Speaker Bios
KATHLEEN T. BARR
Kathleen T. Barr is an independent director and compliance chair for William Blair Funds, an independent director for Professionally Managed Portfolios, and an independent director for Muzinich BDC.
Before becoming an independent director, Kathie was co-owner and president of the former Productive Capital Management, Inc. She also served as senior managing director, chief administrative officer, and chief compliance officer for PNC Funds and the predecessor Allegiant Funds. Together with the adviser where she served as chief administrative officer, her responsibilities included compliance, financial and regulatory administration, operations, and enterprise risk management. Before becoming chief compliance officer, Kathie had been responsible for distribution, marketing, and product management. Kathie has more than 35 years’ experience in the financial services, asset management, and capital markets industries.
Kathie lives in Boca Raton, Florida, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
OLGA BITEL
Olga Bitel, partner, is a global strategist. She is responsible for economic research and analysis across all regions and sectors. She distills macroeconomic and geopolitical developments into actionable insights for global equity portfolios within a multifaceted strategic framework. In addition, she provides insights about cyclical turning points and structural trends as inputs into portfolio construction in predominantly bottom-up investment approaches. Before joining William Blair in 2009, Olga was a senior economist at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research in London, United Kingdom, where she produced macroeconomic forecasts for most Asian economies and led thematic research projects for some of the world’s best-known international organizations, including the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and the International Monetary Fund. Olga received a BA from the University of Chicago and an MSc in economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
MARTY BURNS
Marty Burns is chief industry operations officer of the Investment Company Institute. He joined ICI in 2006, and as senior director for operations and distribution was responsible for facilitating middle- and back-office initiatives with industry stakeholders, and collaborating with stakeholders to pursue and achieve related regulatory, legislative, and public policy goals. A veteran of the financial services industry with more than three decades of experience working for government, private, and public enterprises, Burns also has managed securities processing and operations, asset securitizations, and banking regulation. He holds an MBA from DePaul University and a BBA from the University of Saint Francis.
ERNEST CALDERÓN
Ernest Calderón, JD, EdD, is an independent trustee of the Aquila Municipal Trust. Ernie is native of the copper mining town of Morenci, Arizona, has practiced law almost 40 years. In his career, he has served as a clerk for Senior United States Judge Walter Craig, president of the State Bar of Arizona (first person of color elected to lead all Arizona’s lawyers), president of the Arizona Board of Regents, and member of the Arizona Appellate Court Commission. Ernie is AV “Preeminent” rated by Martindale Hubbell, a member of Best Lawyers in America, and an elected member of the prestigious American Law Institute. His law practice includes civil litigation matters, education law, commercial litigation, and representing attorneys in ethical matters. He has served seven Arizona governors on education policy development commissions and task forces. Ernie is a first-generation college graduate and is a graduate of Northern Arizona University, the University of Arizona College of Law, and the University of Southern California. He was Arizona’s first Harry S. Truman Scholar.
ANNETTE CAPRETTA
Annette Capretta is associate general counsel at the Investment Company Institute and focuses on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) matters. Previously, she served as deputy managing director of the Independent Directors Council. Before joining ICI, Annette held senior management positions at the Securities and Exchange Commission and in the legal department of a large fund complex. Annette began her legal career as a litigator, after a one-year clerkship with a federal judge.
Annette received her law degree from the University of Virginia and a BS in mathematics from the University of North Carolina.
DAVID R. CARSON
David R. Carson is senior vice president, client strategies for Ultimus Fund Solutions (Ultimus). He is trustee of Unified Series Trust and Ultimus Managers Trust, president of the Centaur Trust, and former president of the Ultimus Managers Trust and Unified Series Trust. His primary responsibilities are serving the trusts, providing expert assistant to investment managers considering starting a registered fund, and leading a team of seasoned relationship managers. Dave has been with the company for more than eight years, joining Ultimus in March 2013, and calls Cincinnati home.
Dave specializes in providing a generalist perspective on mutual fund and investment adviser business risks and concerns. His career experience includes work in mutual fund and investment adviser compliance, bank and investment marketing, mutual fund operations, IT audits, and private banking. Before joining Ultimus, Dave served as the chief operations and compliance officer for Huntington Funds.
Dave earned his bachelor’s degree from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. He was cofounder and director of Advancing Fund Governance, organized for those charged with fund governance to help members best serve shareholders and stakeholders. He also served as board chair of the Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival.
