ESTHER

Big News! 🎉 We're thrilled to share that Bo Brustkern has joined ESTHER International as our new CEO. “Bo has journeyed with us from the very beginning. He has been a steady leader, mentor, and friend throughout our early and often tumultuous growth! It’s an honour to have him step into the CEO role at such a pivotal time. ESTHER just closed Q3 having reached nearly half of our 2026 growth goals, with strong momentum from pilot expansions and upcoming anchor partnerships. As we move toward cashflow positive within the next five months, Bo’s leadership will be key in taking us from product–market fit to full-scale growth.” — Carol Rossborough, Founder, ESTHER Bo Brustkern, CEO, ESTHER,  “We’re now stepping into a new phase and expanding our work with government partners, funders, and regulatory agencies to dramatically increase the efficiency of fund flows to communities. My vision for ESTHER is to strengthen the bridge between governments, NGOs, and local recovery groups — creating a trusted ecosystem where vital funds can move quickly, transparently, and collaboratively.” We couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead and for the leadership Bo brings as we continue to drive systemic change across government/NGO response to humanitarian crisis worldwide. Bo Brustkern Alex Lee Kirsten Trusko, MBA, GSD Dave Bernard Valerio Criscimanna Grace Sheng Claudine Owens Matt Penneycard Jason Druker, MBA Michael Humphreys CDir Seamus Cushley Kevin Peach #FinTechAI #FinTechforGood #Leadership

It's a busy Fall Season here at ESTHER! Here's a round up of September news! Our team were thrilled to be part of the annual  PaaL FinTech Disaster Forum in DC with the fabulous group of world changers we've come to know as friends. 🥰 Kirsten Trusko, MBA, GSD Kevin Peach Linda Odom Lori Breitzke This month we're scaling partnerships in Maui with the next stage of Long Term Recovery underway pushing up into Government relationships after the fires. We're also delighted to be serving the communities impacted by the fires in L.A County with NGO relationships in motion and Government backing. Next week! ✈️ Our team will be in New York meeting with the UN to discuss the next steps in humanitarian aid..... .... AND Finally we'll be in San Francisco with Matt Penneycard and the crew at Ada Ventures discussing all things Tier 1 US investment. Then of course we'll regroup and have a well deserved cup of tea! 🫖 ☕

We were honoured to partner with Nicole Huguenin of Maui Rapid Response and Joe Delaney of Visa Government Solutions to highlight the extraordinary work Nicole and her network of grassroots organisations and NGO funds working collaboratively to help rebuild lives across Maui after the devastating fires. Getting financial aid to those who need it most isn’t just a FinTech challenge. It’s about providing the infrastructure for many NGOs to work together reaching the last mile—the small, often under-resourced organisations and dedicated volunteers who are closest to the community, but often lack the tools for funding, reporting, and impact measurement. ESTHER acts as the trust layer—the connective tissue that helps streamline collaborative NGO funding into the nooks and crannies of the community, where real change happens and lives are transformed. We’re proud to be part of this effort to reimagine disaster response with equity, speed, and accountability at its core!! Richard Johnston Kirsten Trusko, MBA, GSD Joe Delaney Louise Holden GSD Kevin Peach Marcus Coleman Valerio Criscimanna Mollie Drew Grace Sheng #HumanitarianAid #LocalisedAid #DisasterRelief #SocialImpact #NGO #FinTech #Inclusion #Partnerships

ESTHER & Visa Government Solutions are pleased to announce the signing of a strategic agreement to collaborate on new payment solutions that will simplify humanitarian aid delivery, along with the launch of a joint pilot assisting Maui Rapid Response in supporting families devastated by the wildfires.  -- Check out the official Press Release below. We would also like to give a special shout-out to our friends and colleagues at Payments as a Lifeline (PaaL) and FEMA for all their support and encouragement.