Cris Himes

Cris Himes has extensive experience in the field of community development finance. Cris began their career as a Research Coordinator at the Ministry of Social Development in Mexico in 1992. From 1994 to 1998, they worked at ACCION International, where they held positions of increasing responsibility, including Director of US Operations and Program Associate. At ACCION, they were responsible for providing technical and financial assistance to domestic not-for-profit small business lending programs.

In 1999, Cris Himes established their own independent office as a Community Development Finance Consultant. Their primary clients were the National Community Capital Association (now known as Opportunity Finance Network) and The Aspen Institute's Fund for Innovation, Effectiveness, Learning, and Dissemination (FIELD). As a consultant, they specialized in financial and social impact evaluation of non-profit community development financial institutions (CDFIs), focusing on investment underwriting, information management improvement, and developing portfolio risk management systems.

From 2003 to 2005, Cris Himes served as a Business Lender at Cascadia Revolving Fund (now Craft3), where they established a new branch office in Central Oregon. Cris provided loans and business counseling to small businesses that were not yet qualified for bank financing. Their responsibilities included outreach, underwriting loan applications, managing the regional loan portfolio, providing financial guidance, and reporting to funders.

In 2005, they joined Bank of the Cascades (now First Interstate Bank) as an AVP, Commercial Loan Analyst. Cris prepared financial analysis and presented loan proposals to the loan committee for loans ranging in amounts from $250,000 to $10 million. Their areas of specialization included municipal lending, affordable housing, and commercial real estate. Cris initially joined the bank as a loan officer, responsible for bringing in new loan business.

From 2010 to 2021, Cris Himes returned to working as an independent consultant. Cris specialized in underwriting investments in and by non-profit community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and provided portfolio risk management and capitalization strategies for CDFIs. Their clients included Aeris Insight Inc., Opportunity Finance Network (OFN), Vasys Consulting, Craft3, Summit Consulting, The Calvert Foundation, GPS Capital Partners, and the Living Cities Catalyst Fund.

Currently, Cris Himes holds the position of Vice President, Financial Institutions Analyst at Aeris Insight Inc. since January 2021.

Cris Himes has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Comparative Literature from Yale University, which was obtained between 1986 and 1990. Cris then pursued further education and earned a Masters in Public Affairs with a focus on Development Studies from Princeton University between 1991 and 1994. Additionally, Cris Himes attended El Colegio de México in 1990 and engaged in the Center for Political and Economic Studies, although no specific degree is mentioned for this period.