Vicki Escarra

Vicki Escarra
Personal details
Born	Vicki B. Escarra
Nationality	American
Occupation	Global CEO of Opportunity International

Vicki Escarra is the Global CEO of Opportunity International, an organization that provides small business loans, savings, insurance and training to more than five million people in the developing world. She has been leading Opportunity International since 2012. Previously, she was the CEO of Feeding America and CMO of Delta Air Lines.

Career

Since 2012 Vicki Escarra has been the global CEO of Opportunity International, a global non-profit organization that helps people in developing nations work their way out of poverty. The organization provides loans, savings programs, insurance, training and other financial services to more than 5 million people in 23 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe.

At Opportunity International Escarra has led initiatives to create a long-term strategic plan, rebrand the organization, streamline operations and increase global fundraising by 30 percent in 2013, expanding the organization’s work around the world. She also strengthened partnerships with corporate and institutional donors such as Caterpillar, MasterCard and John Deere as part of the organization’s plan to create 20 million jobs by 2020.

From 2006 to 2012 Escarra served as President and chief executive officer of Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger relief organization. As president and CEO of Feeding America, Escarra increased fundraising by 300 percent, nearly doubled its client base, and increased corporate contributions from $8 million to $33 million in about six years. “Vicki’s impact on the Feeding America network has been phenomenal,” said David Brearton, Feeding America board chair via a statement. “The Board of Directors is profoundly grateful to Vicki for her more than six years of dedicated service."

Prior to Feeding America, Escarra spent nearly 30 years at Delta Air Lines, where she rose to Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, upholding the responsibilities over 52,000 employees.

Since 2003, she has been a board member A. G. Edwards, alongside several other boards such as Association of Professional Women and the Committee of 200. From 2004 to 2006 she worked as a chairman of the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Awards

Vicki was awarded the Committee of 200 (C200) Annual Luminary Award in 2014 presented by Accenture for recognizing the role that education and training play in helping people secure employment. She received a Four Freedoms Award in 2009 from the Roosevelt Institute in the Freedom from the Want category, which honors people who embody Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s vision for democracy in their life and work. Escarra has been named among America’s top 50 most powerful and influential executives by The NonProfit Times for three consecutive years. In 2002 she was honored with the YWCA Women of Achievement Award.

Life

Vicki Escarra was born in Decatur in Georgia. She obtained a bachelors degree in psychology at Georgia State University. In addition, she completed the Executive Management Program at Columbia University and the Executive Leadership Program at Harvard University.