Apex Invest 2025: The Gateway to Opportunities

Andrew Bliss is the Founder & Managing Director of Bliss Capital, a Cayman Islands based single family office that invests primarily in the technology sector including blockchain and AI. His background is in finance and technology and he is a founding team member of several technology startups within the blockchain and cryptocurrency industries.

Anne Storie is the Country Head for the Cayman Islands office. She has over 18 years of experience in financial services in corporate services, fund governance, regulatory compliance, product development, and M&A. Her previous experience includes leading a family office and she was the CEO of the Americas for the Waystone Group.

Barry is a Founding Partner of Forteus, an institutional digital asset management firm founded in 2021 and backed by Schroders. Prior to moving into crytpo, Barry spent 20 years in the hedge fund industry where he acquired extensive experience building and growing alternative asset management businesses. From 2013, Barry was a founding partner at Argentière Capital, a volatility-focused multi-strategy hedge fund where he built and led the client business and was a member of the firm's management committee. Under Barry’s leadership, Argentière launched multiple products and grew to over $2.5bnn assets under management, serving a global institutional client base. Barry started his career in finance in 2003 at FRM, a leading hedge fund of funds where he co-founded and served on the Investment Committee for the firm’s hedge fund seeding business until 2012. Barry was formerly a lecturer in Economics at the University of London, and obtained a PhD in Economics and a BSc in Mathematical Economics from the University of Birmingham, UK.

Carl Szantyr is the founder and managing partner of BlockstoneCapital. Having graduated with an MBA degree from ColumbiaBusiness School, Carl brings over 20 years of experience in capitalmarkets and traditional finance. At twenty-five, Carl launched the first derivatives and structuredproducts platform in France enabling wealth managers to accessinstitutional level pricing and structures. Since 2011, Carl has offeredadvisory services to companies looking to refine strategy andstructuring, as well as provided guidance on expansion in Europe andAsia including fundraising and M&A strategies. Since 2017, Carl has helped clients to take advantage of the cryptoinnovations, offered advisory, capital raising and investmentopportunities for the Blockchain economy. Carl has been focusing oncrypto strategies, and in 2021 he led the establishment andmanagement of Blockstone Capital, where he has been responsible formanaging digital asset investment strategies.

Carrie is the Managing Director of Panthera Family Office, ‘the Single-Family Office for Multiple Families’. Panthera offers a solution equivalent to that of a Single-Family Office to a select number of UHNWs globally and has offices in the Cayman Islands, London, and Singapore. In the past 4 years Panthera has helped a number of UHNWs relocate to and / or obtain residency in the Cayman Islands. Carrie is also a founding director of the Cayman Islands Family Office Association. Previously, Carrie was CFO for Weybourne, Sir James Dyson’s family office managing a multi-billion pound portfolio and has extensive experience in family governance, succession planning and wealth management. Carrie is a qualified Chartered Accountant and holds memberships with ICAS, CISI, and the CFA Society UK and is a CIMA Approved Person and a CIMA Registered Director. Carrie is married with two children, is actively involved in philanthropic activities and has reached international standards in several sports.

With a distinguished portfolio of patents in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Cary Levine has built a career redefining industries through cutting-edge technology and innovation. A Columbia University graduate and serial entrepreneur, he is a 5x founder with multiple successful exits and now operates his own family office, managing a diversified portfolio spanning real estate, boutique hotels, and high-growth ventures. As the founder of a market-leading AI SaaS platform, Cary transformed a student-funded idea into a $300M+ global enterprise, scaling to 1,500 employees, 1,100 enterprise clients, and 25,000 SMBs. He has held executive leadership roles as CEO, CTO, and CPO, overseeing large-scale engineering and data teams worldwide. His work has earned Cannes Gold Lions, the Jay Chiat Award, and Creativity International Awards, and his humanitarian efforts include serving as a delegate to the United Nations Geneva Convention, shaping global policy through technology and innovation.

Mr. Randall serves as the Chief Executive Officer of MBX Clearing LLC, a registered broker-dealer investment firm that self-clears at the Option Clearing Corporation (OCC). Mr. Randall also serves as the Chief Investment Officer at MBX Group LLC. Prior to 2018, Mr. Randall held various executive roles at GE Capital including Senior Vice President. He has over twenty years’ experience in equity, options and debt trading and holds the Series 24 (General Securities Principal), Series 57 (Securities Trader) and FINRA SIE licenses. Mr. Randall holds a Bachelor of Arts in Finance from Michigan State University.

