Winsome Leslie, Phd Email & Phone Number

Baltimore, Maryland

Consulting and advisory work to facilitate access to finance for micro and small business (MSEs), and promote MSE entrepreneurship and financial inclusion. Strong track record in identification, design and supervision of projects and preparation of proposals, promoting access to finance for micro and small businesses (MSEs), in the context of a strategic approach. Extensive experience in curriculum development and training for MSE access to finance. Engagement with a suite of clients at the national, regional and international level, such as the Development Bank of Jamaica, the Caribbean Development Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the Mayor's Office in the City of Baltimore. Received the Antonio Ortiz Mena award from the IDB for contribution to the bank's work in the Caribbean. See www.devsolutionsmd.com.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

People Manager. Leading team working to operationalize the new MIF strategy. Also responsible for coordinating MIF activities in the Caribbean with the IIC and the rest of the Bank. Pipeline origination for the Caribbean, particularly in the areas of access to finance, entrepreneurship development and innovation.

Washington, Dc

Responsible for the development and implementation of MIF's priorities in the English-speaking Caribbean and Haiti, which included building a strong pipeline of projects that were approved each year. Responsible for ensuring a robust portfolio of projects in implementation and identifying and supervising the development of key publications and knowledge products to increase the body of knowledge on the Caribbean and Haiti. Supervisor of Caribbean team of 14 staff and consultants.

Washington D.C.

Coordinator, Haiti and the English-speaking Caribbean in the MIF. Lead Specialist in the Access to Finance Unit, focusing on microfinance, SME financing and early stage equity financing (specifically impact investing) and grant financing for VC eco-system development. Supervisor of first MIF VC Fund in Haiti.

Washington Dc

Coordinator, Haiti and the Caribbean in the MIF. Team leader Of US$5 Caribbean Microfinance Capacity-Building project (CARIB-CAP I & II), focusing on institutional strengthening to microfinance institutions in the Caribbean, in order to improve their performance and client outreach. Project co-financed by the EC and the Caribbean Development Bank in a first-of-its-kind partnership in Caribbean microfinance.

Washington Dc

Identified and developed technical assistance projects and activities in access to finance for Caribbean. Co-chair,Caribbean Impact Investing Group (MIF, State Dept., Portland Equity, Virgin , Caribbean Central American Action). Formulated a Caribbean strategy accepted by MIF Management, for increasing MIF's portfolio in the region, accommodating country priorities. This strategy served as a model for the other LAC sub-regions. MIF liaison to Compete Caribbean Program, helping to ensure activities are complementary to MIF projects in the Caribbean.

Washington, Dc

In charge of knowledge management activities and partnerships in the Caribbean. Program Coordinator for the Partners in Innovation Program, a major $1.2 million 3-year initiative in the MIF 2004-2007, providing a platform for disseminating MIF lessons and good practices more broadly in the LAC region, and for innovative “second generation” projects. Brokered first ever partnership between the Arthur Lok Jack Business School, University of the West Indies (Trinidad) and the Instituto Tecnológico in Monterrey Mexico to collaborate on the development of a CSR course using a MIF CSR Learning Guide. Developed content for the first ever MIF video presentation to the Donors Committee on the progress made in MIF’s Knowledge Management strategy (K2Practice). Brought the Caribbean Development Bank as a partner to the MIF, with co-financing of $526,000 in grant funds for two microfinance projects in the Caribbean. Conceptualized and developed first disaster mitigation facility for Caribbean microfinance institutions (CTSF), and a first for the MIF.

Washington, Dc

MIF Specialist in charge of project programming activities for the Caribbean, a first for the MIF. This involved: strategic thinking about the role of the MIF in each country; building consensus and fostering dialogue between various stakeholders in the Caribbean;; project identification and in some instances project development; identifying new MIF and activities in the region. Developed a strategic paper proposing a small projects program for the Caribbean, involving simpler approval procedures. Planned successful Caribbean seminar on Remittances in Jamaica in 2002 Served as moderator for this event.

Kingston, Jamaica

Advisor on information technology and policy matters to the Central Information Technology Office (CITO) in Jamaica – the organization established to coordinate and monitor the implementation of the country’s Strategic Plan for ICT development. Acted as liaison to U.S. Federal and State agencies, multilateral institutions and the private sector. In this capacity: identified sources of non-reimbursable technical assistance, and other funding for Jamaica’s ICT program; identified opportunities for technical teams from various public sector agencies in Jamaica to meet with their counterparts in Washington to share experiences in developing sector ICT plans; arranged and participated in these discussions.

Washington, Dc.

Policy Advisor to the Government of Jamaica, in areas of economic affairs, foreign assistance, foreign investments and information technology. Drafted economic briefs for Government officials.. Economic liaison between the Embassy and international financial institutions (IFIs) in Washington. including the Inter-American Development Bank. Provided guidance to agencies such as USAID on Jamaican economic development issues and economic policy. Assisted the Jamaican Ambassador in representing Jamaica’s interests to US agencies promoting foreign trade and investments. Advisor on information technology (IT) and Y2K issues, identified and obtained funding from World Bank’s infoDev initiative for the Government of Jamaica’s Y2K compliance program. Co-authored the Information Technology (IT) Strategic Plan for Jamaica (1999) as Embassy representative on a Working Group comprising representatives from the U.S. General Services Administration, the Informatics Advisory Council in Jamaica, and the Information Technology (IT) Re-drafted the Cabinet Submission for formal approval of the Plan by the Jamaican Cabinet. Identified sources of technical assistance and prospective U.S. private sector investors for implementation of the Plan. Identified and wrote winning proposals to secure grant financing from World Bank (infoDev) for two IT initiatives in Jamaica – an E-readiness Assessment for E-government, and the preparation of a Business Plan for the development of a Country Gateway for Jamaica.

Mia, International Relations

M.A. in International Relations; Internships at the UNDP (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and the Rockefeller Foundation.

Doctor Of Philosophy (Ph.D.), International Relations

Ph.D. in International Relations; focus on economic reform in Sub-Saharan Africa. Dissertation published by Lynne Rienner publishers.