2023 AIF Women Investors' Forum
September 27 | Yale Club | New York City
On behalf of AIF Global, we hope you will make plans to join us for the 2023 AIF Women Investors’ Forum to be held on September 27 at the Yale Club of New York City.
This forum is held annually to bring together influential thought leaders to discuss current investment strategies and trends and highlight key initiatives for diversity, leadership, and advancement strategies for women.
The 2023 AIF Women Investors’ Forum will feature keynote panel sessions, investment asset class roundtables, and networking opportunities. The morning session will be dedicated to women-only discussions from leaders in the investment industry.
Agenda at a Glance
Wednesday, September 27
8:00–8:30 a.m.
Registration and Continental Breakfast
(First session open to Women Only)
8:30–8:45 a.m.
Welcome and Introductions
- Melissa Waller, President, AIF Global and the AIF Institute
- Brant Maller, CEO, AIF Global and the AIF Institute
8:45–9:45 a.m.
Opening Workshop
Living Holistically: Actionable Strategies for Work Life Balance, Achieving and Managing Personal and Professional Success
- Tracy Pruzan-Roy, Certified Leadership Coach
9:45–10:00 a.m.
General Registration
(Remainder of the day open to all attendees)
10:00–11:15 a.m.
Real Estate Roundtable: Investing Through the Storm
This session will discuss the demand for real estate in an environment of rising real estate, debt payments coming due, falling prices, and rising residential rents.
Session Leader:
- Margaret McKnight, Partner and Head of Portfolio Solutions, StepStone Real Estate
Session Participants:
- Larissa Belova, Managing Director, Portfolio Manager, CBRE Investment Management
- Alexandra Crawley, Vice President, Torchlight Investors
- Peggy DaSilva, Head of Asset Management, PIMCO Prime Real Estate (formerly Allianz Real Estate)
- Danita Johnson, Managing Director – Real Assets, Maryland State Retirement and Pension System
- Sue Kolasa, Managing Director, Portfolio Manager, J.P. Morgan Asset Management
- Tara McCann, Senior Managing Director, Rockwood Capital
- Meagan Nichols, Managing Director, Goldman Sachs Asset Management
- Gina Spiegel, Senior Managing Director, Co-Head Partner Solutions, Crow Holdings Capital
11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Infrastructure Investing Roundtable: Capturing the Opportunity
This session will explore the opportunities and demand for infrastructure investing. A favorable regulatory environment with ongoing needs for upgrading, build outs, and new development, robust demand in existing markets such as transportation, the emergence of new markets such as broadband, and need for renewable energy and energy independence, has created a robust and diverse asset class for institutional investors. Infrastructure is no longer the sleepy backwater it once was.
Session Leader:
Ashli Aslin, Senior Analyst, Real Assets – Infrastructure, Albourne
Session Participants:
- Emily Foshag, Portfolio Manager, Listed Infrastructure, Principal Asset Management
- Danita Johnson, Managing Director – Real Assets, Maryland State Retirement and Pension System
- Kathleen Lawler, Director, Infrastructure, KKR
- Petya Nikolova, Deputy CIO and Head of Infrastructure Investments, New York City Retirement System
- Jennifer Polli, Managing Director & Senior Operating Partner, Intermodal, ITE Management
- Jaya Viswanadha, Managing Director, Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners
12:30–1:45 p.m.
Luncheon Leadership Panel
Walking the Walk (Backwards and in Heels): Senior Women Share Their Thoughts on Asset Management, Investment, and Leadership
Special Guest Introduction
- Colleen Davis, Treasurer, State of Delaware
Moderator:
- Sue Crotty, Senior Vice President and CIO, Segal Marco Advisors
Panelists:
- Elizabeth Caldas, Senior Investment Officer, Credit & OARS, New York State Common Retirement Fund
- Jessie Gabriel, Founder and CEO, All Places
- Marina Gross, EVP, Co-Head Natixis Investment Managers Solutions, Natixis
- Rhonda Smith, Board Member & Secretary, Houston Municipal Employees Pension System, Chief Financial Officer/Deputy Director, Houston Police Department
- Susan Webb, Founder, CEO and CIO, Appomattox Advisory, Inc.
1:45–2:45 p.m.
Private Credit I: Core Strategies Roundtable
The private credit market continues to boom, having risen from below $0.5 trillion in 2015 to a projected $2 trillion by 2027. The banking crisis and rising rates have created further opportunities for investors, but as default rates start to rise so do the risks to investors. This panel will discuss the current state of the market and the future outlook.
Session Leader:
- Jessica Nicosia, Senior Vice President, Wilshire
Session Participants:
- Dianna Carr-Coletta, Managing Director, Direct Lending, PGIM Private Capital
- Shannon Fritz, Chief Credit Officer, Antares Capital
- Natalie Garcia, Managing Director, Head of Underwriting, Deerpath Capital
- Kristen Jones, Partner and Head of US Private Credit, Albourne
- Chrissy Lamont Svejnar, Partner, Secondaries, Ares Management
- Jay Ramakrishnan, MD, Head of Originations, AB Private Credit Investors
3:00–4:00 p.m.
