Paul leads Ascendus, a nonprofit CDFI loan fund whose vision is to create financial ascension, and not merely inclusion, for all. At Ascendus, financial ascension means financial health, and Ascendus seeks to support an entrepreneur’s journey toward improved financial health over the life of their loan.

The board appointed Paul as CEO in 2011. Since then, Ascendus scaled annual dollar lending twelve times, from $5 million in 2011 to $60 million in 2023. From 2011 through 2023, Ascendus lent $245 million to 14,500 clients.

Paul achieved these outcomes by developing thought leadership, staff development, consistency, collaboration, quality, innovation, and productivity.