Meche joined WAGES in November 2011, bringing eighteen years of experience in running economic development programs serving the Latino community throughout the San Francisco Bay Area to her role as Executive Director. Meche has pursued her core passion for advancing the economic empowerment of women in many arenas. During her leadership of the ALAS Program (at Women’s Initiative for Self Employment), ALAS reached over 1,300 Latinas and evolved into a nationally-recognized and award-wining microenterprise development program. Meche also served as Business Technical Assistance Program Manager at Lenders for Community Development, as Microenterprise Development Manager at the Unity Council, and as the Business Development Program Lead at the Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA). Meche’s consulting projects have included program development for La Cocina Kitchen Incubator Project in San Francisco, assessment of needs for a commercial corridor in San Jose California, and program and curriculum development as well as training projects throughout California.

For her innovation and dedication, Meche’s work was honored with the Small Business Advocate of the Year 2000 award by the Small Business Administration (SBA). Under Meche’s leadership, the ALAS program was also recognized in the 2000 US Presidential Award for Excellence in Microenterprise Development.

Meche is a native of Veracruz, Mexico, where she received her CPA accreditation and Diploma in Public Accounting and Auditing from the University of Veracruz.

meche@wagescooperatives.org