AZ Abiud

Founder & CEO
Acumen Companies

AZ Abiud, a trailblazing entrepreneur, has carved a distinguished path in the business world with three remarkable exits, demonstrating his exceptional ability to identify and cultivate lucrative opportunities. His journey into entrepreneurship began at just seventeen years old, marking the start of a storied career defined by innovation and success. While still in college, AZ launched a PropTech property management platform, a venture that masterfully utilized master leasing agreements with landlords to sublet properties to students. This early endeavor not only showcased his entrepreneurial acumen but also led to his first million net revenue before the age of twenty-one.

AZ's business ventures have consistently broken ground and garnered widespread recognition. His development company was listed as one of the top five fastest-growing real estate firms by Inc. Magazine in 2013, a remarkable achievement for any entrepreneur. Further accolades followed, with Blackbusiness.org naming AZ’s company among the top five Black-owned fast-growing companies in the United States in 2015. AZ's entrepreneurial spirit continued to thrive with Acumen Capital, which ranked second on INC. 5000's fastest-growing companies in D.C. in 2016 and was also recognized by Inc. Magazine as the fastest-growing company led by an African-American nationwide.

Ethan Assal

Managing Partner
CYwP Fund

Ethan Assal is managing partner of CYPF Manager, LLC, CYPF Manager III, LLC, CYPF Manager IV, LLC, CYPF Manager V, LLC, CYPF Manager VI, LLC and CYPF Manager VII, LLC, each of which manages its related CYwP Fund.

Before establishing CYWP Fund, Assal founded and served as Chairman and CEO of Multi-Media Holdings, Inc. (MHI). In 2000, the Washington Business Journal ranked MHI as the largest advertising firm in Washington, DC. At MHI, Assal grew capitalized billings to $400 million and managed a staff of 600 employees in offices across five states. He negotiated more than $50 million in a combination of mezzanine and equity financing and oversaw a mergers and acquisitions program that successfully purchased and integrated more than 20 competitors’ firms. Prior to MHI, Assal founded Personalities, Inc. while still in college. Assal directed all licensing, marketing, product development and manufacturing. Under his leadership, the company grew to be the largest manufacturer and distributor of non-apparel licensed rock n’ roll merchandise. In the 1980s, Personalities, Inc. shipped more than one million buttons and key chains per month to major retailers for bands including The Police, Duran Duran, AC/DC, Grateful Dead and The Rolling Stones. Assal sold the business in 1986 at the age of 25.

A graduate of Brandeis University and the Harvard Business School OPM Program, Assal is an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award winner and served as a judge for the prestigious award for several years. He also is a recipient of the Washington Business Journal’s “Forty under Forty” award and the Mass Mutual Blue-Chip Award. Assal is an active member of the Washington-Baltimore World Presidents’ Organization.

Kristen Barr

President
Versatility, LLC

Kristen D. Barr is an accomplished Technologist and Management Consultant with over 20 years of leadership experience in large corporate environments across various industries, both in the private and public sectors, as well as entrepreneurial ventures. Her expertise includes directing IT System Delivery programs, leading Agile Coaching & Transformation initiatives, and providing Strategic Consulting.

Currently, she serves as the President/CEO of Versatility, an IT and Management Consulting firm specializing in Business and Digital Transformation. Kristen holds an M.S. in Systems Engineering from Johns Hopkins University and a B.S. in Computer Science from Spelman College.

Robert Berdanier

Managing Director
Riveron

Robert Berdanier is a Managing Director in Riveron’s Business Restructuring & Turnaround Services practice. His focus is on middle-market companies, both distressed and healthy, seeking financial and operational improvement through interim leadership and re-organization. Robert is a seasoned restructuring professional, with significant experience in the manufacturing, distribution & hospitality.

Bill Bien

Chief Executive Officer
Forever Oceans

Jay Booth

President
CGB

Forward Thinking / Accessible / Challenges the Status Quo / Creative Educator I am the President and Founder of CGB, which was established in 2000.

I am an active Managing Partner that focuses on consulting with my clients on employee benefits, compliance, implementing online tools and preparing for legislative changes. I was previously the president of the Northern Virginia chapter of NAHU and I am still an active member since I believe it is very important to be involved in and effect positive change in Health Insurance.

