Rathi Mani-Kandt

Rathi Mani-Kandt serves as the Director of Women’s Entrepreneurship and Financial Inclusion at CARE since July 2020, focusing on women's economic empowerment through inclusive finance and entrepreneurship across various country teams. Previously, Rathi worked as a Senior Human-Centered Innovations Designer and Strategist at Platypus HCD, leading design sprints and projects to develop user-centric products in emerging markets. Rathi held the position of Head of Design Thinking at Zoona, where efforts were made to develop digital financial products for low-income customers in Southern Africa. Additionally, Rathi has extensive experience in research and strategy roles at 17 Triggers and Making Cents International, where projects targeted low-income populations and youth-inclusive financial services. Rathi's educational background includes a Master's degree in International Development with a focus on Microfinance from American University and a Bachelor's degree in International Affairs and Spanish from Washington University in St. Louis.