Private Credit II: Value Add and Opportunistic Strategies Roundtable
As rates and borrowing costs rise, opportunities for private credit become more complex; thus, creating opportunities for alpha generation through creative solutions and special situations. This panel will discuss investor demand, outlook, and risk for value and opportunistic private credit strategies in a rapidly evolving investment environment.
Session Leader:
- Kristen Jones, Partner and Head of US Private Credit, Albourne
Session Participants:
- Kathy Choi, Portfolio Manager, Beach Point Capital Management
- Selma Cilka, Co-Chief Risk Officer, Vibrant Capital Partners
- Nora Granville, Director, Private Credit, 400 Capital Management
- Rachel Hudson, Director, Head of Private Placements, Kuvare
- Karen Lau, Senior Portfolio Manager, Head of CLOs and Performing Loans, Marathon Asset Management
- Dagmara Michalczuk, Principal and Portfolio Manager, Tetragon Credit Partners
- Sylvia Owens, Partner, Kennedy Lewis
- Sophia Tsai, Managing Director, Investments, Trinity Church Wall Street
4:15–5:15 p.m.
Private Equity Roundtable: What Lies Ahead for this Mainstay of Alternative Investing?
While still remaining one of the most popular asset classes for institutional allocators, private equity is experiencing headwinds for the first time in over a decade. How is the asset class able to adapt to a brave new world or rising rates and falling equity valuations? This session will explore the current climate for private equity and what lies ahead.
Session Leader:
Sondra Vitols, Senior Portfolio Advisor, Aksia
Session Participants:
- Jennie Benza, Private Markets, General Electric Pension
- Ruulke Bagijn, Head of Global Investment Solutions & Chair of the Board, AlpInvest, The Carlyle Group
- Lucy Dobrin, Managing Director, Providence Equity Partners
- Tracy Harris, Partner, IR & Product Strategy, Siris Capital Group
- Dana Johns, Head of Private Equity, New Jersey Division of Investment
- Ksenija Jovanovic, Director, Alternative Investments, Aflac Global Investments
- Scottie Wardell, Partner, Hybrid Value Fund, Apollo Global Management
5:15–6:45 p.m.
Reception
2023 AIF Women Investors' Forum Participant List
The investors and consultants below have confirmed their desire to participate (subject to any required internal approvals and final schedules)
Aflac GIobal Investments
Elena Boeva, US COO
Ksenija Jovanovic, Director
AIG
Milla Tonkonogy, CIO
Aksia
Sondra Vitols, Senior Portfolio Advisor
Albourne
Ashli Aslin, Senior Analyst, Real Assets-Infrastructure
Maureen Hart, Partner
Kristen Jones, Head of US Private Credit
Arabella Wuchek, Partner
ALTI Financial
Sheryl Schwartz, CIO
Brighthouse Financial
Maria V. Tarhanidis, Managing Director, Head of Alternative Investments
Dai-ichi Life
Hiromi Miyata, Vice President
District of Columbia Retirement Board
Tracy Harris, Trustee, Vice Chair Investment Committee
Equitable
Jennifer Lim, Investments
Meredith Wright, Director, Sustainable Investing
Guardian Life
Danielle DePippo, Head of Investment Grade
GE Capital – North American Life & Health
Halie Gates, Investment Analyst
General Electric Pension
Jennie Benza, Private Markets
Houston Municipal Employees Pension
Rhonda Smith, Board Member & Secretary
Kuvare
Rachel Hudson, Director, Head of Private Placements
Ana Morales, Managing Director
Daniela Quintanilla, Director
Liberty Mutual Investments
Katy Longee, Strategy and Asset Allocation Analyst
Maryland State Retirement and Pension System
Danita Johnson, Managing Director – Real Assets
New York City Retirement System
Petya Nikolova, Deputy CIO and Head of Infrastructure Investments
New York Presbyterian
Sara Orr, Managing Director
NYC Board of Education Retirement System
Daniel Miller, Deputy Executive Director
New York State Common Retirement Fund
Elizabeth Caldas, Senior Investment Officer, Credit & OARS
Deborah Medenica, Senior Investment Officer
Tiana Todd
New York State Teachers’ Retirement System
Adrean Kreig, Manager – Real Estate Equity Acquisitions
PIMCO Prime Real Estate (fka Allianz Real Estate)
Peggy DaSilva, Head of Asset Management
Resolute Global Partners
Antonia Bryan, Director
Resolution Life US
Fiona Fan, Manager, Investment Strategy and Risk
Jessie Nguyen, Portfolio Analyst
Rockefeller Capital Management
Victoria Melendez, Investment Consultant
The Rockefeller Foundation
Nicole Cai, Investment Analyst
Segal Marco Advisors
Sue Crotty, Senior Vice President and CIO
StepStone Real Estate
Margaret McKnight, Partner and Head of Portfolio Solutions
Trinity Church Wall Street
Sophia Tsai, Managing Director, Investments
Wafra
Thana Al-Mufarrej, Director
Willett Advisors
Jeffrey Saret, Managing Director
Wilshire
Jessica Nicosia, Senior Vice President