Kenneth Brown

Founder, President, & Managing Partner
Lionchase North America

Matthew Campanelli

VP, Capital Formation & IR
ACON Investments, L.L.C.

Matthew Campanelli is a Vice President, Capital Formation and Investor Relations at ACON Investments. Prior to this, Mr. Campanelli was the Chief Operating Officer at Limiar Capital Management, a Virginia-based investment management firm focused on global emerging markets. Prior to that, he was the head of Investment Operations at Dyson Capital Advisors, where he was responsible for implementing both the firm’s trading and reporting platforms. Previously based in New York, Mr. Campanelli primarily focused on the treasury function at multi-strategy hedge fund managers BlueMountain and BlueCrest Capital. He began his career at Mount Kellett Capital Management (now part of Fortress Investment Group).

Mr. Campanelli earned his B.A. in Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Benjamin Carson Jr.

Partner & Co-Founder
FVLCRUM Funds

Ben Carson Jr. is Co-Founder and Partner at FVLCRUM, where he is responsible for the overall guidance of the company and portfolio. He is actively involved in the community and serves on several boards, including Tufts University (Derby Entrepreneurial Center, President’s Council), YPO (Young President’s Organization), the Minority Wealth Commission, Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital Foundation Board, and Carson Scholars Fund.

Gina Carvana

Certified Business Performance Advisor
Insperity

Throughout her career in business development, account management and engineering, Gina Carvana has demonstrated a proven ability to exceed sales predictions, and client expectations. Her decade of strong executive sales experience and savvy negotiating laid the perfect groundwork for her transition to small business consulting after serving as an accomplished director of business development for various software firms, and as an award-winning software account manager for IBM Corporation.

Besides being consulting and tech savvy, Gina is expert at developing personal relationships with clients and maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction. Her interpersonal and managerial skills partner with her keen eye for detail to ensure that every deal is navigated with utmost attention and finesse.

Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Gina has deep family roots in the hometown market she knows and loves. Gina will approach your challenges with an analytical yet creative approach.

Gina is a graduate of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville with a B.S. in Systems Engineering. She also studied Liberal Arts at City of London Polytechnic in London, England. When not busy working, Gina spends her time as an involved mother and an active community member

Jerry Chernock

Partner
DC Capital Partners

Mr. Chernock is a Partner and Member of the Investment Committee at DC Capital Partners. He is a team-oriented executive with more than 15 years of private equity and investment banking experience. Mr. Chernock has completed over 50 transactions during his career investing in the Aerospace & Defense, Defense Technology, Engineering & Construction Services and Government Services sectors.

During his time with DC Capital Partners, the firm raised its first institutional private equity fund and has consistently delivered top quartile investment returns. Mr. Chernock’s notable investment experience includes the take-private transaction involving former NYSE traded Michael Baker Corporation; the legacy acquisitions, formation, growth strategy, and sale of SC3, LLC; the legacy acquisitions, formation, and growth strategy of Acuity International, LLC; the acquisition, growth strategy, and sale of QRC Technologies to Parsons Corporation; the legacy acquisitions and growth strategy of Owl Cyber Defense Solutions, LLC; and the firm’s investments in PBK Architects, Inc., Pond Holdings, LLC, Revenue Solutions, Inc; and SiOnyx, LLC

Mr. Chernock currently serves on the Board of Directors of all DC Capital Partners portfolio companies.

Frank Ciatto

Partner
Venable LLP

Frank Ciatto (B’88, L’94) is a corporate partner in the D.C. and New York offices of Venable LLP. Frank is a business attorney who assists entrepreneurs with existing and new business ventures. His legal knowledge and practical experience are important in helping owners and investors realize the full value of their ideas and investments. Frank focuses on mergers and acquisitions, corporate and partnership structuring, limited liability companies, private equity investments, tax and accounting issues and succession planning. He has closed over 200 deals in his career in various industries, including professional services, technology, manufacturing, insurance, food services, automobile dealerships and financial services. Frank majored in accounting at Georgetown, earned his CPA and worked for three years at Coopers & Lybrand before returning to Georgetown for law school.

