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2021 AIF Women Investors’ Forum

2021 AIF Women Investors' Forum

October 19–21 | Connecting Investors Globally | Live Online

The interactive, three-day format will provide a flexible framework of invaluable resources, education, and networking for women investors. The forum is open to both men and women investment professionals.

Programming will feature asset-class roundtable sessions devoted to Private Equity, Private Credit, Diversifying and Opportunistic Strategies, Real Estate and Infrastructure Investing.  In addition, special panel and featured sessions will include:

  • CIO and Investor Roundtable Discussion
    Lessons Learned from COVID-19 and Beyond
  • Actionable Business Models for Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
    Featured Panel Discussion from Corporate Sector and Asset Management Leaders who are Taking Revolutionary Actions to Impact Diversity from within their Organizations
  • Introduction of the AIF Institute Center for Financial Innovation
    Transformation of the Investment Industry with Digitization
  • AIF Institute Center for ESG and Sustainable Investing Primer and Workshop
    Exploring LP Execution of ESG Programs
  • The ILPA Diversity in Action Initiative
    Special Data Presentation and Breakout Group Discussions

Agenda at a Glance

Day One: Tuesday, October 19

11:00–11:10 a.m. EDT

Welcome

  • Brant Maller, Founder and CEO, AIF Global

  • Melissa Waller, President, AIF Institute

  • Sharmila Kassam, Executive Director, AIF Institute

11:10 a.m.–12:00 p.m. EDT

The CEO's Perspective: Growth and Innovation—Embracing Technology for a New Generation of Investors

Introductions by:

  • Lisa Lee, Managing Director, Providence Equity

  • Alisa A. Wood, Partner, KKR

Keynote Speaker:

  • Adena Friedman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Nasdaq

Interviewed by: 

  • Alisa A. Wood, Partner, KKR

12:15–1:15 p.m. EDT

Private Equity Session

Session Leaders: 

  • Sondra Vitols, Director, New York-Presbyterian

  • Michelle Davidson, Co-Head of Advisory, Americas , Aksia

Session Participants:

  • Adriana Ballard, Portfolio Manager, Private Equity, Employees Retirement System of Texas

  • Ashley DeLuce, Vice President, Private Equity, Callan

  • Jennifer Hoh, Managing Director, Providence Equity

  • Helen Lais, Managing Director, Capital Dynamics

  • Ashmi Mehrotra, Global Co-Head of the Private Equity Group, J.P. Morgan Asset Management  

  • Ya Tung, Managing Director, GCM Grosvenor

  • Afaf Ibraheen Warren, Vice President, Siris Capital

1:25–2:30 p.m. EDT

Diversifying and Opportunistic Strategies Session

Introduction by:

  • Meghan Munchoff, Director, 400 Capital Management

Session Leaders:

  • Julia Mord, Deputy Chief Investment Officer, Tulane University Investment Management Office

  • Amy Hsiang, Managing Principal, Director of Public Markets Manager Research, Meketa

Session Participants:

  • Sasha Kus, Senior Portfolio Analyst, Partner, Albourne

  • Andrew Carter, Investment Director, Tikehau Capital 

  • Sterling Donnelly, Managing Director, Product Specialist, Axonic Capital

  • Anna Makki, Managing Director, Marathon Healthcare

  • Bill Sanders, Partner, President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Risk Officer, 400 Capital Management

2:45–3:45 p.m. EDT

CIO Roundtable: Lessons Learned from COVID 19 and Beyond

Moderator:

  • John Skjervem, Incoming Chief Investment Officer, Utah Retirement Systems  

Panelists:

  • Kristen Doyle, Partner, Aon Investments

  • Kathleen E. Jacobs, Chief Investment Officer, New York University

  • Martha Leiper, EVP & Chief Investment Officer, Unum

  • Angela Miller-May, Chief Investment Officer, Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund

3:55–5:00 p.m. EDT

Center for Financial Innovation Panel: Transformation of the Investment Industry with Digitization

Introduction by:

