2009 Keynote Speaker

Joyce Lehman, EMU class of 1965, joined the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in January 2008 as a program officer for microfinance within the foundation's Financial Services for the Poor initiative.

After graduation from EMU, she began her career in international economic development with MEDA, the Mennonite Economic Development Associates based in Waterloo, Ontario and Lancaster, Pa.

During her time with MEDA, Joyce provided training and consulting services to microfinance institutions in more than 25 countries and served as a faculty member in leading Microfinance Training Institutes held in the U.S., Europe and South Africa.

From 2003 to 2007, Joyce spent most of her time in Afghanistan working with the World Bank, USAID and other bi-lateral donors to help establish and support a microfinance sector in that difficult post-conflict environment.

Prior to her work with MEDA, Joyce was in private practice as a certified public accountant and taught business courses at Goshen College. She lives in Seattle, Wash., and Keene, N.H.