PAUL G. CELLUPICA
Paul G. Cellupica joined PIMCO in June 2021 as executive vice president and deputy general counsel, US regulatory. Previously, Paul was deputy director of the Division of Investment Management at the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from November 2017 until January 2021, and was also the Division’s chief counsel from June 2018 until January 2021. As chief counsel, Paul led the office within the division that is responsible for responding to requests for legal and policy guidance, evaluating applications for exemptive relief, overseeing the division’s liaison with the Divisions of Enforcement and Examinations, and engaging with international regulators on matters related to asset management. From 2014 to 2017, he was managing director and general counsel for securities law at Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA), and from 2004 to 2014, he held various senior roles in the law department of MetLife, Inc., including chief counsel for the Americas. Paul also served at the SEC in several leadership capacities in the Division of Investment Management and the Division of Enforcement from 1996 to 2004. During his tenure at the SEC, Paul received the Martha Platt Award; the Law and Policy Award; the Chairman’s Award for Serving the Interests of Main Street Investors; and the Chairman’s Award for Excellence. Paul has a BA, magna cum laude, from Harvard College and a JD, cum laude, from Harvard Law School; he also served as a law clerk for Judge David Nelson of the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
RAJIB CHANDA
Rajib Chanda heads Simpson Thacher’s registered funds practice. He specializes in helping private market sponsors and other alternative asset managers develop investment products for individual and other retail investors.
In the past two years, among other matters, Rajib has advised Blackstone on the first-ever multi-class non-traded BDC; Clarion on the first-ever, and KKR on the second-ever, 1940 Act REIT (the KKR fund was also the first fund to ever be able to pay its advisory fees in fund shares, pursuant to novel exemptive relief); Carlyle on the first-ever preferred PIPE into an affiliated BDC; the board of the Stone Ridge funds on the first-ever registered fund providing bitcoin access; and Lyft, Inc. on the first 1940 Act status exemption granted to an operating company in more than a decade.
Rajib serves as the administrative partner for Simpson Thatcher’s Washington, DC, office. He previously was a global hiring partner and cochaired the firm’s Diversity Committee. He serves on the Advisory Board of the Mutual Fund Directors Forum and is a member of the ABA Task Force on Fund Directors. He has been nominated on three occasions for the Independent Counsel of the Year Award at the Mutual Fund Awards, winning in 2018. He also serves on the board of the National Homelessness Law Center (on which he chairs the Audit Committee) and the national board of Compass, a nonprofit that provides pro bono consulting services to other nonprofits.
Rajib is a graduate of Brown University, with honors, and Harvard Law School, cum laude, where he was editor in chief of the Harvard Negotiation Law Review.
ANNE C. CHOE
Anne C. Choe is a partner in Willkie’s Asset Management Group. She advises a wide range of pooled investment vehicles, including mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), private funds (hedge funds, private equity funds, and venture capital funds) and their sponsors and investment managers. She has in-depth knowledge of the various securities and other laws applicable to pooled vehicles and regularly counsels investment advisers and family offices on a variety of SEC regulatory filings and compliance matters. Anne provides counsel to fund independent boards and has significant experience advising on the creation and operation of registered open-end investment companies and ETFs.
A key aspect of Anne’s practice is representing investment advisers and funds in SEC examination and enforcement matters. She also assists clients in connection with internal compliance reviews and investigations, and the development and testing of compliance programs.
Anne received a JD from University of North Carolina School of Law in 2009 and a BS from University of Maryland in 2002.
DARYN DODSON
Daryn Dodson is a passionate advocate of social and economic justice, especially for disadvantaged and marginalized groups. His work with impact investors, private equity funds, Fortune 100 companies, universities, and foundations has been viewed through the lens of addressing the world’s most pressing social and environmental problems.
Daryn previously led the special equities program as a consultant to the Board of the Calvert Funds, a $12 billion pioneer of the impact investing field. Through this vehicle, Calvert maintains a portfolio of more than 40 funds on five continents, representing more than 350 underlying portfolio companies. Before serving as a consultant to Calvert, Daryn served as director of University and Corporate Partnership for The Idea Village, where he created a platform engaging leading private equity firms, business schools, and Fortune 500 companies to invest more than 100,000 hours and $2 million into more than 1,000 New Orleans entrepreneurs after Hurricane Katrina.
Daryn currently serves on the Board of Directors for Ben and Jerry’s. He earned his MBA from Stanford, where he serves on the Dean’s Management Board, and his AB from Duke University.
WILLIAM R. EBSWORTH
William R. Ebsworth is an independent director of Wells Fargo Funds. Bill also serves as an independent trustee on the board of Massachusetts General Hospital’s Vincent Memorial Endowment, where he chairs the Investment and Audit Committees. Before retiring in 2013, Bill was an equities analyst, portfolio manager, research director, and chief investment officer at Fidelity Investments in Boston, Tokyo, and Hong Kong. Bill has served on the boards of Hong Kong Securities Clearing Co., Hong Kong Options Clearing Corp., the Thailand International Fund, Ltd., Fidelity Investments Life Insurance Company, and Empire Fidelity Investments Life Insurance Company.
Bill lives in Weston, Massachusetts.
