Event Speakers

Richelieu Dennis

Founder and Chair of The Sundial Group of Companies

Entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist Richelieu Dennis has a passion for entrepreneurship and innovation that traces back to his family’s roots in Africa and that is sustained by a vision to fill unmet consumer needs. As the founder, CEO, and executive chairman of Sundial Brands, his passion has resulted in the 27-year-old family-founded, run and operated manufacturing company’s success as the maker of top hair, natural, bar soap, and bath and body brands.

With the landmark acquisition of Sundial Brands by Unilever, Richelieu negotiated the largest natural personal care deal ever in the U.S. and also the largest consumer products deal by a majority black-owned company. Most critically, he and Unilever created a groundbreaking $100 million New Voices Fund to invest in and empower women of color entrepreneurs. 

Aeisha Mastagni

Senior Portfolio Manager, Sustainable Investment and Stewardship Strategies, CalSTRS

Mastagni is responsible for working with a dedicated team to further CalSTRS’ mission of securing the financial future and sustaining the trust of California’s educators. [Learn more]

André Rice

President, Muller & Monroe

André Rice is the president of Muller & Monroe Asset Management (M²), which he founded in 1999. André is responsible for general management of the firm, client service, business development, and serves as chairman of the investment committee. [Learn more]

Anton Orlich

Managing Investment Director, Private Equity, CalPERS

Anton Orlich was named managing investment director of private equity in November 2022 and oversees the total fund’s global private equity asset class’ strategies, programs, and policies. [Learn more]

Arnie Phillips

Managing Investment Director, Global Fixed Income, CalPERS

Arnold B. Phillips was named managing investment director of global fixed income in July 2019 and is responsible for managing approximately $110 billion of fixed income assets. [Learn more]

Carrie Lo

Portfolio Manager of Risk Mitigating Strategies, CalSTRS

Before joining California State Teachers’ Retirement System in 2009, Carrie Lo was a portfolio manager at San Francisco–based quantitative hedge fund firm ACI [Learn more]

Cassandra Lichnock

Chief Executive Officer, CalSTRS

Cassandra Lichnock is the first female chief executive officer of the California State Teachers’ Retirement System. Her first day as CEO was July 1, 2021. [Learn more]

Cesar Gonzalez, Jr.

Director, Manager Development and Client Portfolio Manager, Xponance

Cesar J. Gonzales, Jr., CMFC, is director, manager development and client portfolio manager at Xponance. [Learn more]

Clayton Jue

President and Chief Executive Officer, Leading Edge

Clayton founded Leading Edge Investment Advisors, LLC in 2005 to offer the breadth of his knowledge, experience and entrepreneurial spirit to his clients. [Learn more]

David Murphy

Director, Global Equity, CalSTRS

David is responsible for leading the global equity team in managing the $140 billion equity portfolio. [Learn more]

Eliza Bailey

Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer, Belay

Eliza Bailey is the co-founder, CEO and CIO of Belay Investment Group and oversees all aspects of Belay’s business activities, investment strategy and execution, in addition to interfacing with investors and operating partners, capital formation, and overall business development and strategy. [Learn more]

Elizabeth Browne

Managing Director, Sponsor Solutions Group, GCM Grosvenor

Ms. Browne is a managing director at GCM Grosvenor and co-head of the Elevate strategy and Sponsor Solutions Group. [Learn more]

Eyal Darmon

Managing Director, Accenture

Eyal works with clients across the public sector globally to help them take advantage of the digital innovations that are transforming the delivery of customer experiences. [Learn more]

Grace Reyes

Chief Executive Officer and Founder, TIDE

Based in both the U.S. and the U.K., Grace Reyes is the CEO and founder of The Investment Diversity Exchange (TIDE), a platform that connects and engages movers and shakers to promote diversity and inclusion in the investment industry. [Learn more]

Jennifer Siebel Newsom

First Partner of California

Jennifer Siebel Newsom is the first partner of California, an award-winning filmmaker, and an influential advocate and thought leader on gender equality. [Learn more]

