Melissa L. Alado serves as Country Director in the Philippines for the USAID-funded Cooperative Development Program and ACDI/VOCA’s country representative in the Philippines. Melissa first joined ACDI/VOCA in 2015 as a specialist in producer organizations and finance for the USDA Food for Progress Mindanao Productivity for Agricultural Commerce and Trade (MinPACT) and later became a business development manager for the USDA-funded Philippine Coffee Advancement and Farm Enterprise (PhilCAFE). During this time, she worked with agricultural cooperatives, institutional buyers, and financial institutions to promote socially inclusive financial products. Melissa has decades of experience working with cooperatives and federations, providing technical advice and business and operations management. Prior to joining ACDI/VOCA, she served as a finance specialist for the USAID-funded Credit Union Empowerment and Strengthening (CUES Philippines) and Growth with Equity in Mindanao projects. Melissa holds a BS in accountancy and is a Certified Public Accountant. She is fluent in English and Filipino.
