Dr. Jennifer Esperanza serves as senior director of organizational culture and strategy at Coopera Consulting, where she champions financial inclusion for underserved communities, working with credit unions to ensure equitable and culturally relevant financial services. With a Ph.D. in economic anthropology, Esperanza leverages her two decades of research and teaching experience to drive impactful DEI and financial inclusion initiatives. Her expertise extends to demographic research on economic cooperatives and immigrant populations.

Prior to joining Coopera, Esperanza spent 17 years as a university professor, teaching courses in cultural anthropology, immigration, and consumer culture at North Carolina State University, Southwestern University, and Beloit College. Her commitment to diversity and inclusion was recognized with achieving tenure and promotion, making her the first Asian American woman to achieve this milestone at Beloit College.

Her passion for teaching, storytelling, and public speaking has led her to engage audiences on topics such as immigration, DEI, and organizational change. She serves on the Board of the Wisconsin Humanities Council and as a co-founder of HAPICUP—the Hawaiian, Asian, Pacific Islander Credit Union Professionals group.