Frank was the President of the Georgetown Alumni Association (“GUAA”) and member of the Board of Directors of Georgetown University from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2022. He has served in various capacities on the GUAA Board of Governors, including Treasurer from 2014 to 2018.

Frank met his wife Deanne Collins Ciatto at Georgetown and they have three daughters, Sophia (Georgetown College Class of 2021), Francesca (College of the Holy Cross Class of 2024) and Julianna (Georgetown School of Nursing Class of 2026).

Andrea DiMarco

Venture Partner
Blu Ventures

Andrea DiMarco is a Venture Partner at Blu Ventures. She is a seasoned finance executive with 20+ years of experience in finance/finance operations, investment banking and building networks across startup, VC, private and public investor ecosystem. She is a strategic thinker with a successful history of partnering with startups to scale from the evolution stage to IPO and beyond.

Chris Ewing

Founder & CEO
Rev&

Chris Ewing's career in sales and marketing, spanning over 15 years, is marked by a diverse range of experiences across several dynamic industry sectors such as aerospace, healthcare, product development, app development, drug design, aquaculture, and associations. His journey is a reflection of his adaptability and expertise in navigating different market landscapes.

Ewing's professional prowess is deeply rooted in an innovative, "out-of-the-box" entrepreneurial mindset. This approach has been instrumental in his ability to identify, analyze, and effectively exploit market opportunities at various stages of company development. His skills are not just theoretical but are backed by practical successes, particularly in the realm of early-stage tech commercialization and market entry, where he has led teams to achieve multimillion-dollar growth.

As the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Early Charm, Ewing played a key role in launching a diverse range of products, facilitating their entry into international markets, and aiding in year-over-year net new revenue generation. His approach to sales and marketing is marked by an emphasis on efficiency, incorporating AI and automated systems to streamline processes.

Overall, Chris Ewing's career is a blend of strategic vision, innovative thinking, and practical execution. His expertise in new business development and his ability to foster relevant conversations in the field make him a valuable asset in any business context, especially in areas requiring growth and adaptation in rapidly evolving markets.

Deborah Fell

Managing Partner
Chief Outsiders

Deborah Fell is Managing Partner for Chief Outsiders and brings a background of consistent value creation through sales and marketing plans, people, processes, organizations, tactical ability and measurement visibility. She identifies blocks and gaps, as well as the right fractional sales and/or marketing leader for immediate and enduring success.

Michael Gold

Partner
Saul Ewing

For more than 25 years, Michael Gold has assisted clients in a wide variety of industries in corporate and transactional matters. He is a trusted advisor to general counsel, senior management and boards of directors across the country. Michael is a "closer" with a record of negotiating complex transaction to a satisfactory conclusion, focusing on his clients' business objectives.   

Michael has extensive experience with public securities markets and securities regulatory matters, particularly in the M&A, corporate governance and general disclosure and compliance areas. 

He has also advised numerous clients regarding private equity, hedge fund and venture finance transactions, representing both investors and issuers. He handles issues related to structuring complex securities transactions, and trading practices and policies within different securities markets and firms.

In addition, Michael has represented companies and individuals in numerous corporate crisis situations, has conducted internal investigations and assisted with enforcement actions brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the NYSE and FINRA (formerly the NASD). 

Prior to law school, Michael was a financial analyst for Goldman, Sachs & Co. in New York City, specializing in mortgage finance.

Jennifer Goode

Managing Director, DC Market Leader
Riveron

Jennifer is the DC Market Leader for Riveron a business advisory firm with 16 Global Offices and over 1100 professionals advising CFOs, Private Equity sponsor and other key shareholders. She has worked for over 25 years providing business improvement, transaction advisory and technology enablement services for public and privately held companies. She enjoys helping clients balance people, processes, data and technology, to achieve strategic objectives. Jennifer has industry specialization in Defense Contractors, Healthcare, Technology & Media, Asset Management, Financial Services and Non-Profits.

Jennifer is on the board of Bite Me Cancer, a foundation based in Oakton, Virginia that provides support for teens going through cancer treatments. The organization also raises money for thyroid cancer research and education.

