Andy Lower, Executive Director: Andy joined Eleos as Executive Director in December 2008. He moved to Eleos from the international philanthropic advisory firm Geneva Global Inc, where he served as North American Advisory Manager. While at Geneva Global Inc., Andy provided philanthropic investment advice to the firm’s key U.S. and Middle East-based clients and spearheaded a number of multi-million dollar international partnership initiatives. He has worked in a variety of different sectors in the developing world throughout his career, and maintains special interest in working with community based organizations.
Prior to Geneva Global, Andy worked with a number of U.K. and internationally based non-governmental organizations. He has worked with national partners throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Andy is a British national, holding a Masters Degree in International Development from London-based Middlesex University, and a Degree in Law from University of Southampton, UK.
Jim Villanueva, Investment Director: Jim joined the staff of Eleos in 2010. Jim brings to the team an entrepreneurial as well as investment background and has worked extensively with a number of philanthropic organizations. Over the course of his investment career, Jim was a partner in several private equity partnerships, investing in multiple industries across North and South America. His experience ranges from serving as Vice President of Bastion Capital Corporation focusing on middle market management buyouts to being a founding Partner in Crescent Ventures investing in technology, media and natural resource development. Previously, he co-founded and sold a Spanish-language media company and a national Hispanic marketing and public relations firm.
Jim led the restructuring of a non-profit retreat and conference center in Santa Barbara, repositioning it as The Eleos Foundation. In 2010, he took a leave from Eleos’ board to join its social enterprise investment activities as Investment Director. Jim holds an MBA degree from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and graduated with honors from Harvard College.
Karla Newendorp, Operations Director: Karla joined the Eleos team in 2012. Previously, she was a Research Analyst at the New York based NGO, Peace Dividend Trust an organizations focused on economic development in post conflict areas. Karla has worked directly with social entrepreneurs throughout Africa, Latin America and most recently in Afghanistan.
Prior to Peace Dividend Trust, Karla worked for a Communications firm dedicated to the promotion of socially responsible businesses, the World Affairs Council and the United Nations. She has a Masters Degree in Development Economics and International Cooperation from the University of Rome, Italy and a Bachelors Degree in International Relations.
