Panel Organized by the Economics Department in collaboration with Office of Alumni Engagement. Moderated by Amyaz Moledina, Professor of Economics at the College of Wooster.
Date: September 18, 2026 from 4 – 5 p.m Allen Commons (2nd Floor Lowry)
Finance for good is sometimes referred to as Social Finance (SF). SF does not have a universal definition. For our purposes it suffices to say that it is a continuum of financial approaches that create value for society or the environment, often while producing a financial return. One could also think about it is a movement that promotes ethical and environmentally sustainable people centered approaches. The history of finance for good at Wooster goes back to calls for ethical investment in the 1960s and a long tradition of seeking divestment. These initiatives were catalyzed by Wooster’s vibrant student run organization ecosystem and Wooster’s connection to the Presbyterian church. More than just being a movement at Wooster, these ideas have also been programmatically embedded in our curriculum and formal co-curriculum. Examples are the 20-year-old Social Entrepreneurship program, Lilly Project, Sheppard Scholars, and courses such as “Work” which was one of many initiatives that ignited Wooster’s Living Wage Campaign. Similarly, classes such as “Alternatives to Capitalism”, and “Alternative Finance” but also courses and independent studies across departments discuss financial inequality. These are all spaces where these discussions happened.
We have gathered some alum’s who can speak to the question, can finance be a force for good. They will also share their career journeys so we can see pathways to how finance can be accountable to people and the planet.
Donald Dennis ‘86
Donald Dennis oversees Community Development, Multicultural Banking and Financial Literacy at Huntington Bancshares Incorporated, a $223 billion regional bank-holding company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. He leads all work with publicsector and community-based organizations to execute Huntington’s $40 billion Community Plan designed to improve the economic vitality, financial security and sustainable future for those in the communities the bank serves. Through the Community Plan, consumers, businesses, and community-based organizations across the bank’s footprint have access to capital and resources needed to address social, racial, environmental, and economic inequities in minority and under-resourced communities. He has been recognized as a Top 100 Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at the National Diversity and Leadership Conference in 2022 and was named one of the Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America in 2022 by Savoy Magazine. Prior to this role, Dennis led all aspects of diversity, equity, inclusion, and culture at the bank. He joined Huntington in 2018 from Nationwide Financial Services, where he served as AVP, Learning & Performance Excellence, Learning Solutions Director, and Enterprise Applications Director. He also held several technology management roles at Chase and BISYS Fund Services. Dennis began his career as a management information consultant with Accenture. Dennis serves on the Boards of the Mid-Ohio Food Collective and the Columbus Community Kitchen, LLC, and serves on the UNCF Columbus Leadership Council. He also serves on the Executive Council for the GroundBreak Coalition. Dennis completed the Executive Program in Leadership at the University of Michigan Graduate School of Business and the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. The Columbus, Ohio resident holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and English Literature from The College of Wooster.
Laura Campos ‘98
As the Senior Director, Economic Justice at the Nathan Cummings Foundation (NCF), Laura leads a portfolio designed to advance economic security, expand access to capital, and confront monopoly power. She also oversees NCF’s use of active ownership strategies to address corporations’ impacts on racial, economic, and environmental justice. Over the last 20 years, Laura has successfully engaged public corporations on topics including political spending, renewable energy, diversity and inclusion, and executive compensation. Laura received the Joan Bavaria Award in 2019 for her work to transform the capital markets into a system that balances economic prosperity with social and environmental concerns. Her writing on shareholder activism has appeared in The New York Times, the Chronicle of Philanthropy, and The International Business Times, among others. Laura holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations (now Global and International Studies) from the College of Wooster and an M.Sc., Economics from the London School of Economics.
Laura Valencia ‘12
Laura works in philanthropy as a donor organizer, learning facilitator, and researcher. She worked in international coalition building for 10 years on food sovereignty, Indigenous Peoples’ rights, and intergenerational justice. At Wooster, Laura majored in Global Development Studies, started her social justice journey with Peace by Peace, and was a founding team member of the Global Social Entrepreneurship program. Laura is on the board of Grassroots International and is active in Resource Generation.
Mitik Ayalew Zegeye ‘14
Mitik is a Climate Change Specialist at the World Bank Group. Mitik has worked across the Climate and Agriculture departments at the World Bank. In her current role, she provides technical assistance and advisory support to client countries seeking access to climate finance opportunities. Prior to joining the World Bank, Mitik worked as a Senior Analyst at the Agricultural Transformation Agency of the Federal Government of Ethiopia. Mitik holds a Masters in Public Affairs (MPA) from Princeton University and a BA in International Relations (now Global and International Studies) from the College of Wooster.
Simon Doong ‘15
Simon Doong serves as the Associate for Corporate, Community and Church Engagement for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Office of Faith-Based Investing and Shareholder Engagement. In this role, he advocates on the justice policies of the church to companies where the denomination has investments. He also co-hosts A Matter of Faith: A Presby Podcast, a podcast covering issues of faith, justice, and church life with over 300 episodes. Simon has worked for the PC(USA) for over 10 years, beginning as a Young Adult Volunteer in Daejeon, South Korea (2016-2017) and then at the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations (2017-2018). He also worked for the PC(USA)’s Peacemaking Program focusing on gun violence prevention and peaceful conflict resolution efforts. Simon earned a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations (now Global and International Studies) from the College of Wooster in 2015 and is currently pursuing a Masters of Business Administration at Boise State University.