Globetrotters Mike & Claudia
McKay '99 Visit the Ath

The Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum is pleased to welcome Mike and Claudia (von der Ohe) McKay '99 on Sept. 23 for "From the Ath to Africa: Two CMCers Share Their Decade of Experiences Abroad."
Though the McKay's are now defined by their global travels, their relationship had a much humbler beginning. The McKays met their freshman year in Berger Hall and after a service trip to Mexico City with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, the pair began dating. After CMC, Claudia worked for Boston Consulting Group, then received her MBA at Oxford. Meanwhile, Mike finished his engineering degree at UCLA, then worked in technology consulting. After a few years in England, the McKays moved to Malawi to utilize their skills and experience in a developing country.
Claudia became the Head of Microfinance Banking at Opportunity Bank of Malawi (OBM). By providing basic financial services and teaching people to save, OBM helped improve quality of life throughout Malawi. Currently Claudia is working for Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), a World Bank policy and research center dedicated to advancing financial access for the world's poor.
Mike used his expertise in technology to lead a Malawian software development team to produce a database to help nurses and other medical professionals in the field to provide appropriate and accurate HIV/AIDS treatment.
Now based in Washington, D.C., the McKays continue to travel extensively to developing countries to help improve the lives of the world's poor by increasing the availability of financial services and improving local technologies.
Back on campus, the McKays are involved with the Social Enterprise Initiative, a 5-C student organization. SEI strives to promote student interest in microfinance and poverty alleviation through social enterprise related coursework, fundraising campaigns, and networking in the social enterprise community. Visit the Social Enterprise Initiative website for more information.
The McKay's were featured in the Fall 2009 issue of CMC Magazine. Click here to read the article.
This event is cosponsored by the Athenaeum and the Center for Human Rights Leadership.