Monique Cohen is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading experts on clients and microfinance services. Monique founded Microfinance Opportunities in 2002 to dive deep into the study of how low-income individuals manage money and risk, and to provide them with the training and confidence they need to make wise financial decisions. Monique spearheaded the groundbreaking “Global Financial Education Program” which builds the financial capabilities of the poor using a range of media tools and workshops.
Dr. Cohen was among the first to employ the innovative Financial Diaries methodology to assess financial behaviors of low income populations and apply the findings to product development, breaking ground in Kenya and Malawi.
Dr. Cohen co-authored “Financial Literacy: A step for Clients towards Financial Inclusion” commissioned for the 2011 Microcredit Summit and oversaw “Taking Stock Financial Education Initiatives for the Poor” funded by the MasterCard Foundation. She developed “Listening to Clients,” a visual and interactive market research microfinance training toolkit.
Dr. Cohen is on multiple advisory committees including the Board of Child/Youth Finance International, Financial Inclusion 2020 and speaks regularly at microfinance, consumer protection and financial inclusion conferences around the world, and is widely published.
Monique has a doctorate degree in economic geography from Clark University. Over the years, she has taught courses at the Boulder Microfinance Training Program; Columbia University; the University of Southern New Hampshire’s Microenterprise Development Institute; and has been the keynote speaker at dozens of conferences and events.
Dr Cohen is now President Emeritus of Microfinance Opportunities and Independent Advisor.
