Katherine Lucey

Chief Executive Officer, Solar Sister

2013 Developing World Award Winner

After a successful 20-year career on Wall Street, Katherine Lucey decided to give back. She brought her business acumen and passion for empowering women to Africa, creating a sustainable, market-based social enterprise—Solar Sister—that provides light, hope, and opportunity to women and their communities. Solar Sister combines the breakthrough potential of clean energy technology with a deliberately woman-centered direct sales network. Women become Solar Sister Entrepreneurs, earning income to lift themselves and their families out of poverty and providing access to clean, affordable solar light to their communities. Lucey is a Schwab Entrepreneur of the Year, an Ashoka Fellow, and a Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation Entrepreneur. She has received recognition and awards for her work with Solar Sister including Forbes “50 Over 50 Women of Impact”, Clinton Global Initiative, Social Venture Network, C3E, and International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) Champion of Change Award. She holds a BA from the University of Georgia and an MBA from Georgia State University.