  • Susan Soh, Chief of Capital Formation and Investor Relations, GrowthCurve Capital

Moderator:

  • Sharmila Kassam, Executive Director, AIF Institute

Panelists:

  • Martin Beaulieu, Advisory Board Member, Convergency Partners

  • Katey Bogue, Vice President, Private Fund Solutions, Nasdaq

  • John D’Agostino, Fellow, AIF Institute 

Day Two: Wednesday, October 20

11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. EDT

Keynote Fireside Chat: 21st Century Business Leadership

Introductions by:

  • Stephanie Ivy, Managing Director, Goldman Sachs Asset Management

  • Liz Smith, Senior Managing Director, AllianceBernstein

Featuring:

  • Yie-Hsin Hung, Chief Executive Officer, New York Life Investment Management

Interviewed by:

  • George Walker, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Neuberger Berman

12:10–1:15 p.m. EDT

Private Credit Session I: Core Strategies

Introduction by:

  • Antonella Napolitano, Managing Director, Deerpath Capital Management, LP

Session Leader:

  • Kathleen Barchick, Senior Managing Director, Cliffwater LLC

Session Participants:

  • Jackie Brady, Managing Director, PGIM Real Estate

  • James Kirby, Founder & President, Deerpath Capital Management, LP

  • Matthew Liepert, Managing Director, Antares Capital

  • Grishma Parekh, Managing Director, HPS Investment Partners, LLC

  • Chris Tokarski, Co-CEO & Managing Partner, ACORE Capital

1:25–2:30 p.m. EDT

Private Credit Session II: Specialized Strategies

Introduction by:

  • Bettina Baban, Managing Director, Audax Private Debt

Session Leaders:

  • Catherine Ulozas, CIO, Drexel University

  • Emily Nomeir, Principal, Hamilton Lane

Session Participants:

  • Akila Grewal, Managing Director, Product Specialist, Apollo Global Management

  • Kirsten Hagen, Managing Director and Head of Americas Senior Credit, Private Credit Group, Goldman Sachs Asset Management

  • Michael McGonigle, Managing Director, Audax Private Debt

  • Dagmara Michalczuk, Principal and Portfolio Manager, Tetragon Credit Partners

2:45–4:00 p.m. EDT

AIF Institute Center for ESG and Sustainable Investing Primer and Workshop: Exploring LP Execution of ESG Programs

Academic Presenter:

  • Laura Starks, Ph.D., Charles E. and Sarah M. Seay Regents Chair of Finance, University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business

Moderators:

  • Dana Johns, Senior Portfolio Manager, Maryland State Retirement and Pension System

  • Sharmilla Kassam, Executive Director, AIF Institute

Panelists:

  • Kirk Sims, Head of Emerging Manager Program, Teacher Retirement System of Texas

  • Kaitlin Bergan, Director, Senior Platform Strategist, Sustainable Investing, BlackRock

  • Meredith Jones, Partner, Global Head of ESG, Aon Investments

  • Laurie Medley, Global Head of ESG, General Counsel, Private Equity, Apollo Global Management

  • Jens Peers, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer, Mirova US

5:30–8:30 p.m. EDT (NYC Event)

4:30–6:30 p.m. CDT (Austin Event)

Reconnecting Reception—In Person (RSVP required to attend)

Locations:

  • Midtown New York City
  • Downtown Austin, Texas

Day Three: Thursday, October 21

11:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. EDT

KPMG Women in Alternative Investments Management Report

Introductions by:

  • Dyice Ellis-Beckham, Managing Director, Invesco

  • Delia Roges, Managing Director, Invesco

Presenter:

  • Camille Asaro, Partner, Audit – Alternative Investments, KPMG

12:00–1:00 p.m. EDT

Leading Initiatives for Actionable DEI Models

Moderators:

  • Camille Asaro, Partner, Audit – Alternative Investments, KPMG

  • Sharmilla Kassam, Executive Director, AIF Institute

Panelists:

  • Coco Brown, Founder and CEO, Athena Alliance

  • Tracey Flaherty, Global Head of Corporate Social Responsibility and Public Affairs, Natixis

