Yashna Gungadurdoss
“With its relatively small class size, its well-renowned program and its strong curriculum, the Woodrow Wilson School’s program was definitely a top choice. I was also very impressed by the School’s attitude towards financial aid. The administration seemed to care a lot about keeping their students out of debt, and this was extremely refreshing at a time when the cost of education can easily act as a barrier in getting trained manpower focused on public administration. I knew that I was going to be dealing with a school administration that cares.” (Hometown: Vacoas, Mauritius)
Biography
Yashna was born and raised in Mauritius. After high school, she left her home country to attend Cornell University, where she earned a double degree in economics and psychology. After graduating in 2015, Yashna joined the Entrepreneurial Finance Lab, which uses psychometric credit scores to advance financial inclusion in developing countries. She initially led the company’s marketing initiatives and thereafter moved to India to spearhead projects with financial institutions in Mumbai. During that time, she also led the development and launch of the industry’s first psychometric assessment tool geared towards Joint Liability Group microfinance clients. She is interested in sustainable and evidence-based approaches to international development and in the longer term, she plans on working for the Mauritian government. Yashna spent the summer working for Instiglio in Nairobi, where she worked on the design of Results-Based Financing tools. Yashna loves Latin dance, yoga, meditation, good food, languages and travel!