LAURA E. FLORES
Laura E. Flores’s practice focuses on the regulation of investment companies and investment advisers. Laura regularly represents exchange-traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds, and variable insurance-dedicated products, as well as their sponsors and boards of directors, and investment advisers. She counsels both well-established clients and clients that are new to the industry on a variety of regulatory, transactional, compliance, and operational issues, including the development of new financial products and services, federal and state registration issues, the preparation and implementation of compliance programs, business combinations involving investment companies and investment advisers, interpretive and “no-action” letter requests, requests for Securities and Exchange Commission exemptive relief, and regulatory examinations. Laura also counsels investment advisory clients on matters, including advertising and communications with the public, investment adviser registration, and separately managed account (or wrap fee) programs. Laura also has significant experience representing “liquid alt” funds, funds that invest through offshore subsidiaries, and funds that use QFII/RQFII quotas to invest directly in securities issued and traded in China.
Before joining Morgan Lewis, Laura was a partner in the financial services practice of another international law firm, where she also served on the firm’s Diversity Committee. She also was assistant general counsel in the asset management division of a global bank and an associate in the Washington DC, office of Morgan Lewis.
LISA CHAIKIN HAMMAN
Lisa Chaikin Hamman is associate managing director at IDC. She is the former board chair of JUST TRYAN IT, a nonprofit organization that supports families fighting childhood cancer. Before IDC, Lisa counseled investment advisers and investment companies and their boards of directors/trustees regarding federal regulatory matters at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, LLP. She began her career in the mutual fund industry in the legal department of Fidelity Investments. Hamman earned a JD from Suffolk University Law School and a BA from the University of Michigan.
RENEE M. HARDT
Renee M. Hardt is a shareholder at Vedder Price and a member of the investment services group in the firm’s Chicago office.
Renee has significant experience representing mutual funds and their boards of directors, money managers, broker-dealers, banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions in connection with investment company, investment adviser, broker-dealer, and insurance product matters, including securities, regulatory, product design, and transaction counseling. She also frequently counsels boards of directors of investment companies, and in particular independent directors, on their special responsibilities.
Since 2019, she has been recognized by Chambers USA as a leading practitioner nationwide in the investment funds: registered funds practice area, and was recognized by Chambers Global in 2021. She has been recognized as a leading attorney by the Legal 500 United States guide in the mutual/registered/exchange-traded funds category since 2014.
JANE G. HEINRICHS
Jane G. Heinrichs is an associate general counsel for the Investment Company Institute, where she is primarily responsible for legal and regulatory issues relating to exchange-traded funds, money market funds, and municipal securities. Before joining the Institute in 2004, Jane was an associate in the asset management group at Shearman & Sterling LLP, providing legal and regulatory advice to registered investment companies, private domestic and offshore investment funds, investment advisers, broker-dealers, and other financial institutions. From 1997 to 2000, she worked as an attorney for the US Securities and Exchange Commission, both in the Division of Investment Management and the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations.
Jane received a JD, magna cum laude, from the American University, Washington College of Law, and a BA in philosophy from Binghamton University.
YIE-HSIN HUNG
Yie-Hsin Hung is the chief executive officer of New York Life Investment Management (NYLIM), New York Life’s $450 billion global multi-boutique third-party asset management business, a role she has held since 2015. She is also a member of New York Life’s Executive Management Committee and its highest-ranking female operating executive. Since joining the company in2010, Hung has grown NYLIM’s assets under management nearly fourfold through a combination of geographic expansion, organic initiatives, and acquisitions. Before that, she held a number of senior leadership roles at Bridgewater Associates and Morgan Stanley in both its investment management and investment banking divisions.
Hung was named one of the 100 Most Influential Women in US finance by Barron’s in both 2020 and 2021 and was named among the 25 Most Powerful Women in Finance by American Banker in 2020, the fourth consecutive year she has received this award. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Northwestern University, the Executive Committee and Board ofGovernors of the Investment Company Institute, and the Board of Directors of the Turtle Beach Corporation.
Hung earned her MBA from Harvard University and BS in mechanical engineering from Northwestern University.
PETER D. JONES
Peter D. Jones is an independent trustee for the US mutual funds of MFS Investment Management and a member (currently chair) of the Investment Advisory Council for the State Board of Administration of Florida.
Before those roles, Peter had been at Franklin Templeton Investments for 27 years. He retired in 2015 as president of Franklin Templeton Distributors, Inc. and as chairman of Franklin Templeton Institutional, LLC. He oversaw sales and distribution for the US and Canada. Before this, he started the IDEX Funds in 1985 (now part of Transamerica) and also worked as a CPA at Price Waterhouse for seven years.
DAVID KELLY
David Kelly is the chief global strategist and head of the global market insights strategy team for J.P. Morgan Funds. With more than 20 years of experience, David provides valuable insight and perspective on the economy and markets to thousands of financial advisers and their clients.
