Lauren Hendricks brings over 30 years of experience in the humanitarian and development sectors across Africa, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. With a focus on sectors such as financial inclusion, agriculture, SME development, gender inclusion, women’s empowerment, and technology, she is committed to ensuring marginalized communities have the information and resources they need to thrive.

Early in her career, Lauren lived in the Republic of Georgia, where she worked on providing financial services and economic development to internally displaced persons (IDPs). As director of CARE USA's Economic Development Unit, she oversaw 100 active microfinance and enterprise programs in 54 countries. She then spent seven years in Tanzania leading CARE’s Access Africa program, which supported financial inclusion across 27 countries on the continent. Lauren also served as Executive Vice President at the Grameen Foundation, focusing on strategy and program implementation, and holds board positions with several nonprofits.

She joins Trickle Up from her role as cofounder and CEO of KEIPhone, a tech start-up in Uganda, providing access to smartphones as a catalyst for the growth of communities.

Lauren holds a master's degree in African studies and a bachelor's degree in political science, both from the University of California, Los Angeles.