Senior Loan Operations Analyst
Charlene is passionate about using impact investing and community development finance to strengthen communities and fight inequality. As Wacif’s Senior Loan Operations Analyst, she is focused on redesigning Wacif’s lending operations to be more efficient and impactful for the community. She also oversees the loan closing process and manages Wacif’s Line of Credit product operations and portfolio of borrowers. Charlene enjoys supporting small business owners and is excited to increase her exposure to loan origination, underwriting, and portfolio management through this role.
Charlene started her career in Wacif’s Finance and Operations department, initially leading day-to-day accounting, administering financial systems and managing organizational risk and compliance. Upon the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Charlene shifted to an operations-focused role where she managed the financial operations, risk management, and financial reporting for Wacif’s small business recovery grants programs. In 2020 and 2021, using the financial operations she established, the Wacif Finance team successfully deployed over $20 million to local entrepreneurs. Charlene has also led numerous data reconciliation and software selection/onboarding projects. She is highly proficient in Microsoft Excel and is pursuing the Economic Development Financial Professional Certification through the National Development Council.
Charlene is a proud University of Michigan graduate with a Bachelor of Business Administration and minor in Native American Studies. She interned at microfinance institution Fundación Santo Domingo as a student and maintains an intermediate fluency in Spanish. She enjoys giving back to the region she calls home and volunteers with a local court watch organization and her church’s Mission Endowment Fund. In her free time, she can usually be found hiking, biking, practicing yoga, reading, and cooking.