Elgenia Pieternella

Elgenia Pieternella is the founder and CEO of Fundashon Negoshi Pikina (FNP); FNP is one of the largest organizations in the Dutch Caribbean promoting entrepreneurship education and financial literacy to students, startups and small businesses. A passionate multi-disciplinary professional and expert, she is the host for Global Entrepreneurship Week on five of the Dutch Caribbean islands. Elgenia combines her passion and experience to guide, mentor and advise ecosystem builders. She has extensive experience working with and advising the private and public sector. She has been appointed by Junior Achievement (JA) Worldwide as CEO for Curaçao and is their representative on the other Dutch Caribbean islands. JA is one of the world’s largest and most-impactful youth-serving NGOs. Elgenia has organized and supported many entrepreneurship focused events that engaged local and global partners. Through her leadership, Elgenia and her team received many recognition and awards from organizations in and outside Curaçao. Pieternella has an intensive (international) network. Elgenia is an economist and holds a law degree. She studied in Europe and in Curaçao. She is a part time lecturer at the Faculty of Law at the University of Curacao and a policy advisor to the ministry of Finance of Curaçao . At the moment, she is also a member of the Sustainable Development Goals Secretariat for Curaçao. Elgenia currently is a financial and marketing advisor for a few family businesses. She has served as an advisor or board member for labor organizations and credit unions, local and international women and youth organizations, private commercial entities, small businesses and several community and non-profit organizations. She speaks Papiamentu (native language), Dutch, English and Spanish.