Kiva founder to headline annual Rhodes Lecture

Jessica Jackley, founder and chief marketing officer of Kiva, the world’s first peer-to-peer microlending website, will headline the 2012 Rhodes Lecture at Katzin Concert Hall at 7 p.m., Feb. 22.

A signature event at Barrett, the Honors College, the Rhodes Lecture is named after John J. Rhodes, chair in Public Policy and American Institutions in Barrett. Each year the lecture serves to honor those who exemplify integrity, fiscal responsibility, respect towards others and international farsightedness.

Named one of the top ideas of 2006 by The New York Times Magazine, and praised by Oprah, Bill Clinton and countless others, Kiva is one of the fastest-growing social benefit websites in history. Since 2005, Kiva has loaned nearly $200 million from lenders to entrepreneurs across 206 countries.

Jackley holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and political science, and serves as an active advisor and board member on several organizations championing women, microfinance, tech and the arts.

Convinced that social change happens across all sectors, Jackley has worked in public, nonprofit and private organizations, including the Stanford Center for Social Innovation, Amazon.com, Potentia Media and many others.

Educating future generations of leaders, Jackley is currently a visiting practitioner at Stanford’s Center for Philanthropy and Civil Society and has taught Global Entrepreneurship at the Marshall School of Business at USC. She is also the founder and CEO of ProFounder, a platform providing innovative ways for start-ups and small business entrepreneurs in the U.S. to access start-up capital through crowdfunding and community involvement.

Tickets are required but free for this event. All seating is general admission. Visit http://barretthonors.asu.edu/2012/01/2012-rhodes-lecture/ to reserve tickets.