Joelle Birge joined Quona in 2026 as Director of Finance and Operations.
Joelle's prior experience spans private equity, private credit and impact investing, working across investments, finance, and operations, with a focus on emerging markets. Before joining Quona, Joelle served as Investment Director of Missio Invest, an impact-first private credit firm focused on health, education and financial inclusion in Africa. During her 9 years at Missio Invest, Joelle built and led a 15-person team, expanded the fund's footprint from two to 12 countries, managed a diverse portfolio of over 100 loans, and co-led capital raising and investor relations for a blended finance vehicle.
Prior to Missio Invest, Joelle began her career in private equity and investment banking, serving as a Private Equity Associate at Advent International and previously as an Investment Banking Analyst at Credit Suisse. While earning her MBA at Wharton, Joelle also led impact-focused consulting projects for Paul G. Allen's Vulcan Inc. and for VillageReach Mozambique. Her work at these organizations inspired her to devote the rest of her career to emerging markets impact investing.
Joelle holds an MBA and an MA in International Studies from the Wharton School and Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania, as well as a BA from Princeton University.