Anita Graham

Managing Director
Arctaris Impact Fund

Anita Graham is Managing Director and Maryland Market Manager for Arctaris Impact Fund where she leads the sourcing, due diligence and execution of debt and equity investments. Her background is focused on investments in markets where capital is inefficient. Arctaris invests in growth oriented operating companies, affordable housing and community infrastructure projects in underserved communities.

Harold Green

Ecopreneur
Global Emissionairy, LLC

Created the first transportation specific carbon emissions Methodology to capture, document, validate, verify, post and sell carbon emissions.

Deborah Hemingway

Managing Partner
Ecphora Capital

Dr. Deborah Hemingway is the Founder and Managing Partner of Ecphora Capital, a venture capital firm funding early-stage medtech ventures headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. With a doctoral degree in Biophysics from the University of Maryland College Park, Dr. Hemingway brings over two decades of entrepreneurial experience to her role and held board positions for 53 startup companies. She was recognized by the UMD Dingman Center for Entrepreneurship as the 2019 Angel Investor of the Year and by the Baltimore Dealmakers Conference as a 2024 Baltimore Dealmaker of the Year.

Ferris Hussein

Managing Director
The Carlyle Group

Ferris Hussein is a Managing Director at The Carlyle Group focused on global infrastructure and energy opportunities. Prior to joining Carlyle, Mr. Hussein served as a Vice President of ExxonMobil, where he oversaw acquisition strategy.

Prior to ExxonMobil, Mr. Hussein served as an Attorney for the Republic of Iraq and, prior to that, for the U.S. Department of Justice.

Mr. Hussein received his MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, JD from University of Virginia School of Law and BA from University of Michigan.

Mr. Hussein serves on the Board of Directors of Crescent Midstream, MVP Terminalling, AMP Energy, Elba Liquefaction Company, Riviera Gulf Holdings, Welligence Energy Analytics, ABANA; as a Member of the Nomination Committee of DNO ASA (OSL:DNO); and as a Member of the Investment Committee for the American University of Beirut’s Endowment.

Ben Kane

Executive Director
Wells Fargo

Ben Kane is an Executive Director with the DC-Based Middle Market Banking team for Wells Fargo. He leads outreach for the Wells Fargo team which focuses on working with companies from startup to multi-billion dollars of revenue on topics including M&A, lending, treasury management and beyond. Ben started with Wells Fargo in 2012, has over 20 years of banking experience and is a native of the DC area.

Crissola Kennedy

Senior Vice President
First National Bank of Pennsylvania

Criss Kennedy, SVP, is a Team Leader of Commercial Banking with First National Bank’s Mid-Atlantic region, having joined in 2022. She has more 30 years of in the mid-Atlantic region and holds MBA from Western Illinois University. She serves in the Professional Services Council, NOVA Chamber of Commerce and holds board positions with Senwah Foundation, KDHC, and the UMD Advisory Council.

Lee M. Koury

Managing Partner
Smart Business Network Inc.

Lee is managing partner of Smart Business Network Inc., a national events, media and marketing company founded in 1989, primarily responsible for expanding the company’s Aspire deal-making conference throughout the U.S. He plays a key role in establishing corporate policies and developing long-term strategy and growth plans. Previously, he founded and chaired the Growth Group at national law firm Arter & Hadden LLP (now Tucker, Ellis & West), which focused on working with middle-market and high-growth technology companies. 

Todd Leverette

Founding Partner
Apis & Heritage Capital Partners

Todd Leverette is Co-Founder of Apis & Heritage Capital Partners, an impact-focused private equity firm that looks to address the nation’s racial wealth gap by using the power of employee ownership.

Prior to co-founding Apis & Heritage, Todd was the Program Manager of Legacy Business Initiatives at the Democracy At Work Institute, a national nonprofit that leverages employee ownership models as tools for racial and social equity. Todd is also a former Wall Streeter, start-up co-founder, and independent business consultant who has dedicated his
life and career to leveraging the tools and best practices of big business to empower communities of color.

He received his JD/MBA from Columbia University and is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Morehouse College.

