Elizabeth Lynch is Manager of WWB’s Center for Microfinance Leadership. She is responsible for the delivery of all of the Center’s executive education programs and organizational development projects. Her focus is on building WWB’s organizational support for gender diversity practice, working together with microfinance institutions to identify and address barriers that prevent men and women employees from having equal opportunities to excel. Ms. Lynch authored WWB’s 2008 publication “Transforming the Landscape of Leadership in Microfinance: Maintaining the Focus on Women”.

Prior to joining the Center for Microfinance Leadership, Ms. Lynch was a Senior Associate in WWB’s Products and Technical Assistance Group. She led WWB’s women’s leadership program, which included designing WWB’s work on organizational diversity in microfinance and organizing WWB’s annual Women in Leadership Workshop. She also conducted market and client research to enable network members to better understand their customers and tailor products and services that respond to their needs. Prior to joining the Products Group, Ms. Lynch served in WWB’s Linkages and Learning Group (2003 to 2008) and the Office of the President (2001 to 2003).

Prior to joining WWB, Ms. Lynch worked in the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, where she served on several intellectual property rights cases. She has worked as a program evaluator in Benin for the Government of Benin and as a consultant in Thailand for the Open Society Institute. She received a Master's degree in International Affairs at Columbia University, with a concentration in Economic and Political Development in Francophone Africa. She received her bachelor's degree in Early Modern and East Asian history from Haverford College. Ms. Lynch is fluent in English, French and Spanish.

Sarah Buitoni is a Senior Associate in WWB’s Center for Microfinance Leadership. She is responsible for all of the individual capacity building programs including managing and coordinating all workshops, trainings and exchanges. She also leads the monitoring and evaluation of these activities and manages alumni relations for the Center.

Prior to joining WWB, Ms. Buitoni served as a Consultant in the Education Section at UNICEF where she worked on post-conflict and alternative education initiatives. She has worked with the Women’s Refugee Commission in New York and Uganda, Innovations for Poverty Action in Mexico, UNDP and the Institute of International Education. She also contributed research to WWB’s 2008 publication “Transforming the Landscape of Leadership in Microfinance: Maintaining the Focus on Women”.

She received a Master of International Affairs at Columbia University with a concentration in Economic and Political Development and a professional focus on Microfinance. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in Latin American studies and Spanish from Barnard College. Ms. Buitoni is fluent in English and Spanish and conversant in Italian and French.