Claire Everhart

Claire Everhart works in development finance, focused on extending financing to un- and under-served entrepreneurial borrowers in low-income communities around the world. Since 2021 she has served as Managing Director for Partner Engagement at the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) in Washington, D.C., the U.S. government's development finance institution. Prior to this role she worked towards the same goal as USAID's Asia/MENA Relationship Manager under the Development Credit Authority - working closely with financial institutions across the region to increase lending to un- and under-served entrepreneurs. Claire has also served in the House of Representatives and on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. She is also the DC Chapter Leader of Truman National Security Project, focused on making the case for how International Development support is crucial to U.S. National Security.

Her connection to On the Ground predates this career. Claire participated as a runner in all of the organization's ultra-marathon fundraising projects — the Run Across Ethiopia, Run Across Palestine, and Run Across Congo — covering long daily distances through the regions supported by the fundraising runs. Claire learned of OTG's first run; the Run Across Ethiopia, when working for an Ohio fairtrade non-profit and store selling OTG Co-Founder's Higher Grounds Coffee. She has also worked with one of OTG's partner's, Eastern Congo Initiative.

Claire is a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University, where she studied international studies with a minor in Spanish, and the University College London (UCL), with an MSc in International Public Policy. As Chair of the Board, Claire brings direct professional expertise in both formalized smallholder farmer lending and traditional development projects, as well as non-profits, grant-making, and government.