Wright Lewis

Partner
Dunlap Bennett & Ludwig

Wright Lewis is a Partner at Dunlap Bennett & Ludwig, a mid-sized business boutique law firm with a nationwide practice. Wright's practice is focused on mergers and acquisitions, venture capital, and providing outside general counsel for matters arising throughout the business life cycle, including entity formation, governance, restructuring, contracts, equity compensation, and succession planning.

Rodd Macklin

Co-Founder
Pennington Partners

Rodd is a Co-Founder, Senior Managing Director and investment committee member of Pennington Partners & Co. He also co-founded several of the firm’s investment platforms, including SaaS Ventures and PTM Partners. Rodd also serves as a fractional CFO of NGP Energy Technology Partners, a Washington, DC- based private equity firm in wind down mode that he has been affiliated with since 2008.

Rodd previously served as CFO of New York-based FJ Labs, DC-based NaviMed Capital and DC-based Perseus LLC. At Perseus, which at its peak managed aggregate commitments in excess of $1.5 billion, Rodd was a member of the firm's Executive Committee and managed and oversaw the family office for the managing partner, who created significant wealth in the private equity sector.

Earlier in his career, Rodd served as CFO of a family business that was ultimately sold to a public company and held positions at American Capital, Legg Mason and Arthur Andersen.

Rodd holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from William & Mary. Rodd is an active CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) charterholder and an inactive CPA.

Stephanie Marshall

CEO/Founder
M3 Advisors, LLC

Stephanie Marshall, founder of M3 Advisors, is an experienced business leader with multimillion-dollar successes in the commercial sector. In senior executive capacities at Ford, Verizon and others she built and grew new businesses.

She’s an investor, advisor and mentor to startups. She co-founded and serves as Board President of Citrine Angels, an angel group of women investing in women.

William McComas

Managing Member
Bowie & Jensen LLC

William McComas is the Managing Member of Bowie & Jensen LLC and a member of the transactional and technology law departments. He is among the leading technology attorneys in the region, ranked by Chambers for his expertise in corporate work

Charles McCusker

Managing Partner
Patriot Capital Group

Charles McCusker is the Managing Partner of the Patriot Capital Group and is one of the founders of Patriot Capital I, Patriot Capital II, Patriot Capital III, and Patriot Capital IV.

Prior to Patriot Capital, Mr. McCusker was a General Partner of the ServiceMaster Venture Fund, a highly successful portfolio of focused private equity investments in consumer services, for-profit education, application software, and business e-commerce industries.

Mr. McCusker also founded and held several operating executive positions, including President and Chief Operating Officer of a joint venture between The ServiceMaster Company (SVM) and Kleiner Perkins.

Mr. McCusker has also served as the Chair of the Small Business Investor Alliance, the leading industry association for lower and middle market private equity firms, and currently serves on the Board of the University of Chicago’s Private Equity Council for the Booth School of Business. 

George McPherson

Managing Director
Criterion Africa Partners

George McPherson is Managing Director at Criterion Africa Partners, a private equity firm investing in timber, agriculture, and climate solutions in Sub-Saharan Africa. With over 20 years of experience, he previously led business development at Global Environment Fund, raising over $1 billion. He began his career at Hewlett-Packard and in aerospace engineering, holding an MBA from George Washington University and a BS in Electrical Engineering from SUNY Buffalo.

Claudio Ochoa

Managing Partner
Donovan Capital Group

Claudio is the Managing Partner of Donovan Capital Group, a private credit firm focused on Defense & Government Services businesses.

Previously, Claudio was an attorney at Morvillo, Abramowitz, Grand, Iason, Anello & Bohrer and DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary. At both firms, he specialized in corporate law and white collar litigation, representing high-profile business executives in complex financial litigation against the U.S. Department of Justice and SEC.

Claudio has served in the government as press secretary for the Lt. Governor of Colorado (the youngest in the state's history) and in several functions at the U.S. State Department, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and the White House.

Curtis Ofori

Partner
Greenhall Capital Partners

Curtis Ofori is a Partner at Greenhall Capital. Throughout his career, he has been investing in and partnering with leading businesses and management teams across technology, communications infrastructure, tech-enabled services, payments and software.

