Maria has spent the past 15 years focused on removing market constraints to advance financial inclusion in Least Developed Countries and Emerging Markets. As Regional Manager of UNCDF’s Inclusive Digital Economies Practice Area for Asia, Maria provides strategic vision and technical support to develop inclusive digital economies that can unlock private finance for all and support the achievement of the SDGs in the region. In her previous role as Youth Finance Lead, Maria brought access to financial services to close to 1,000,000 youth of which 60% are young women and girls. Her portfolio grew from 8 to 13 countries, and from USD 12 to USD 20 million from 2015 to 2020. She enjoys building and leading innovative strategies and partnerships to reduce the gender gap and to address the obstacles to achieve young women and girls economic empowerment. She has worked with policy makers, banks, mobile money operators, Fintechs, developers of digital solutions, youth serving organizations and NGOs’ across Africa, Asia and Latin America. She has a masters degree in International Affairs and Economic Development from Columbia University, and a Bachelors Degree from Externado de Colombia University and l’Institut de Sciences Politiques de Paris (Sciences-Po).