Find your path to Laya
460 people in our graph share verified history with Laya — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
Mike ZakunlockedLaya: together at Cornell (2013–2015)
×7Laya: together at Cornell
×3Laya: together at University of Oxford
Laya: together at NESsT
About
Laya Hess-Skinner is the Director of Development at NESsT. Previously, she served as Senior Manager for Institutional Relations at Grameen Foundation, where she managed project and new business portfolios totaling $50 million and provided technical consulting to organizations including the World Bank, USAID, the Asian Development Bank, MCC, and the Department of State. She holds an MPA in Economic Policy and Public Finance from Cornell University, a Graduate Certificate in Economics from Oxford University, and a BA in Sociology and Middle Eastern Studies from St. Olaf College.
Experience
- NESsTDirector of Developmentcurrent2025 — present
- Grameen FoundationSenior Manager, Institutional Relations2021 — 2025
- J.E. Austin AssociatesTechnical Lead-Gender, Middle East-North Africa2019 — 2021Washington D.C. Metro Area
- J.E. Austin AssociatesRegional Director, Middle East-North Africa2017 — 2021
- J.E. Austin AssociatesProject Manager2015 — 2017
- Mario Einaudi Center for International StudiesResearch and Administrative Assistant2013 — 2015Ithaca, New York Area
- Muftah MagazineCo-Editor of Israel, Palestine, and the Levant2014 — 2015
Skills & more
Research16International Relations7
Languages Egyptian Arabic · English
From Laya's professional profile.
Colleagues at NESsT
Adriana Neira
Senior Finance & Operations Associate at NESsT
Alejandra Ramírez Loaiza
Country Director at NESsT
Alfredo Ramos Cruzado
Portfolio Manager at NESsT
Ana Belen Jalixto Romero
Lirio Fund Andes Portfolio Manager at NESsT
Ana Carbajal Azcárate
Global Accountant at NESsT
Anamaria Pelegrini
Director of Human Resources, Systems and Global Compliance at NESsT
Andrea Molestina
Portfolio Manager at NESsT
Aneta Sokolowska
Portfolio Manager at NESsT
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Laya Hess-Skinner?
- Laya Hess-Skinner is the Director of Development at NESsT. Previously, she served as Senior Manager for Institutional Relations at Grameen Foundation, where she managed project and new business portfolios totaling $50 million and provided technical consulting to organizations including the World Bank, USAID, the Asian Development Bank, MCC, and the Department of State. She holds an MPA in Economic Policy and Public Finance from Cornell University, a Graduate Certificate in Economics from Oxford University, and a BA in Sociology and Middle Eastern Studies from St. Olaf College.
- Where does Laya Hess-Skinner work?
- Laya Hess-Skinner is Development Director at NESsT.
- Where did Laya Hess-Skinner go to school?
- Laya Hess-Skinner studied at Cornell University (Master of Public Administration (MPA), Economic Policy and Public Finance); University of Oxford (Graduate Certificate, Economics).
Same school
Also attended Cornell University1,413
Jenny LeeSenior Managing Partner at Granite AsiaNeeraj AgrawalGeneral Partner at Battery VenturesJohn ZimmerCo-founder of LyftMichelle FernandesInvestor at Index VenturesMike ZakInvestor at CRV (Charles River Ventures)Micah RosenbloomGeneral Partner at Founder Collective
+ 1,407 more
Also attended University of Oxford1,772
Reid HoffmanCo-founder of LinkedIn; Partner at GreylockMichael MoritzFormer Partner at Sequoia Capital; Senior Adviser at Sequoia HeritageGabriel PereyraCo-founder & President of HarveyDominic JacquessonInvestor at Index VenturesErin Price-WrightInvestor at Index VenturesJan HammerInvestor at Index Ventures
+ 1,766 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Grameen Foundation19
Regula ScheggFounding Partner, CFO & CCO at Circulate CapitalRaya BuensucesoManaging Director at Kaya FoundersAudrey AtencioSenior Associate at The Draper Richards Kaplan FoundationKate BuchananWorkforce Innovation & Investment Lead at Autodesk FoundationDan ElitzerCo-Founder at NascentHeather HenyonFounding General Partner at Mindshift Capital
+ 13 more