Jo Natauri

Founder and Managing Partner, Invidia

Ms. Natauri has over 25 years of experience in the healthcare investment industry and, before Invidia, was the global head of private healthcare investing at Goldman Sachs. [Learn more]

Julie Donegan

Director of Real Estate, CalSTRS

Donegan joined CalSTRS as a real estate portfolio manager in 2019, most recently focusing on residential assets while serving as interim director of real estate.[Learn more]

Karen Yamamoto

Board Vice Chair, California State Teachers’ Retirement Board

Karen Yamamoto is a retired elementary school teacher from Sacramento. Yamamoto taught second grade for 15 years and retired in 2007.[Learn more]

Kirk Sims

Managing Director, Emerging Manager Program, Teacher Retirement System of Texas

Kirk Sims heads TRS’ Emerging Manager Program. Since being established in 2005, TRS has committed $3.7 billion to one of the largest programs of its kind. [Learn more]

Lawrence Bancroft

President and Chief Executive Officer, Bivium

Lawrence is a founding partner of Bivium Capital Partners. He is responsible for the overall direction of the firm, including managing the investment process, driving new business development and developing innovative service offerings. [Learn more]

Lori Nishiura Mackenzie

Co-founder, Stanford VMware Women’s Leadership Innovation Lab

Lori Nishiura Mackenzie is a speaker, researcher, and change agent in diversity, equity and inclusion. She is co-founder of the Stanford VMware Women’s Leadership Innovation Lab, which creates impact research to understand the barriers to women’s advancement in order to build more inclusive workplaces and empower change agents. [Learn more]

Malia Cohen

Controller, State of California

State Controller Malia M. Cohen was elected in November 2022, following her service on the California State Board of Equalization, the nation’s only elected tax commission responsible for administering California’s $100 billion property tax system. [Learn more]

Marcie Frost

Chief Executive Officer, CalPERS

Marcie Frost joined CalPERS as chief executive officer in October 2016. She is the ninth CEO and second woman to head America's largest public pension fund. [Learn more]

Margot Wirth

Director, Private Equity, CalSTRS

Margot oversees a $50 billion portfolio of private equity partnerships and co-investments and has been involved in investing nearly $100 billion in new commitments.

Michael Silva

Associate Investment Manager, Sustainable Investments, CalPERS

Michael Silva joined CalPERS in May 2013 and serves as an associate investment manager on the sustainable investments team. [Learn more]

Pamela Pavkov

Partner and Managing Director, TPG Next

Pamela Pavkov joined TPG on Sept. 6 as a partner and managing Director in San Francisco with TPG NEXT. [Learn more]

Peter Cashion

Managing Investment Director of Sustainable Investments, CalPERS

Peter Cashion was named managing investment director of sustainable investments in March 2023. In his role, Peter sets the vision, strategy, and governance for CalPERS’ sustainability work. [Learn more]

Regina Curry

Chief Diversity Officer, Franklin Templeton

Regina Curry is the chief diversity officer for Franklin Templeton. With over 20 years of human resources and business experience, she is responsible for advancing diversity and inclusion initiatives across the firm globally. [Learn more]

Robert Thiergartner

Principal and Chief Investment Officer, Birtcher Anderson & Davis

Robert J. Thiergartner is a principal and chief investment officer of Birtcher Anderson & Davis, where he serves on the board of directors and investment committee and leads the development platform. [Learn more]

Robert Ross

Senior Portfolio Manager, Private Equity, CalSTRS

Robert Ross is a private equity senior portfolio manager at the California State Teachers’ Retirement System, where he co-manages the implementation of CalSTRS’ private equity strategies and oversees the co-investment program. His current responsibilities include the management, development, and application of private equity strategies for the buyout, venture capital, expansion equity, distressed debt, and special mandate sub-sectors.

