Thought Leader: Ana Zacapa
Ana Zacapa (she/her/hers), current board member and former board chair at Root Capital, is a recognized leader with extensive experience investing in people-centric solutions at the intersection of economic opportunity, climate change, and migration. She has been a featured speaker at several high-profile conferences, including as moderator of the panel “Investing in the Frontlines: Climate Finance Solutions for Smallholder Farmers” at the Global Impact Investing Network’s Impact Forum.
Ana is a member of the board, and served a term as board chair (2019-2024) of Root Capital, the leading social investor transforming rural communities in Latin America, Africa and Indonesia, with $2B invested and over 10 million people supported. She is also a member of the prestigious Climate Migration Council, a group of global leaders committed to putting people at the center of climate action. After a decade-long career on Wall Street, Ana founded the West Coast office of Ceres, the leading nonprofit working with companies and investors to address climate change. Previously, she led the Innovation Investments program at the Skoll Foundation, one of the world’s most innovative foundations.
A native of Honduras, Ana is particularly passionate about local solutions to poverty, highlighting and recognizing local leaders as solution drivers, and climate-driven migration. Her expertise has been featured in The New York Times, Devex, Impakter, and more.
“In the US, we often say that small businesses are the backbone of the economy. The same is true in Honduras and throughout the region. In particular, small agricultural enterprises like coffee cooperatives are singular economic drivers in their communities—and they urgently need investment.”- Impakter June 18, 2021
In addition to her work with Root Capital, Ana serves on the Board of Advisors of Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment and Sustainability, a world-renowned research and policy institute leading the implementation of Duke University’s ambitious Climate Commitment. Additionally, she is the Lead Independent Advisor to IPSY, a global $1 billion beauty innovation platform, on their sustainability, social impact and self-expression work.
Ana holds a B.A. in Economics from Duke University and a Masters in Development Studies from The London School of Economics and Political Science.
Topics of Interest:
- Social change and innovation
- Economic opportunity and rural entrepreneurship
- Climate-related migration
- Climate innovation in rural communities
- Financial inclusion
- Impact investing
- Blended finance
- Emerging economies
- Latin America
Speaking Examples:
- Confluence Philanthropy: The Urgent Need for Catalytic, Impact-First Capital
- National Forum on Family Philanthropy: Making Impact Beyond Grants
- Ceres: Building High Impact Relationships with Nonprofits, Companies and Investors
- Ceres President’s Council and Ceres’ Investor Conference
- Global Impact Investing Network Impact Forum
- IPSY impact
To book Ana Zacapa for a speaking engagement or media interview, contact communications@rootcapital.org
About Root Capital
Root Capital invests in the growth of agricultural enterprises so they can transform rural communities. These enterprises purchase crops such as coffee, cocoa, or grains from smallholder farmers. With growth, they become engines of impact that can raise incomes, create jobs, empower women and young people, sustain peace, and preserve vulnerable ecosystems. Root Capital supplies these enterprises with vital resources: access to capital, trade and technical partners, training on financial management, and conservation practices. To date, Root Capital has distributed $1.85 billion to more than 768 enterprises and provided training to more than 1,800 enterprises—collectively improving the lives of 10 million people in farming communities.