  • Raelan Lambert, Global Alternatives Leader, Mercer

1:15–2:15 p.m. EDT

Real Estate Investing Session

Session Leader:

  • JingLin Huang, Associate Director, Segal Marco Advisors

Session Participants:

  • Larissa Belova, Portfolio Manager, CBRE Investment Management

  • Andrea Karp, Managing Director, Ares Real Estate Group, Ares Management

  • Tara McCann, Senior Managing Director, Head of  Capital and Client Strategies, Rockwood Capital

  • Neha Santiago, Head of Real Estate Private Credit & Managing Director, Cerberus Capital Management

2:25–3:30 p.m. EDT

Infrastructure Investing Session

Introduction by:

  • Larissa Belova, Portfolio Manager, CBRE Investment Management

Session Leaders:

  • Petya Nikolova, Head of Infrastructure Investments, New York City Retirement System

  • Karen Rode, Partner, Aon Investments

Session Participants:

  • David Altshuler, Executive Director, IFM Investors (US)

  • Dominic Garcia, Chief Pension Investment Strategist, CBRE Investment Management

  • Leonie Maruani, Senior Advisor, Vauban Infrastructure Partners

  • Chris Ortega, Head of Americas, Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners

  • David Walsh, Executive Director, Goldman Sachs Asset Management

3:45–4:45 p.m. EDT

The ILPA Diversity in Action Initiative: Special Data Presentation and Breakout Group Discussions

Session Leaders:

  • Lauren Dillard, Executive Vice President of Investment Intelligence, Nasdaq

  • Jennifer Choi, Managing Director, Industry Affairs, ILPA

Breakout Discussion Leaders:

  • Samantha Levenstein, Director of Investor Relations, Beach Point Capital Management

  • Sheryl Schwartz, Chief Investment Officer, ALTI, Inc.

  • Marianne Scott Dwight, Of Counsel, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP

4:45–5:00 p.m. EDT

Closing Remarks

2021 AIF Women Investors' Forum Confirmed Participants List

The investors and consultants below have confirmed their desire to participate (subject to any required internal approvals and final schedules)

Aflac Global
Ksenija Jovanovic, Vice President

AIG
Milla Tonkonogy, CIO, General Insurance North America

Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation
Chirag Shah, Senior Portfolio Manager

Albourne Partners
John Claisse, CEO
Maureen Hart, Head of Client Account Management, Partner
Jennifer Kizibash, Partner
Sasha Kus, Senior Portfolio Analyst, Partner
Arabella Wuchek, Partner

Aksia
Michelle Davidson, Co-Head of Advisory, Americas

Alan Biller and Associates
John Skjervem, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Consulting

Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Annette Phillips, CHRO 

Aon Investments
Kristen Doyle, Partner
Lila Han, Associate Partner
Karen Rode, Partner

APG
Jessica Pan, Principal, Private Equity

Brighthouse Financial
Maria Tarhanidis, Head of Alternative Investments

Caisse de retraite d’Hydro-Québec
Élyse Vigneault, Advisor External

Callan 
Ashley DeLuce, Vice President
Sara Hakim, Senior Vice President

CalSTRS
Samantha Phan, Investment Officer
Sally Stocks, Portfolio Manager

Cigna Investment Management
Samantha Hershberger, Fixed Income Director

Cliffwater LLC
Kathleen Barchick, Senior Managing Director

CommonSpirit Health
Jamie Lu, Manager, Investments

Connecticut Office of State Treasurer
Jessica Weaver, Corporate Governance Analyst

Delta Airlines Pension
Amanda Cogar, Director – Pensions

Employees Retirement System of Texas
Adriana Ballard, Portfolio Manager

Equitable
Nicki Livanos, Director of Real Estate Investments

Fort Worth Employees’ Retirement Fund
Christina Wu, Investment Officer

Future Fund
Alicia Gregory, Head of Private Equity

Hamilton Lane
Katie Moore, Managing Director 
Emily Nomeir, Principal

Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund
Angela Miller-May, Chief Investment Officer 

