As a Senior Partnerships Manager for Labs, Michelle is responsible for the oversight and expansion of Labs partnerships in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. The Labs program scales high-impact social enterprises and promotes innovations in financial inclusion. Michelle started working with Kiva in 2013, based in the Nairobi, Kenya office. Prior to Kiva, Michelle volunteered with the Jane Goodall Institute in Uganda, conducted research with the Wildlife Conservation Society in Gabon, and taught African geography courses at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She holds a Master's degree in Geography and African Studies and a Bachelor's degree in Zoology and Conservation Biology from UW-Madison. Michelle is now based in Johannesburg, South Africa where she dreams of visiting all of the national parks in Africa.