Chris Rogers is a seasoned business leader and investor with extensive experience across sectors, geographies, and roles in venture capital, corporate development, and entrepreneurship. He is a Partner at Knollwood Investment Advisory, a U.S.-based family office investing globally across all sectors. In this role, Chris advises Knollwood’s 15-member investment team and a 20-person team of data scientists and software engineers, with a primary focus on venture capital activities. The Knollwood Venture portfolio includes over 100 General Partner relationships and more than 400 direct investments. In addition to his role at Knollwood, Chris serves as a Partner at Lumia Capital, a global venture capital firm with a particular emphasis on the MENA region. His involvement in the MENA ecosystem is further underscored by his position as a Board Member at Hub71, Abu Dhabi's global tech ecosystem, where he has been serving since 2019. Chris also holds a variety of leadership and advisory positions. He has been a Board Member at Pitzi, a leading insurtech company, since 2015, and continues to advise numerous companies globally. Previously, Chris served as a Board Member for several prominent organizations, including FreedomPop, Digital Turbine, NII Holdings, ZOS Communications, The Wireless Registry Inc., and LightSquared, where he was elected as the lead independent board member to oversee the company through bankruptcy. Earlier in his career, Chris co-founded Nextel Communications, a pioneering wireless carrier that grew into a multibillion-dollar enterprise and was acquired by Sprint for $35 billion. At Sprint, he held the role of Senior Vice President, Corporate Development and Spectrum, where he led critical strategic initiatives. Chris began his career as an Associate at Jones Day, a leading international law firm. Chris holds a Juris Doctor (JD) from The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Tufts University. His career spans over three decades, marked by accomplishments in venture capital, corporate leadership, and entrepreneurship. He is passionate about fostering innovation and supporting businesses that drive meaningful impact.

SJI is operated by the Tandon family. The Tandon family office has invested in real estate for almost 20 years. The Tandon family is a 2nd generation enterprise and real estate investment group. Divya Tandon is the president and chief executive officer of the family office. The family actively seeks investments in multifamily real estate throughout the US. Its focus is value-add. SJI believes that there are an exorbitant number of opportunities to invest in the US multifamily sector. The family office actively seeks to invest in a wide range of operators and asset managers focused on the multifamily industry. Divya’s first real estate acquisition occurred in 2004 and since then she has been heavily involved in the world of investing. Divya is not just allocating to stable asset classes like real estate but also diversifying beyond public markets and in investments that have the potential for higher returns with proper due diligence. Divya Believes capital needs to be redistributed for wealth preservation and growth. Divya is goal-driven and believes in ownership or direct investment in every project she participates in. Divya has been full cycle in 40 real estate transactions. Her expertise includes site analytics, construction, operations, and real estate sales. Divya works to find opportunities that align with the family office’s long-term goals. Divya’s goals at the family office include wealth preservation and growth. Divya was born in Lucknow, India and graduated from college in Sydney, Australia. Her last corporate position was as a Senior Systems Analyst at NASDAQ prior to investing capital full time.

Drew Colaiezzi is a private equity/venture capital specialist and investment manager with a background in private capital markets focused on mergers and acquisitions, securitizations, specialty credit products, fixed-income asset-backed warehouses, financing consultancy, investment strategies and management, unique investment relationship structures, and early to growth stage venture. After working in NYC and Miami for various private equity firms, he moved internationally and currently sits on the investment committee for MGFO, a single-family office based out of the Bahamas with a large venture portfolio containing exposure to numerous industries with a strong focus on early-stage opportunities in financials, SaaS tech, fintech, legal tech, life sciences, venture funds, co-investment opportunities, and blockchain-based assets.

Ellen Baker is a Managing Director at Pickwick Capital Partners and Partner of Baker Aurora LLC (BA). Ms. Baker provides a full range of capital raising, as well as business development and consulting services, primarily for alternative strategies including real estate, biotech, hedge funds, venture capital and private equity, to individual and institutional clients in the US and offshore. Prior to founding Baker Aurora LLC, Ms. Baker spent over 30 years consulting and advising family offices and high-net-worth individuals. Earlier in her career, she worked in public-finance investment banking at EF Hutton and as a private wealth advisor at Swiss Bank Corp (now UBS), Bear Stearns and Morgan Stanley. Ms. Baker earned a BA cum laude from Briarcliff College and an MBA from the New York University - Leonard N. Stern School of Business. She is a FINRA-registered representative with Pickwick Capital Partners.