Throughout his career, David has developed a unique ability to explain complex economic and market issues in a language that financial advisers can use to communicate to their clients. He is a keynote speaker at many national investment conferences. David is also a frequent guest on CNBC and other financial news outlets, and is widely quoted in the financial press.
Before joining J.P. Morgan Funds, David served as economic adviser to Putnam Investments. He has also served as a senior strategist/economist at SPP Investment Management, Primark Decision Economics, Lehman Brothers, and DRI/McGraw-Hill.
David is a CFA charterholder. He also has a PhD and MA in economics from Michigan State University and a BA in economics from University College Dublin in the Republic of Ireland.
JOHN KENNEY
John Kenney is an independent board member and advisor who provides a unique range of insight and expertise developed in previous roles as a global C-suite executive at an $800 billion asset manager, as a director of nine independently operating asset management affiliates, and as the CEO of an asset management firm. Frequently sought out for his strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, John is currently an independent board member of the Principal Funds and an external adviser to a leading global consulting firm.
Formerly an Executive Committee member and global head of affiliate strategic initiatives at Legg Mason, John collaborated on developing and executing Legg Mason corporate strategy while managing the relationships between Legg Mason and nine independently operating investment Affiliates. In a previous role as chief executive officer of Legg Mason Global Asset Allocation (LMGAA), John developed and executed transformational strategy culminating with the acquisition of QS Investors and the simultaneous tri-party merger between LMGAA, QS Investors, and Batterymarch Financial.
Committed to active community engagement, John serves his community as a firefighter and certified emergency medical responder. He holds a BA in English from the University of Notre Dame.
THOMAS T. KIM
Thomas T. Kim is managing director of the Independent Directors Council. In leading IDC, Kim advances the education, governance, communication, and public policy priorities of independent directors on the boards of regulated investment companies. Before joining IDC, he served as senior vice president at the Mortgage Bankers Association, where he led strategy, public policy, governance, and member engagement across the organization’s commercial real estate finance membership. Previously, he managed regulatory and policy matters affecting capital markets and mortgage investments as associate general counsel at Freddie Mac. Kim is a veteran of ICI, having served as associate counsel at the Institute earlier in his career. He received his BA, summa cum laude, from the University of California, Irvine; JD from the UCLA School of Law, where he served as a law review editor; and LLM, with distinction, from the Georgetown University Law Center.
THOMAS P. LEMKE
Thomas P. Lemke is an independent director of JP Morgan Exchange-Traded Trust and SEI Funds (AIC III). Before becoming an independent director, Tom was executive vice president, general counsel, and head of governance for Legg Mason, Inc. He previously was a partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, where his practice specialized in asset management and broker-dealer matters. Earlier in his career, he served as a chief operating officer as well as in various legal positions at asset management firms. He started his career at the US Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, DC, where he last served as chief counsel of the Division of Investment Management.
Tom has coauthored a number of legal treatises covering all aspects of asset management regulation, including the regulation of investment companies. He also is a trustee for the Copland House, which is dedicated to nurturing and renewing America’s musical heritage and to fostering greater public awareness and appreciation of our nation’s contemporary composers and their work.
Tom lives in Middleburg, Virginia.
PATRICIA LOUIE
Patricia Louie serves as an independent trustee of the Oakmark Funds. From 1999 to 2018, she served in senior positions within the law department of AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company (AXA Equitable), most recently as managing director and associate general counsel of AXA Equitable and executive vice president and general counsel of its wholly owned investment advisory subsidiary, AXA Equitable Funds Management Group, LLC (FMG). In these roles, among other responsibilities, she was the lead in-house counsel for the successful defense of the excessive fee matters, Sivolella v. AXA Equitable et. al and Sanford et. al v. FMG. Before joining AXA Equitable, Patty also worked at The Dreyfus Corporation and Investment Company Institute.
Patty lives in New York City.
JOHN S. MARTEN
John S. Marten is a shareholder and member of Vedder Price’s investment services group in the firm’s Chicago office.
John has extensive experience representing clients in the investment management industry, including experience with mutual fund, closed-end fund, and exchange-traded fund regulation, compliance, product design and registration, representation of fund independent directors, investment adviser matters, derivative instruments, and other investment management regulatory issues.
In 2021, John was recognized by Chambers USA as a leading practitioner nationwide in the investment funds: registered funds practice area. He is also coeditor of the Investment Services Regulatory Update, a monthly publication that keeps clients updated on relevant regulatory developments. In 2020, the Investment Services Regulatory Update received a Go-To Thought Leadership Award from the National Law Review for its regular contributions and outstanding analysis of SEC amendments and regulations, enforcement actions, and proposed rulemaking.
