 2011, she took a trip to Leon, Nicaragua to distribute microloans to a few small businesses. In preparation for the class, she read “Banker to the Poor” by Muhammad Yunus, which opened her eyes that businesses and economic models could exist for a social cause and did not have to be about shareholder wealth. Alyssa started focusing more on social businesses, microfinance, and local community development.

Alyssa is currently serving as a Kiva Fellow for Kiva Zip in Richmond, VA.