Georges brings over two decades of experience in law, capital markets, and fund administration to his role as Chief Regional Officer at Apex Group. He oversees global businesses responsible for P&L in asset servicing, chairs several management committees, and serves as a member of the Office of the CEO. As a dedicated people leader, Georges drives global business growth internationally and enhances client relationships and revenue streams, as well as offering guidance on company matters across various boards. From Deutsche Bank Alternative Fund Services to Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, and now Apex Group, his career reflects a commitment to excellence in financial services.

Guy Pinkman is chairman of the Lincoln Police and Fire Pension Plan Investment Board in Lincoln, Nebraska. In addition, he was a Captain/paramedic with the Lincoln Fire and Rescue Department for over 30 years. He is a two-time Presidential appointee to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), first appointed by President Trump. Guy was the chair of the advisory board and is now the longest-standing member of that board. The PBGC advises The Secretary of Commerce, Labor, and Treasury on policy, procedure, and investments covering over 34 million Americans. Guy is a sought-after pension expert and has spoken worldwide, including in Israel, Italy, the UK, Ireland, and Switzerland. In addition, Guy has appeared at multiple colleges and universities to teach classes and conference seminars covering management and leadership skills to various medical courses as a recognized speaker and trainer. A graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He has completed advanced studies in finance, including China's monetary system. Pension systems, institutional investors, family offices, and consultants worldwide recognize Guy as subject matter experts and reach out regularly.

James co-founded CAASA in response to industry support for a Canadian alternatives association to serve all aspects including: hedge / alternative strategies; liquid alternatives; private lending; private real estate; private equity; plus emerging areas where Canada is a leader such as digital assets / blockchain and robo-advisors. Prior to CAASA, James was the Chief Operating Officer of AIMA Canada where his team of three worked with 12 committees to produce 50-60 events per annum across Canada, organized 100+ committee meetings, and increase member numbers over his 7-year tenue from 66 to 164 corporate entities. CAASA currently has more than 350 members. James currently sits on the Canadian Investment Funds Standards Committee (CIFSC), which categorizes mutual funds and alternative mutual funds (aka liquid alternatives) for the retail space in Canada. He is also called upon by membership and industry groups to speak to risk ratings and portfolio placement of all types of alternative investments. James also has experience in research and writing for the CAIA Association (holding the designation since 2006) as well as serving on CAIA’s exam council and as a well as other duties. He had roles in institutional sales and FoHF structuring in Seoul, South Korea, as a Product Manager at ICICI Wealth Management, and as an Investment Advisor at RBC Dominion Securities. James graduated from Simon Fraser University with a BBA (Finance).

Josh Roach is a trusted peer and long-time member of the SFO (single-family-office) community where, over the last fifteen years, he has created significant social capital through his efforts to build like-minded networks and collaborative models to: (a) merge common interests and objectives, (b) pool and leverage specialized industry knowledge and skill sets, and (c) optimize alignment between asset owners in co-investment vehicles. He is Managing Director of Meritage Group, a private investment firm and investment family office for the Simons family and principals of Renaissance Technologies. Meritage Group is a fundamentally oriented investment firm investing across all asset classes, including control stakes in direct private operating platforms. Prior to Meritage Group, Josh was co-manager and family principal of LCP (Lloyd Capital Partners LLC), an investment company vehicle for the Henry Demarest Lloyd Family, whose wealth creation originated from its shared ownership in The Chicago Tribune starting in 1873 through to its public listing on the NYSE in 1983. Josh is a frequent speaker on the topics of collaborative networks and co-investing at trusted SFO forums and has chaired events such as Campden Wealth’s North American Family Investment Conference, Institutional Investor’s Family Office Wealth Forum, and Stanford University’s Global Projects Center’s Stanford Investor Forum. Prior to joining the SFO community, Josh spent ten years in the software industry in corporate development roles where he worked with the various company’s venture partners on strategic initiatives, acquisitions, and exits. Josh graduated from the University of Vermont in 1993. Prior to that he was a nationally ranked alpine ski racer and attended Killington Mountain School and graduated from Choate Rosemary Hall. The Meritage strategy was established by Jim Simons and Nat Simons in 1997 to manage excess capital generated by Renaissance Technologies’ Medallion Fund. Meritage Group currently manages in excess of $10B (as of January 1, 2023), primarily from the Simons family and from current and former principals and employees of Renaissance and Meritage and their respective families. Meritage Group is a core of holding of its primary investors with a focus and philosophy on wealth preservation. Meritage executes a fundamentally oriented, evergreen investment strategy, designed to generate low double-digit returns with a fraction of the market exposure, resulting in a lower volatility portfolio. Meritage has a long history of generating alpha for its investors. The portfolio is a diversified holding of assets consisting of private direct equity control operating platforms, real estate assets, public equity, private credit, and opportunistic and specialized investment ideas. Meritage has approximately 50 employees (25 investment analysts and 25 staff) in offices located in Greenwich, CT, San Francisco, CA and New York City, NY