PEG McLAUGHLIN
Peg McLaughlin is an experienced independent director, SEC financial expert, and accomplished financial services executive with a unique combination of experience and key strategic leadership roles encompassing regulatory, operating, legal, and compliance functions. Peg has a proven track record of success developing governance, operating, and compliance frameworks for firms in complex and highly regulated environments. Peg currently serves as an independent director for the Manning & Napier Funds, where she sits on the Audit and Nominating/Governance Committees.
Previously, Peg was a founding member of the executive management team for Kramer Van Kirk Credit Strategies L.P. (a registered investment adviser) and its SaaS technology affiliate Mariana Systems LLC where, she was integrally involved in the development and implementation of their strategic vision. Peg was instrumental in building these businesses from initiation to $4.1 billion in AUM in three years for KVK, and a substantial industry market share for Mariana. Among other things, she was responsible for the broad operational oversight and cybersecurity risk programs for both firms.
Before Kramer Van Kirk, Peg was assistant general counsel to Harris Associates L.P. (the investment adviser to the Oakmark family of mutual funds). She began her career in the Enforcement Division of the US Securities and Exchange Commission and later served as a special assistant US attorney in the Department of Justice.
Peg has authored articles on board responsibilities with respect to both technology and business continuity plans. Peg holds a BBA in finance, cum laude, from Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana, and a JD from Marquette University.
KARRIE McMILLAN
Karrie McMillan is an independent director for the Principal Funds, overseeing approximately 125 funds. Until January 2021, she also was a managing director at Patomak Global Partners, a financial services consulting firm, where she specialized in asset management matters. Before that, she was the former general counsel of the Investment Company Institute (ICI), the national association of the US investment company industry. In her role as general counsel, Karrie was responsible for legal and regulatory initiatives affecting the Institute’s member firms, which represented more than 90 million individual shareholders and managed approximately $16.5 trillion in investor assets.
Before joining ICI, Karrie was a partner in the asset management groups at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP and Shearman & Sterling LLP. She also served at the SEC’s Division of Investment Management from 1991 until 1998, rising to the position of assistant chief counsel in the division’s Office of Chief Counsel.
Karrie is a graduate of the College of William and Mary, Phi Beta Kappa, and the University of Virginia School of Law.
DORRI McWHORTER
Dorri McWhorter became president and CEO of YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago in August 2021. Before joining the YMCA, Dorri served for eight years as the CEO of YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, transforming the organization from a traditional social service organization to 21st century social enterprise. Increasing impact and organizational sustainability, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago’s operating budget grew from $10.5 million in 2013 to a $38 million operating budget for FY 2022. The organization has been an active contributor to many critical initiatives across the region, and under Dorri’s leadership, YWCA Metropolitan Chicago expanded its service footprint to 10 new locations, completed seven mergers and acquisitions, implemented paid family leave, and developed a retirement plan to include retirement options for thousands of childcare providers and small business owners. Dorri led the effort to develop an exchange-traded fund (ETF) for women’s empowerment (NYSE: WOMN) in partnership with Impact Shares, which is the first nonprofit investment adviser to develop an ETF product. Dorri was included in the inaugural list of “The Blue Network,” the top 100 innovators in Chicago, by Chicago Tribune’s Blue Sky Innovation and received the Innovative Leader Award from Good City Chicago. Dorri is a 2019 inductee in the Chicago Innovation Hall of Fame.
Dorri prides herself on being a socially conscious business leader and is committed to creating an inclusive marketplace by leveraging a cross-sector approach of engaging business, civic, and community partners. Dorri has a breadth of professional experience across a variety of businesses and industries. She was a partner at Crowe Horwath, LLP, one of the largest accounting firms in the United States. She also held senior positions with Snap-on Incorporated and Booz Allen Hamilton. Dorri serves on the Board of Directors for Lifeway Foods, William Blair Funds, and Skyway Concession Company (Chicago Skyway). Dorri is also active in the accounting profession, having served as a member of the Board of Directors of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and as the immediate past chairperson of the Board of Directors for the Illinois CPA Society. Dorri serves as cochair of the Advisory Board of the First Women’s Bank (in development).
Dorri’s civic and philanthropic leadership includes the Board of Directors for the Chicago Center for Arts and Technology, 1871 (Technology Business Accelerator), Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Civic Consulting Alliance, Civic Federation, and Forefront. She is also a member of the Illinois Charitable Trust Board. Dorri received a BBA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, and an honorary doctor of humane letters from Lake Forest College.
BARRY A. MENDELSON
Barry A. Mendelson has been an independent trustee and chairman of the Audit Committee of the American Century ETF Trust since its inception in late 2017. The trust currently consists of 28 ETFs and eight mutual funds.
From 1998 until his retirement in 2014, Barry was a senior legal counsel at Vanguard, and a principal of the company. He was Vanguard’s only ETF attorney during his tenure and drafted all of the company’s ETF exemptive applications, including those establishing Vanguard’s unique multiple share class ETFs. He also worked on the full gamut of investment management and investment advisory legal, regulatory, and business matters.
