Prosperity Summit 2025

Ana María Cintrón-Marazzi is Founder & Executive Director of Causa Local. Cintrón studied accounting at the University of Puerto Rico and graduated with a bachelor’s in Business Administration. Her career began as an auditor for Deloitte Puerto Rico and then Miami. She then decided to leave the Big 4 corporate world to explore the local firms on the Island, when she stumbled upon Kiva. On February 2nd, 2016 she welcomed the startup world; running (with a team of hustlers) a co-working space during the day, and growing access to the capital platform during her free time, Kiva PR.

Ana María then started to spread the word about Kiva’s opportunities for small business owners at local events and gatherings. During 2018, Kiva PR had helped over 80 funded borrowers on the island, and success stories were starting to bloom, material impact was being created in the island, importing global money into the economy, connecting hustlers with more than access to capital, and then Causa Local was incorporated to manage nontraditional access to the capital ladder.  

 Bonita Robertson-Hardy is Co-Executive Director of the Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group. She is a workforce and economic development professional committed to connecting the public sector, private sector, and nonprofit communities. Through her work, Bonita builds relationships, utilizes her voice to influence policy, and advocates for equity and opportunity in public and private organizations.

Since joining the Aspen Institute Community Strategies Group in 2021 and becoming the Co-Executive Director in 2022, Bonita has worked to highlight the importance of equitable rural prosperity by lifting up the diverse voices of rural practitioners and researchers. 

Ephraim Palmero is Program Officer, Business Development Organizations for Rural LISC. Ephraim leads the Rural LISC business development organization network and serves as the main point of contact and advisor on small business and entrepreneurship for Rural LISC partners across the United States. With a global background in international development, community development, and city government, Ephraim affirms his commitment to revitalize urban and rural communities through increasing access to financial capital and technical assistance.

Ephraim holds a Masters in Community & International Development and a Bachelor’s in Political Science from Andrews University, an Associates in Criminal Justice from Tidewater Community College, and an International Public and NGO Management Certificate from Cornell University.