Agora Partnerships

Ben Powell -- Co-founder and Managing Partner
Ben became convinced of the power of small business to transform poor communities as an investor and entrepreneur in Mexico, where he co-founded CityGolf Puebla, a family entertainment park. Ben has been an examiner in the International Affairs Division of the White House Office of Management and Budget, and has worked at Ashoka on its Full Economic Citizenship initiative. He has an MBA from Columbia Business School, an MS in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and a BA from Haverford College. Ben is a frequent speaker on social entrepreneurship and micro venture capital and was awarded the I Qube award for innovation, inspiration and impact from Dalberg Global Development Advisors. He lives in Washington DC with his wife and two sons.

Matt Newsome -- Associate
Matt previously interned with Agora and joined the team after finishing his B.A. in International Relations with a focus in International Development at American University in Washington D.C.  Before joining Agora, Matt interned as an analyst at TranSecur, Inc. an international security firm and with the China Children's and Teenager's Fund, a public charity in Beijing, China.

Agora Partnerships Nicaragua

Ricardo Terán Terán -- Co-founder and Managing Partner
Ricardo has started a number of successful businesses including Teranet, a satellite communications company, Portal Americas, the country’s first web portal and the Nicaraguan operations of LOLITA, a women’s clothing store franchise. Ricardo is founder of the 800-member  Nicaraguan Young Entrepreneurs Association and has worked for Booz Allen Hamilton, the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. In addition, Ricardo is an Aspen Institute Fellow for the Central American Leadership Initiative. Ricardo holds a BS in Business Administration and an MS in Foreign Service from Georgetown University.

Paul Davidson -- Operations Manager
Paul spent nine years in manufacturing and marketing in the United States and France before turning his attention to small and medium-sized enterprise development in Nicaragua in 1997. He has also carried out shorter development missions in Senegal, Nigeria and Zimbabwe. Paul has worked for General Electric, the U.S. Peace Corps and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization. He holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Rutgers University and an MBA from INSEAD in France.

Alina Menicucci-- Marketing and Development Manager 
Alina has an Executive MBA from the Chapman Business School at Florida International University and is concentrating in the Strategic Management area. Alina has more than 15 years of experience in project management in the private as well as in the non- profit sector. Alina has held upper management and leadership positions. She has a BA in psychology from Florida International University, a Master in Social Work from Marywood University and a Project Management Professional ( PMP) certification from the Project Management Institute.

Brian Phillips -- Enterprise Development Manager
Brian come to Agora after two years spent as a Peace Corps Volunteer working in Nicaragua. Before entering into Peace Corps, Brian spent a year and a half as a research assistant in the area of economics. Brian holds a BS in Economics and Philosophy from UT Austin and an MBA from Monterey Institute of International Studies.

Alfonso Barquero -- Enterprise Development Manager
Alfonso previously worked as a manager for FINDESA, the leading microfinance institution in Nicaragua, where he worked with micro and small businesses in Managua. Alfonso also provided strategic consulting with FUNDESER, a rural microfinance institution. Alfonso has an MBA with emphasis in Marketing from INCAE Business School, a graduate degree in international relations and bachelor’s degree in philosophy with a major in business administration, concentrations in Finance and Business Economics.

Alejandro Solís -- Finance Manager
Alejandro graduated from the University of Essex in England where he obtained a Masters degree in General Economics and a Doctorate in Financial Economics and has extensive experience in finance.  Before joining Agora Nicaragua, Alejandro was the Finance Manager at Lácteos Centroamérica and the Finance Director of the Nicaraguan Customs Service.

Melisa Mayorga Sequeira -- Program Assistant
Melisa has a B.A. in Business Administration and wrote her thesis on “The Political Structure of Commercial Relations between Taiwan and Nicaragua.” She has worked for the Nicaraguan Government in the Migration and Foreign Affairs Institution as Social Communications Advisor to the Director; in the Ministry of the Interior, in the Vice Ministers office as well as the Ministry of Defense, as Assistant to the Minister. Collaborated directly in coordinating the 8th Defense Ministers of the Americas Conference in October 2006.

Lissette graduated from the Catholic University (UNICA), where she obtained a degree in Business Administration with concentration in Marketing and has taken specialized courses in this area.
She has two years of experience in logistic, operations, marketing and organizational management working as Administrative Assistant for LOLITA of Nicaragua, a franchise of boutiques focused on women clothing and also worked for Mercadeo Empresarial, S.A., a regional project initiative that unites the national universities with the private companies in Nicaragua.

For a list of summer associates and interns, please click here