From 1990 to 1998, Barry worked in the SEC’s Division of Investment Management. Barry started in the applications office and had the good fortune to work on the very first ETF exemptive application (the SPDR application). He later served as senior special counsel in the Office of Chief Counsel before leaving to join Vanguard.
Barry has an undergraduate degree in geology from Vassar College and a JD from The George Washington University Law School.
MAUREEN MITCHELL
Maureen Mitchell is a senior adviser and executive coach with The Boston Consulting Group, working with their asset and wealth management practice area, specializing in organizational transformation, global distribution, and product development. She has been a strategic leader in the global investment industry for more than 30 years working with companies such as GE and Bear Stearns.
Maureen is the former president of global sales and marketing for GE Asset Management. She brings deep expertise in capital markets, distribution, product development, and regulatory and compliance oversight experience with large global platforms; and has worked across market channels and geographies, including the Americas and EMEA.
Maureen has extensive board experience and is currently a trustee of the Natixis/Loomis Sayles Mutual Funds, a director of Sterling National Bank, and a trustee of The Foundation for The City College of New York. She is a former director of Fieldpoint Private Bank & Trust Co., a governor of the Investment Company Institute, a director for GE Asset Management, Inc., and president of GE Investment Distributors. Her board work spans audit, compensation, enterprise risk, credit, and executive committee roles.
WomenInc. named Maureen to their 2019 list of “Most Influential Corporate Board Directors.” She has been named to Irish America magazine’s Business 100 list recognizing the top Irish American and Irish-born US executives, and in 2016, as one of the 50 Top Power Women in the United States.
Maureen is a frequent speaker on investing, business transformation, client management, operations best practices, and women’s leadership.
JOANNE PACE
Joanne Pace is an independent director on the board of Invesco ETF Trusts. Before its sale to Invesco, she served on the board of the OppenheimerFunds. Joanne also serves on the board of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey; and on the nonprofit board of 100 Women in Finance and New York-Presbyterian Hospital’s Leadership Council on Children’s and Women’s Health.
Joanne held multiple senior management roles, including chief operating officer and managing director of Morgan Stanley Investment Management responsible for all noninvestment functions, including technology and operations, as well as managing the impact and aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. Joanne was also chief operating officer and partner at FrontPoint Partners. At Credit Suisse, Joanne led that firm’s human capital initiatives as its global head of human resources and as a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. Earlier in her career, Joanne was Morgan Stanley’s controller and principal accounting officer, a role she assumed after serving as the chief financial officer of the oversight committee for the financial industry’s bailout of Long Term Capital Management during the 1998 financial crisis.
Joanne lives in Short Hills, New Jersey.
CHRISTOPHER E. PALMER
Christopher E. Palmer is a partner and chair of Goodwin’s financial industry group. For more than 30 years, Chris has worked with mutual funds, mutual fund independent directors, insurance companies, investment advisers, and other investment management industry participants. He advises clients on the development, regulatory approval, sale, and administration of a variety of investment products, including funds and variable annuity contracts. He advises mutual fund independent directors on legal, governance, and industry practice issues. He works with the Goodwin litigation team on mutual fund lawsuits and SEC enforcement matters.
Chris earned his JD, magna cum laude, from the Georgetown University Law Center, and his BA, egregia cum laude, from St. John’s University (Minnesota).
ERIC J. PAN
Eric J. Pan is the president and chief executive officer of the Investment Company Institute. He took office as the 10th chief executive in ICI’s history on November 9, 2020.
Pan was previously a managing director of Rock Creek Global Advisors LLC, an international economic policy advisory firm in Washington, DC, and a senior research fellow at the Center for Law and Economic Studies at Columbia Law School in New York.
Pan served as the director of the Office of International Affairs at the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission from 2015 to 2019 and head of international regulatory policy at the US Securities and Exchange Commission from 2011 to 2015. He represented both market regulators in international standard-setting bodies, including the International Organization of Securities Commissions and Financial Stability Board, and in regulatory dialogues with European and Asian counterparts.
Before entering government service, Pan was the director of the Heyman Center on Corporate Governance and a professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York, where he wrote extensively about financial regulation and corporate law. He also practiced corporate and international law with Covington & Burling in Washington, DC.
Pan is a graduate of Harvard College, the University of Edinburgh, and the Harvard Law School. He is a member of the American Law Institute and an adjunct professor at Columbia Law School.
AMY PERSHKOW
Amy Pershkow is a shareholder at Vedder Price and a member of the firm’s investment services team. Amy advises investment companies and their independent directors, investment advisers, and other financial services companies on SEC regulatory matters. She provides legal counsel on an extensive variety of legal, business, and operational issues, including issues related to open-end and closed-end funds, multi-class funds, funds of funds, funds using a manager-of-managers structure, registered and private fund advisers, and real estate and private equity managers.
