Alexandra Tuinstra
Chief Programs Officer
I was born in the rural south of Costa Rica, into both a family and a country that take agriculture and sustainability very seriously. Thousands of people in Costa Rica depend on coffee for their livelihoods, and many of them work hard to manage their farms in harmony with the environment. Today, I work to support rural businesses that create opportunities for farmers like these, by developing the strategy for and implementing Root Capital’s advisory and impact programs. I ensure that our Advisory team is providing these businesses with the skills and cutting-edge tools they need to achieve catalytic impact in their communities — and continually evaluate that impact so that we can improve our services on an ongoing basis.
What I love about my work is that we give people a chance to learn — to gain new skills, new opportunities, and a newfound sense of confidence. I’ve always wanted to work for an organization that empowers people to reach their potential, and that ideally would bring me closer to my roots in agriculture. Root Capital, for me, is the whole package. I am motivated by seeing how business leaders multiply their organizations’ impact by taking advantage of new technology, or make timely decisions because they have access to data and the ability to analyze it. I am especially inspired by the young women I see stepping into leadership roles in rural enterprises, igniting seismic changes in the paradigms that hold back innovation, growth and economic justice.