JANA Investment Advisers
John Coombe, Executive Director

Los Angeles City Employees’ Retirement System (LACERS)
Ellen Chen, Investment Officer
Bryan Fujita, COO, Investments
Clark Hoover, Investment Officer
Wilkin Ly, Director of Private Market Assets

Los Angeles County Employees’ Retirement Association (LACERA)
Cheryl Lu, Investment Officer
Esmeralda del Bosque, Senior Portfolio Manager

Marathon Healthcare
Anna Makki, Managing Director

Maryland State Retirement and Pension System
Dana Johns, Senior Portfolio Manager

M&G Investments
Sara Almosawi, Diversifying Strategies Analyst
Amy Coleman, Investment Analyst

Manhattan Life Insurance Company
Teresa Moro, Senior Vice President

MassMutual
Hanna Snow, Investment Research Consultant

Mercer
Beth Johnson, Partner
Raelan Lambert, Global Alternatives Leader
Cori Trautvetter, Partner

MetLife
Agata Rzamek Praczuk, Director

MTA
Valerie Bannon, Chief Investment Officer

MUFG
Gila Cohen, Chief Investment Strategy Officer

National Gallery of Art
Christine Kelleher, Chief of Investments

New York- Presbyterian
Sondra Vitols, Director

New York City Retirement System
Petya Nikolova, Head of Infrastructure Investments
Susannah Vickers, Assistant Comptroller Pensions / Designated Trustee

New York University
Kathleen Jacobs, Chief Investment Officer

NPR
Lis Lang, Assistant Treasurer, Senior Director

OPTrust
Brandon Gill New, Senior Portfolio Manager

Oregon State Treasury
Faith Sedberry, Investment Officer

Providence St. Joseph Health
Renee Astphan, Director of Alternative Investments

Public Employees Retirement Association of New Mexico
Katherine Brassington, Investment Associate

San Francisco Employees’ Retirement System
Joe Driscoll, Trustee

San Mateo County Employees’ Retirement Association
Elaine Orr, Trustee

Segal Marco Advisors
Jing Lin Huang, Associate Director
Rosa Limas, Vice President
Maureen O’Brien, Vice President
Vanessa Vargas Guijarro, Vice President

State Board of Administration of Florida
Sara Geiger, Portfolio Manager

State of New Jersey
Ting Yang, Investment Analyst

State of Wisconsin Investment Board
Ashley Anderson, Investment Operations Analyst
Cora Shi, Analyst
Zhenping Wang, Macro Analyst
Tracy Wheeler, Investment Operations Analyst

Stellantis
Debbie Kozole, Manager, Public Equities

Teacher Retirement System of Texas
Benjamin Bayles, Associate
Catherine Cagley Beaudoin, Senior Associate – Real Assets
Joyce Chow, Director
Heidi Piper, Associate, Private Equity
Grant Walker, Senior Director
Alexandra Cain Wildeson, Private Equity Funds Senior Analyst
Jennifer Wenzel, Director
Kirk Sims, Head of Emerging Manager Program

TelstraSuper
Caroline Stuart, Investment Analyst

Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System
Daniel Crews, Director of Private Equity

Texas Municipal Retirement System
Celisse Cobos, Investment Analyst – Private Equity

Texas Permanent School Fund
Kathryn Gernert, Senior Portfolio Manager

Texas Trust Company
Anca Ion, Chief Investment Officer of Internal Investments

Tulane Investment Management Office
Julia Mord, Deputy Chief Investment Officer

UCLA Investment Company
Joe Bryant, Investment Director
Breanne Eshelman, Investment Director

United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund
Elizabeth Caldas, Investment Officer, Private Equity

Unum
Marth Leiper, EVP & Chief Investment Officer

USAA
Kim Hannan, Portfolio Strategist
Shawn Ury, Director, Portfolio Strategy

Utah Retirement Systems
John Skjervem,  Incoming Chief Investment Officer

VFMC
Shali Lingaretnam, Acting Head of Investment Stewardship