Amy’s experience includes counseling clients on a wide variety of investment management matters, including the formation, registration, reorganization, merger, acquisition and liquidation of investment companies and investment advisers. She assists clients with respect to SEC examinations and inquiries, targeted compliance and business practice reviews, internal investigations, and due diligence reviews.
CYNTHIA R. PLOUCHÉ
Cynthia R. Plouché is an independent director and Governance Committee chair of the Northern Trust’s Northern Funds/Northern Institutional Funds. From 2001 until 2017, Cynthia served as a trustee on the AXA Equitable Funds, including roles as lead independent trustee and Audit Committee chair. Currently, she serves as board president for the Chicago High School for the Arts, reflecting her extensive experience in the financial and operational oversight of for-profit, governmental, and not-for-profit organizations. Cynthia has a deep background in the financial services industry with more than 25 years of experience as a fixed-income portfolio manager and financial executive. Her career has incorporated risk, control, and compliance responsibility at both implementation and oversight levels. Cynthia started her career in New York at Equitable Capital Management Corporation.
Cynthia lives in Highland Park, Illinois.
KEVIN P. QUIRK
Kevin P. Quirk has more than 25 years of experience in the asset and wealth management industry. He oversees many of the practices’ key client relationships and is heavily involved in developing its thought leadership. He is based in Stamford, Connecticut.
Kevin’s primary responsibilities are client-facing, personally advising the CEOs and executive teams of leading asset and wealth management firms on their most pressing strategic issues. Kevin has led consulting assignments on four continents and his areas of focus include global business strategy development, M&A/integration advisory, distribution organization design, and investments capability assessment and strategy.
Before joining Deloitte, Kevin was the chairman and founding managing partner of Casey Quirk, a managing director of the Barra Strategic Consulting Group, and a manager in the management consulting practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers; he began his career at The Boston Company. Kevin earned an MBA from the Stern School of Business at New York University, and holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Providence College, where he is a member of the Board of Trustees. Kevin is also a member of the Deloitte Retirement Committee, which oversees Deloitte’s more than $20 billion of assets in retirement plans.
KARLA M. RABUSCH
Karla M. Rabusch is an independent director of the Lord Abbett Funds. Previously, Karla was executive vice president of Wells Fargo and president of Wells Fargo Funds Management, a registered investment adviser that offers a diverse range of investment products, including open-end and closed-end mutual funds, managed account solutions, variable trust funds, and Luxembourg domiciled UCITS. Before joining Wells Fargo, she spent 16 years in various insurance, corporate, and mutual fund positions at American Express Financial Advisors (now Ameriprise Financial).
Karla lives in San Francisco, California.
ANDREW R. SCHLOSSBERG
Andrew R. Schlossberg is senior managing director and head of Invesco’s Americas region. He has been in the asset management industry since 1996 and has been with Invesco Ltd. since 2001. Andrew has served in multiple leadership roles across Invesco’s businesses and locations. Most recently, he was based in the United Kingdom as senior managing director and head of EMEA. Additionally, he was chair of the board of Invesco UK Limited and was active within the financial services industry, including roles on the board and advisory boards of the UK Investment Association, ICI Global, City UK, and the Diversity Project. Previously, he served as head of US retail distribution and global exchange-traded funds. Before joining Invesco, Andrew worked with Citigroup Asset Management and its predecessors from 1996 to 2000 as an equity research analyst on the US large-cap value equity team.
SARAH TEN SIETHOFF
Sarah ten Siethoff was named acting director of the Securities Exchange Commission’s Division of Investment Management in January 2021. She is also the associate director for the Division of Investment Management’s Rulemaking Office, a position she has held since 2018. Sarah joined the Division of Investment Management in 2008 and previously served in a variety of roles in its Rulemaking Office, including deputy associate director and assistant director.
Before joining the SEC, Sarah was an associate focusing on mergers and acquisitions with Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP in their New York and Washington, DC, offices.
Sarah received her JD from Yale Law School, her MA in international relations from Yale University, and her BA from the University of Virginia.
GREGORY M. SMITH
Gregory M. Smith is senior director, fund accounting and compliance at the Investment Company Institute, where he focuses on accounting, financial reporting, and compliance matters affecting SEC-registered investment companies. He coordinates the Institute’s Accounting/Treasurers Committee, Accounting Policy Subcommittee, and Security Valuation Operations Committee, as well as the Tax and Accounting Conference. He also manages the annual ICI/IDC Directors Practices Study, which reports information on fund board practices and independent director compensation. He joined the ICI staff in 1992. Before joining ICI, Greg worked for the Securities and Exchange Commission, both in the Division of Investment Management and the Division of Market Regulation. He received an MS from Georgetown University and a BA from Gettysburg College. He is a CPA, as well as a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Association of SEC Alumni.
