Chief of Party, Financial Inclusion
World Council of Credit Unions
Susy Cheston serves as Chief of Party for Financial Inclusion for the World Council of Credit Unions, leading the Technology and Innovation for Financial Inclusion project under USAID’s Cooperative Development Program. The project seeks to increase access to finance and business development services for SMEs in Guatemala, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Kenya while strengthening credit unions and cooperatives. She previously consulted for leading organizations on global financial inclusion and financial wellness. She was lead author for “Inclusive Insurance: Closing the Protection Gap for Emerging Customers” and “The Business of Financial Inclusion: Insights from Banks in Emerging Markets,” both on behalf of the Center for Financial Inclusion and the Institute of International Finance, as well as co-author of a chapter in the book “Saving the Next Billion from Old Age Poverty.”
Her twenty-five years in financial inclusion and women’s economic empowerment have been inspired by her work in El Salvador, where she served as field director launching the trust group model with the Women’s Opportunity Network. She then joined Opportunity International in the U.S. in a series of roles including executive director of Women’s Opportunity and senior roles for operations, policy and research, and advocacy. She has also worked with Accion and World Vision. Susy lives in Takoma Park, Maryland.