Before Greenhall, Mr. Ofori worked in the investment banking division at Morgan Stanley (TMT) and the U.S. Treasury Department. He also was on the U.S. Economics and Business Analysis (EBA) team at Booz Allen, where he primarily focused on telecom. Mr. Ofori began his career as Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and worked as an auditor at PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

Bryan Parker

Founder & CEO
Legal Innovators

Allyson Redpath

Founder
ForesightIQ

As the former Director of Entrepreneurship for the Maryland Department of Commerce, Allyson Redpath directed and managed the agency's involvement in the early-stage ecosystem with the goal of encouraging and supporting new business formation and growth. A former investment banker, she is skilled in M+A, capital raising, investment analysis, and strategic partnerships. Allyson also founded the DC-area angel investment group, Citrine Angels.

Mike Schroeder

Founder & President
Roundstone

Michael A. Schroeder has served as President of Roundstone since 2005. Mike offers more than twenty-five years of management experience and has a proven track record of building and leading fast-growing, innovative insurance businesses.

Roundstone is a health benefits captive providing self-funded solutions to small and mid-sized employers. Recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in America by Inc. 5000 for six consecutive years as well as a winner of the Northeast Ohio Top Workplaces Award since 2019, Roundstone’s continued success is a testament to the ever-increasing demand from business owners for a better way to fund their employees’ health benefits.

Prior to Roundstone, Mike served as Vice President and General Counsel for an insurance company while it transitioned into a NASDAQ listed AM Best A-rated insurer. He founded a medical malpractice underwriter and drove rapid growth prior to its acquisition. Mike also held senior executive positions with a worker’s compensation insurer, a non-standard auto insurer, and served as an associate of a Cleveland law firm. Named a finalist for the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2022, Mike is known for his innovative thinking in the insurance industry. He received his Juris Doctorate from The Ohio State University College of Law and received his Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Tulane University.

Andrew Sherman

Partner
Brown Rudnick

Andrew Sherman is a Partner and Co-Chair of the Venture Capital and Emerging Growth Practice firm wide and is based in the Washington, D.C. office of Brown Rudnick.

He is the author of 26 books on business growth, capital formation and the leveraging of intellectual property, including his twenty-second (22nd) book, Harvesting Intangible Assets, Uncover Hidden Revenue in Your Company’s Intellectual Property, (Harper Collins) which was published in October of 2011. His latest book is The Crisis of Disengagement was published early 2017. Other recent titles include the best-selling Mergers and Acquisitions from A to Z, third edition was published by AMACOM in 2010. He is also the author of the 2nd edition of the Due Diligence Strategies and Tactics, which was published in the Spring of 2010. His twenty-third book Essays on Governance, was published June of 2012 and in 2013, he was named by NACD as one of the Top 100 Leaders in Governance. In 2014, he was included in the global IAM 300, recognizing the world’s thought leaders in managing intangible assets.

He has appeared as a guest and a commentator on all of the major television networks as well as CNBC’s “Power Lunch,” CNN’s “Day Watch,” CNNfn’s “For Entrepreneurs Only,” USA Network’s “First Business,” and Bloomberg’s “Small Business Weekly.” He has appeared on numerous regional and local television broadcasts as well as national and local radio interviews for National Public Radio (NPR), Business News Network (BNN), Bloomberg Radio, AP Radio Network, Voice of America, Talk America Radio Network and the USA Radio Network, as a resource on capital formation, entrepreneurship and technology development.

He has served as a top-rated Adjunct Professor in the Masters of Business Administration (MBA) programs at the University of Maryland for 31 years and at Georgetown University for 20 years in both the business school and the law school where he teaches courses on business growth strategy.

He has served as General Counsel to the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (YEO) since 1987. In 2003, Fortune magazine named him one of the Top Ten Minds in Entrepreneurship and in February of 2006, Inc. magazine named him one of the all-time champions and supporters of entrepreneurship and business growth.

Michael Rickard

Senior Vice President
Marsh McLennan Agency

Mike is responsible for leading a team of resources to deliver the MMA Value Proposition of World Class and Local Touch experience. His clientele include companies in the government contracting, construction, information technology and artisan trade industries. He focuses his time and efforts in these areas as well as real estate and technology which are fields that align with his experience.

