Marissa Kaloga

Dr. Marissa Kaloga is the Hynds Lecturer of Entrepreneurship at the University of Auckland Business School in Aotearoa New Zealand. She is a transdisciplinary scholar using research to explore a future where entrepreneurial ecosystems are equitable, sustainable, and vibrant. Her work centres on the critical/creative intersection of social innovation, systems change, and entrepreneurial belonging, driving initiatives that identify structural barriers to innovation and foster entrepreneurial environments where diverse talents and ideas can thrive. In her role as the Hynds Entrepreneurial Teaching Fellow, she leads interdisciplinary collaborations that span multiple faculties—including Global Studies and the School of Music—to design curricula that integrates theoretical frameworks with real-world applications. Her curricular design work offers students learning experiences that prepare them to address complex societal challenges through creative problem-solving and entrepreneurial action.

Prior to joining the University of Auckland, Dr. Kaloga was the founding Director of STARlab (Systems Transformation Action Research Lab) at the University of Otago School of Social Sciences, where she also held a Lectureship. STARlab was awarded the inaugural “Academic Initiative of the Year” award by the Global Entrepreneurship Network – NZ for their work supporting inclusive entrepreneurship. She has also held Visiting Scholar roles at University of Pennsylvania and Université Général Lansana Conté – Sonfonia.

Dr. Kaloga’s applied research in inclusive entrepreneurship is strongly influenced by her work as Director of Innovation at the Economic and Community Development Institute, a leading U.S. microfinance institution, where she worked with diverse communities to design and implement evidence informed entrepreneurship programmes. Further, as the 2018-2019 U.S. Fulbright Scholar to Guinea – Conakry, she worked alongside founders, ESOs, and scholars focusing on entrepreneurial ecosystems and financial inclusion in West Africa.

She holds a PhD in Macro Social Work, along with a Graduate Specialisation in Global Health from The Ohio State University. She is the chairperson and co-founder of the Social Work Innovation Network, as well as a board member of the International Consortium for Social Development.