Rosie Lucchesini-Jack

Director, Fixed Income, CalSTRS

She began her career at CalSTRS in 2001, most recently serving as senior portfolio manager, where she led the management of public debt portfolios and oversaw the expansion into direct lending and private credit. [Learn more]

Dr. Safiya Umoja Noble

David O. Sears Presidential Endowed Chair of Social Sciences, UCLA

Dr. Safiya U. Noble is an internet studies scholar and professor of gender studies and African American studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she serves as the interim director of the UCLA DataX Initiative. [Learn more]

Sarah Corr

Managing Investment Director, Real Assets, CalPERS

Sarah Corr was named managing investment director of real assets in June 2020 and implements and manages the fund’s global real asset investment strategy and policy portfolio. [Learn more]

Scott Chan

Chief Investment Officer, CalSTRS

Scott Chan has been the chief investment officer of CalSTRS since July 2024. Joining CalSTRS in August 2018 as deputy chief investment officer, he leads an investment staff of more than 200 and oversees a portfolio valued at $352.7 billion as of February 28, 2025. [Learn more]

Sengal Selassie

Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Brightwood Capital Advisors LLC

Sengal Selassie is the CEO and founder of Brightwood. Mr. Selassie has been involved in all phases of the firm’s development since its founding in 2010. [Learn more]

Shu Dar Yao

Founder and Managing Partner, Lucid Capitalism

Shu Dar Yao is a responsible investing advisor who teaches financiers about social and climate inequality. [Learn more]

Simiso Nzima, CFA

Managing Investment Director, Global Public Equity, CalPERS

Simiso Nzima was named managing investment director of global public equity in October 2021 and oversees the fund’s global public equity asset class’ investment strategies, programs, and policies. [Learn more]

Stephen Gilmore

Chief Investment Officer, CalPERS

Stephen Gilmore serves as CalPERS’ chief investment officer and assumed the role in July 2024. He leads the CalPERS Investment Office and is responsible for total fund investment strategies and business management. [Learn more]

Steven Aldrich

Board Partner, First Round

Steven Aldrich is the chair of the Oakland Roots SC, a professional soccer team that taps into the power of sports to drive social impact. A long-time champion of small businesses' impact on the global economy, Steven also advocates for and has implemented practices that foster fair, inclusive, and high performing workplaces. [Learn more]

Tamara Sells

Associate Investment Manager, Sustainable Investments, CalPERS 

Tamara Sells is an associate investment manager on the CalPERS sustainable investments team, providing leadership and strategy for human capital management including advocacy, engagement, and integration. [Learn more]

Tara Giunta

Vice Chair of the Board of Directors, Invest Ahead

Tara is a recognized risk, strategy, and compliance expert, helping companies identify and mitigate geopolitical, legal/regulatory, sustainability, and reputational risks. [Learn more]

Theresa Taylor

President, CalPERS Board of Administration

Theresa Taylor is serving her third term on the CalPERS Board of Administration and her second one-year term as president of the board. [Learn more]

Timothy Greenfield

Founder and Managing Partner, Demopolis Equity Partners

Tim Greenfield is the founder and managing partner of Demopolis Equity Partners. Prior to Demopolis, Tim has a long track record in private equity building strong teams and collaborating with talented management teams to generate well above market returns. [Learn more]

Tina Byles Williams

Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer, Xponance

Tina Byles Williams is chief executive officer, chief investment officer, and founder of Xponance (formerly FIS Group), an $18.6 billion (as of 6/30/24) multiple strategy investment company, one of the largest diverse and woman-owned investment firms in the United States. [Learn more]

Tony Miller

Managing Partner, Excolere

Prior to Excolere, Tony was chief operating officer and a senior partner at The Vistria Group, a private equity firm that he co-founded. [Learn more]

Tracy Fong

Partner, General Catalyst 

At General Catalyst, Fong leads fund-partnership investments, where she focuses on engaging, sourcing, supporting, and investing in seed and emerging fund managers within the venture capital ecosystem. [Learn more]