Irena Shiba is the Program Officer for Microfinance and Enterprise Development at the Citi Foundation where she is responsible for making and managing philanthropic investments in 89 countries where Citi operates. The Citi Foundation’s Microfinance and Enterprise Development portfolios are comprised of investments that drive consumer financial product innovation while supporting small businesses that create jobs and enhance incomes. She also directs the Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards, Citi’s signature $2 million program that recognizes the extraordinary contributions that microentrepreneurs have made to the economic sustainability of their families as well as their communities in 28 countries.
Prior to joining Citi, Irena worked at Senator Hillary Clinton’s office on immigration affairs and at the New York City Council representing constituent interests at City Hall. Most recently, she worked on the International Year of Microcredit, an effort of the United Nations to promote more inclusive financial sectors around the globe.