John Hatch

Co-Founder, FINCA International

John Hatch is a Board Member and Co-Founder of FINCA International and the creator of the Village Banking methodology, a pioneering approach to microcredit that empowers low-income entrepreneurs — particularly women — to lift their families out of poverty.

John began his career with the Peace Corps as a volunteer in Colombia and regional director in Peru before returning to earn a Master of Arts in Latin American History and a doctorate in economic development. While completing his doctoral research, he worked alongside subsistence farmers in Peru to document rural poverty and farming practices. In 1976, John founded Rural Development Services, an international consulting firm that completed more than 50 development projects across Latin America, Asia, and Africa.

In 1983, John co-founded FINCA to promote Village Banking globally. Over two decades, he helped expand FINCA’s operations to more than 20 countries and trained dozens of organizations in the methodology. He also served as Chief of Party for FINCA programs in Bolivia, El Salvador, and Guatemala, and as Research Director at FINCA’s global headquarters. John co-founded the Microcredit Summit Campaign, which today

represents thousands of microfinance organizations serving millions of families worldwide.

John holds degrees from Johns Hopkins University and the University of Wisconsin.