Lana Callahan is the Head of Investor Relations with Apex Invest. She currently serves as Chairman of the Apex Invest Advisory Group and a Steering Committee Member for The Women’s Accelerator New York. Lana organizes global events for investors. As a Senior Finance Leader with more than 20 years of experience, Lana was responsible for the strategic growth and expansion of multiple businesses with global banks and asset managers. Lana attained her master’s degree from Northwestern University in one year. She currently serves on multiple financial and philanthropic boards.

Lance Baraker graduated in 1993 from Lehigh University with a degree in Finance and received his MBA and Certificate in International Business from Fordham University in 1997. His trading career began with Timber Hill, making markets in equities and index options on the floor of the American Stock Exchange. Through a JBO with Spear, Leeds & Kellogg, he became a partner in El Lobo Trading Group. He continued options trading on the floor through 2004 when he joined Shoreline Trading Group in New York, where he was head of business development and prime brokerage sales. Lance left Shoreline in 2007 and was one of the founding partners of Saratoga Prime Services. In 2009, Lance Baraker was hired to build from scratch TradeStation Prime Services based in NY. He was with Celadon Financial Group, where he was a partner and Head of Prime Brokerage Services. He then was head of Alternatives for WestFuller Advisors, a boutique investment advisory firm in New York City that builds legacies of wealth for individuals, families and institutions. He currently is managing director- manager acquisition for Cap Intro Solutions where he selects managers to be presented to the investment committee of a large multi-manager platform that allocates via first loss.

Laurin Bylica is a serial tech entrepreneur, economist, and investor. He is the co-founder and managing partner at n8 Capital, a data-driven investment firm specializing in AI and blockchain. Laurin launched his first venture at 15 and has since founded and scaled multiple known tech ventures. In 2017 he relocated to Hong Kong to work as a financial analyst in Web3 while pursuing a master’s in economics. He subsequently held executive positions at pioneering blockchain firms, including Vaultoro, the first physical metal-crypto exchange, and Illuvium, a leading Web3 gaming studio. Laurin also co-founded The Standard, a DeFi protocol backed by real-world assets. About n8 Capital n8 Capital is a data-driven investment firm focused on the new digital economy driven by AI and blockchain technology. We invest in industry-leading projects that use Web3 technologies to build a secure, transparent, and efficient digital economy. We believe that the coming together of these innovations will redefine trust, drive significant growth, and create lasting value for businesses, investors, and communities around the world.

Lindsey is the senior executive responsible for marketing & investor relations, product development and strategy for Opus Capital Management LLC, the separately managed alternatives affiliate of a large New York-based family office focused on real estate on alternative investments. She brings twenty years of experience across strategy, product innovation, business development & capital relations in both private and public markets across varied economic cycles. Previously, Lindsey has also served as the Chief Administrative Officer, Chief Marketing Officer, EVP of American Farmland Company, a NYSE listed REIT, a company which she helped found and take public. Prior to, Lindsey has held roles at Robotti & Co., Optima Fund Management LLC, D.E. Shaw &, Co., L.P., TIAA-CREF and Goldman Sachs Asset Management. She received a B.A. with Distinction from Cornell University. Charitably, Lindsey is involved with Project Punch Card and Experience Camps for Grieving Children.

Lindsey is the senior executive responsible for marketing & investor relations, product development and strategy for Opus Capital Management LLC, the separately managed alternatives affiliate of a large New York-based family office focused on real estate on alternative investments. She brings twenty years of experience across strategy, product innovation, business development & capital relations in both private and public markets across varied economic cycles. Previously, Lindsey has also served as the Chief Administrative Officer, Chief Marketing Officer, EVP of American Farmland Company, a NYSE listed REIT, a company which she helped found and take public. Prior to, Lindsey has held roles at Robotti & Co., Optima Fund Management LLC, D.E. Shaw &, Co., L.P., TIAA-CREF and Goldman Sachs Asset Management. She received a B.A. with Distinction from Cornell University. Charitably, Lindsey is involved with Project Punch Card and Experience Camps for Grieving Children.

