W. Gerald McElroy

About W. Gerald McElroy

Gerald is an experienced international development and policy professional with over 18 years of leadership experience across Latin America and the Caribbean. He currently serves as Director of International Development and Strategic Partnerships at Nclusion, where he builds bridges between local communities, international financial institutions, researchers, and mission-aligned partners to expand access to capital and financial literacy for entrepreneurs in underserved markets.Previously, Gerald was a Special Advisor at USAID’s Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean, where he helped shape U.S. government initiatives to promote health, education, economic growth, and regional development. Working closely with colleagues at USAID, the State Department and the National Security Council, he provided strategic guidance on U.S. policy and programming in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.From 2018 to 2023, Gerald served as Senior Advisor and Political Advisor to the Special Representative of the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Haiti. In this capacity, he oversaw programs focused on community violence reduction, citizen-led governance, and private sector engagement, and played a key role in mobilizing over $70 million in donor funding to address Haiti’s escalating humanitarian crisis. He worked closely with community-based organizations and regularly liaised with Haitian civil society, government officials and other diplomatic missions.Earlier in his career, Gerald worked on renewable energy development in the Dominican Republic and advised former U.S. Ambassador James Brewster on priority issues including sustainable development and human rights.A firm believer in grassroots impact, Gerald is co-founder and board member of Yspaniola, a nonprofit organization supporting education and community development in the Dominican Republic. He brings deep expertise in financial inclusion, institutional strengthening, and stakeholder engagement across complex political and operational environments.Gerald holds a Master of Public Administration in International Development (Development Practice) from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and French from Yale University. He is fluent in Spanish, Haitian Creole, and French, with working proficiency in Portuguese.

Experience

1. Director of Int\'l Development and Strategic Partnerships

   Nclusion

   Jun 2025 — Present · Washington D.C. & Palo Alto, CA, US

   At Nclusion, I help create new pathways to financial inclusion for entrepreneurs and communities who are underserved by traditional financial systems. My role focuses on growing global partnerships, structuring development finance solutions, and supporting programs that combine microloans, financial literacy, and capital access to build long-term economic resilience.

Education

• Yale University

  Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

  2005 — 2009

• Columbia | SIPA

  Master of Public Administration (MPA)

  2012 — 2014

Skills

• Capacity Building
• Microfinance
• Spanish
• Energy
• Leadership
• Public Policy
• Solar Energy
• Grants
• Translation
• Haitian Creole
• Research
• Monitoring & Evaluation
• Community Outreach
• Community Development
• Analysis
• French
• Government
• Nonprofits
• Program Development
• Politics
• Human Rights
• Leadership Development
• Event Planning
• Political Science
• Fundraising
• Editing
• Proposal Writing
• Interpreting
• Program Evaluation
• Latin America
• International Relations
• Renewable Energy
• Policy Analysis
• Public Speaking
• Sustainable Development
• Social Entrepreneurship
• International Development