Tapestry Community Capital is happy to welcome Ashley McFarlane to the team. As investment associate, Ashley will support Tapestry’s clients, making sure they have all the documents ready and systems in place to raise community bond investments and repay their investors.
Before coming to Tapestry, Ashley worked in banking, having graduated from Carleton University’s Sprott School of Business in 2020. At the Bank of Montreal, Ashley loved being client-facing, and it sparked her interest in investment. Meanwhile, an activist friend sent her the posting for Tapestry’s investment associate opening, and she was pleasantly “shocked,” she says, to discover the world of community investment.
“These are people who are actually trying to help their communities,” she says. “It’s still financial services, but they are trying to do something bigger. I feel good about the job I’m doing.”
Ashley found her way to the world of social finance in her own time, but thinks business schools should put more focus on this work. Her program had a few classes on corporate social responsibility, but she says they could be doing much more to introduce students to ethical and sustainable investment. “They’re going to be the next leaders in the business world. How are you going to push them to think outside of the box?”
Ashley also appreciates Tapestry’s focus on affordable housing, living in Hamilton, Ontario, one of Canada’s most expensive cities. She’s seen friends experience renovictions and neighbourhood storefront institutions become condo developments. Tapestry’s work supporting community land trusts and affordable housing providers “spoke to me,” Ashley says.
Ashley’s currently working on her Canadian Securities Course. Outside of work and class, she loves to read — ”I can read a 300-page book in a day!” — stay active in the gym and outdoors, and travel, especially to see family in Miami and the Cayman Islands, and to experience the cultures of other countries.
We hope you’ll have the opportunity to connect and work with Ashley. If you’d like to get in touch, you can reach her at ashley@tapestrycapital.ca. Welcome to the team, Ashley!