A native of Arlington VA, Mike is a high impact sales and marketing executive with over 25 years’ experience in sales and sales management. His professional background includes numerous management and functional roles with two Fortune 500 companies.

Rene Robichaud

Chairman & Partner
ArkMalibu LLC

Currently Chairman & Partner at ArkMalibu, Rene previously served as president and CEO at Layne Christensen and NS Group, Managing Director at Salomon Smith Barney, and a Principal in Corporate Finance at Morgan Stanley based in New York. Rene has helped hundreds of companies with capital raising and strategic transactions involving many industrial and natural resource companies around the world.

Thomas Seneca

Managing Partner
TM Wealth Management

Carrie Sessine

Senior Vice President
In-Q-Tel (IQT)

Manpreet Singh

Founder & Chief Investment Officer
Singh Capital Partners

Tom Springer

Shareholder
SD Capital

With over 20 years of professional experience, Tom developed a deep, hands-on understanding of M&A and technical advisory services while working for the world's most prestigious professional services and private equity firms. He has served as a PE portfolio company CEO and a strategic advisor to the PE community and has built, run, and sold multiple companies. In addition, Tom has led or participated in numerous transactions, including small to enterprise-level M&A deals. He has considerable experience with strategic planning, business development, interim management, and technical advisory services, catering to private equity firms, portfolio companies, and public and private enterprises.

Tom creates and unlocks value, helping owners evaluate and prepare for various financial events, such as recapitalization, management buyouts, family transitions, or other forms of monetization. His unique blend of experiences as a former business owner, PE operating partner, and C-level executive equips him with the insight to maximize enterprise value and the stakeholder's benefit. 

Further, Tom is well-known for his ability to solve intricate business challenges for middle-market clients across industries. He leverages his technical knowledge in application development, cyber security, and systems integration, along with his business acumen, to create unique, out-of-the-box solutions.

Before joining Schneider Downs, Tom co-founded Springer Lawson and Associates, LLC, which assisted clients in various industries with value creation and sell-side advisory services.

Tom is married with three children and enjoys outdoor activities, youth sports, and spending time with his family. He is a U.S. Air Force Veteran and holds a B.S. in Business Administration and Computer Information Systems from North Carolina Wesleyan and an M.S. in Telecommunications from Johns Hopkins University.

Louis Sterchi

Principal
Quiet C

R. Louis Sterchi leads Quiet C’s efforts cultivating relationships with business owners and with the management teams of the companies we own. Prior to starting Quiet C, Mr. Sterchi was an Associate at The Carlyle Group, focusing on investments in the financial services sector, and was based in Washington, DC. While at Carlyle, Mr. Sterchi was actively involved in the investments in Boston Private (NASDAQ: BPFH) and BankUnited, Inc. (NYSE: BKU). Prior to Carlyle, Mr. Sterchi was an Associate at Catlin (currently known as AXA) in London, Bermuda, and San Francisco.

Mr. Sterchi holds an MBA from The Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania, and a BA from The Williams School at Washington & Lee University.

Aquil Stinson

Director
Lafayette Square Partners

Aquil Stinson is a Director at Lafayette Square on the origination team covering the mid-Atlantic. Lafayette Square is a private credit fund providing growth debt capital for middle market companies. Previously, he worked for JP Morgan Chase in their middle market banking group covering Charlotte. He also spent time at Goldman, Sachs in the investment banking group trading fixed income securities for 4.5 years. Aquil is an Entrepeneur and has been an owner/operator for a logistics company.

Colleen Vacelet

President/Owner/Founder
Intreegue Design, Inc. | Order Green Supply

Colleen Vacelet, is a dynamic entrepreneur in the A|E|C field, hovering between design and construction. In 2013 she founded Intreegue, a landscape architecture firm that maintains offices in Baltimore and California. Recently, she acquired Order Green Supply, a construction supply company. She has crafted a stellar career driving business growth and mentoring aspiring leaders. As President of both companies, she is renowned for her leadership and business strategy.