JACOB C. TIEDT
Jacob C. Tiedt is a shareholder at Vedder Price and a member of the investment services group in the firm’s Chicago office. Jacob’s practice includes the representation of registered mutual funds, closed-end funds, and exchange-traded funds; investment advisers; and other financial institutions on a broad range of regulatory, governance, and compliance matters
Jacob regularly counsels clients on matters relating to SEC registration, disclosure, and compliance; NYSE, Nasdaq, and FINRA regulation; proxy solicitation; corporate governance; and board administration. Jacob has a broad range of experience advising clients on complex matters relating to product design and extraordinary transactions, including fund mergers and reorganizations, fund adoption transactions, secondary offerings, and preferred share transactions. He also advises independent fund directors on their unique duties and responsibilities.
In 2021, Jacob was recommended by the Legal 500 United States in the mutual/registered/exchange-traded funds category. He is also coeditor of the Investment Services Regulatory Update, an award-winning monthly publication that keeps Vedder Price clients updated on relevant regulatory developments.
RONALD E. TOUPIN JR.
Ronald E. Toupin Jr. is an independent trustee/director and chair of the board of the Guggenheim Funds. The complex includes both open- and closed-end funds. He has been an independent portfolio strategist since 2010. Previously, he was vice president, manager, and portfolio manager of Nuveen Asset Management, Nuveen Investment Advisory, and Nuveen Unit Investment Trusts.
Ron lives in River Forest, Illinois.
FIDEL A. VARGAS
Fidel A. Vargas is president and CEO of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF). He is accountable for championing HSF’s vision and mission; ensuring the delivery of world-class service to every individual who interacts with HSF; safeguarding the organization’s financial health and sustainability; and leading an unrivaled, high-performance team that delivers industry-leading operational excellence and impact.
Before joining HSF, Fidel was a founding partner of Centinela Capital Partners, an alternative asset management firm that invested nearly $1 billion in leading emerging private equity and venture capital funds. At the age of 23, Fidel was elected the country’s youngest mayor of a major city, Baldwin Park, California.
Fidel has served on various public and private sector boards and commissions, including President Clinton’s Advisory Council on Social Security; President Bush’s Commission on Strengthening Social Security; and Presidents Bush’s and President Obama’s Commission on Presidential Scholars. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat; on the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships; and on the boards of the Charter School Growth Fund, the Latino Donor Collaborative, and the Latino Theatre Company of Los Angeles.
Fidel has been recognized for his accomplishments by numerous organizations and media outlets, throughout his career. Time Magazine named him as one of the Top 50 Young Leaders in the United States, Hispanic Magazine named him one of the Top 30 Young Hispanics in the United States, Hispanic Business Magazine named him one of the country’s 100 most influential Hispanics, and Latino Leaders magazine named him one of the 101 Most Influential Latinos.
Fidel is an HSF alum and holds an MBA and an AB in social studies from Harvard University.
KIMBERLY KARCEWSKI VARGO
Kimberly Karcewski Vargo is a shareholder at Vedder Price and a member of the firm’s investment services group in the Washington, DC, office. Kimberly has more than 20 years of experience advising investment companies, independent directors of registered investment companies, and investment advisers on regulatory, compliance, and governance matters, as well as on complex transactions.
Kimberly counsels mutual funds, independent directors, and investment advisers with respect to structuring and registering mutual fund products, including alternative strategy funds and funds that use a manager of managers structure. She has extensive experience interfacing with the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on various registration and other regulatory matters and regularly participates in board and committee meetings, providing advice on board governance, and fund compliance and regulatory matters.
Kimberly is recommended by the Legal 500 United States in the mutual/registered/exchange-traded funds category.
LLOYD WENNLUND
Lloyd Wennlund is an independent director and chair of the Datum One Series Trust and is an independent director of the Calamos Funds and chair of the Valuation Committee. In addition, Lloyd is an affiliate expert of Bates Group LLC. Before his current roles, Lloyd spent more than 34 years in the financial services industry in a variety of leadership roles. Lloyd retired from Northern Trust Corporation, as an executive vice president, in 2017. His responsibilities included president and business unit head of the Northern/Northern Institutional Funds and president/CEO of Northern Trust Securities. Key additional responsibilities at Northern Trust included head of product management for Northern Trust Asset Management, head of defined contribution solutions, and director of marketing/product management for wealth management.
Lloyd served in key leadership roles as a member of the Investment Company Institute Board of Governors and Executive Committee for 13 years. He also served on the Private Client Services Committee, Private Client Steering Group, and Advisory Board of the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA). As part of his leadership role with industry organizations, Lloyd has been regularly engaged with regulators, policymakers, and legislators on numerous issues affecting asset management and broker-dealer organizations.