Janie Barrera is the founding president and former CEO of LiftFund, formerly known as Accion Texas. Barrera was responsible for the organization’s financial management, oversight of its annual budget, and the development of methodology and loan delivery procedures. She received several accolades for her accomplishments, which include the Small Business Administration Financial Services Advocate of the Year and the Minority Enterprise Development Consortium’s Corporate Advocate of the Year.
She served on many national, state, and local boards, including the Federal Reserve Board’s National Consumer Advisory Council. President Barack Obama appointed Ms. Barrera to the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability and she also was named to the board of directors for the Federal Reserve of Dallas’ San Antonio Branch. Barrera continues to support LiftFund’s initiatives of lending to those who are looking for opportunities to flourish in their entrepreneurial endeavors not only within Texas but throughout the United States.
Interview (2023) Summary
In this interview, Janie shares her childhood experiences and how her family history impacted her view of community and business. Janie discusses how her family has always been entrepreneurial in some aspect and how to incorporate one’s passion and values in the work they do. Janie discusses how she entered the convent at eighteen years old and her time as a Sister in a vowed community. In the Corpus Christi Diocese, Janie served as the Director of Telecommunications, being instrumental in starting the first nonprofit radio and television networks, KHOY in Laredo and KLUX in Corpus Christi. From there, she went on to receive her MBA at the University of the Incarnate World here in San Antonio.
From living on her own in San Antonio while getting her Master’s degree, Janie learned more about finance management while eventually getting a job as the Director of Marketing for the U.S. Air Force Careers in San Antonio, which led her to develop more experience with business in San Antonio. When microfinancing came to San Antonio, Janie spoke about hearing about ACCION International’s model for microfinancing and applied for a position to head a venture-specific organization called ACCION Texas. She shares her earliest experiences getting ACCION Texas off the ground alongside mentors within banks and ACCION International. She talks about the expansion from ACCION Texas to LiftFund and how their services expanded further out across the United States. Janie then talks about how working at LiftFund has shaped her own goals and ethics as well as what the organization has come to mean for the various community members it serves.
Key Terms
ACCION, loans, Corpus Christi, LiftFund, money, San Antonio, FICO Score, Diocese, borrow, Texas, community, banks
Date: November 15, 2023
Interviewers: Research assistant Ashton Jeffers and Dr. Leona Pallansch