Louis leads the Esports and Gaming initiatives at HGM Fund and is the Co-founder and CEO of Hydratac Inc., a prominent military simulation shooter game development studio and a portfolio company of HGM. The 1am Gaming VC, backed by Milken, is also a shareholder. Louis serves on the Board alongside the former studio leader of Activision Blizzard's Call of Duty franchise. Previously, Louis was the Co-founder and Partner of the $120M AUM 1am Gaming Venture Capital, where he represented the fund on the boards of ten gaming companies. He also held a senior management role at Google X and was the Co-founder and CEO of Cape, a remote PC drone flight platform for gaming, military, and police applications worldwide. Cape, backed by NEA and Google, was acquired by Motorola after raising over $20M. Earlier in his career, Louis worked as a Producer at Riot Games, a leading game developer, and as a Senior Consultant at Deloitte, where he served military clients and led a gaming team at an internal think tank. He also founded and led a bootstrapped company to a successful exit. Louis holds an MBA from Stanford and a BA from Yale.

Mary is the Chief Investment Officer of Misha Investments, a Single-Family Office. She is also an investor and Strategic Advisor at Star Mountain Capital and a board member of a Trucking company and Community Access. She is on the Executive Committee of WorkingNation. She has extensive experience in investing and capital markets. Ms D’Souza has 20+ years of private credit, equity, real-estate, fund investing, commercial and investing banking and C-level operational experience through various senior roles at GE Capital, Dresdner Kleinwort Benson and Four M Investments. She is also an Executive Producer on documentaries such as “Always at the Carlyle”, “Alan Pakula” and “Bob Mackie”

Matthew Jason Nordgren is an investor and Founder of Arcadia Capital. In 2005, Mr. Nordgren received his education at the University of Texas at Austin, while playing football for the Texas Longhorns Football Team. Throughout his career, he has singularly focused on finding synergistic opportunities in early-stage private growth rounds that have upside potential. He is committed to successfully helping manage the overall financial status of his partner’s businesses and the companies with which he and his partners have interests within. Inspired by his belief that education and athletics can open doors for at-risk youth, Mr. Nordgren launched The Leadership Foundation—an organization committed to giving back to non-profits whose purpose is to empower youth through sports and education.

• Partner at DYNE Ventures, a specialized Maritime Technology investment fund • Advisor to the US Secretary of Commerce and US Trade Representative for Tech and Policy • C-Suite at USA Rare Earth, a critical minerals and magnet tech company focused on energy mobility • Head of Intelligence Community at Anduril Industries, a tech company focused on autonomous systems • COO of a firm offering analytically enabled surveillance capabilities with on edge applications • 17 years in CIA operations including the CIA Front Office advising on strategy and tech innovation • London School of Economics (MSc with Merit); Lewis & Clark College (BA) MIT Sloan School of Management (AI Implications for Business Strategy)

Mina Lu is CEO of the Victoria Siegel Foundation/Victoria’s Voice Foundation, where she has driven the philanthropy of billionaires David and Jackie Siegel since they lost their 18-year-old daughter Victoria to a drug overdose in 2015. As CEO, Mina leveraged her expertise as a serial entrepreneur to develop the infrastructure for Victoria’s Voice, valuing its ROI as lives impacted and saved. She has led the development of investment and strategic partnerships as well as all programs and projects since the organization’s inception as a private foundation and its subsequent transition to a public charity. Every step and accomplishment along the way has been guided by the foundation’s four pillars of change: Drug Education and Outreach, Naloxone Awareness and Access, Drug Policy Support, and Influencing Behavior Through Victoria’s Voice. Mina brings extensive business and media experience to her role as CEO, having built, operated, and sold her own companies in real estate development, construction, coal mining, media, and television programming. Along the way, she has created a network of hundreds of family offices and built strong relationships with co-investors committed to financially support the foundation’s programs while also investing in technology solutions to address mental health and addiction. Mina’s role has also grown to include becoming a senior adviser to the Siegel family and several other high net worth families within her network related to strategic partnerships, capital and investment allocation for wealth building and expansion of philanthropic investments. In this capacity, Mina leverages her financial acumen to help these families optimize their wealth management strategies while simultaneously amplifying their charitable impact, ensuring a balanced and holistic approach to wealth stewardship. With more than 10 years of experience as Executive Producer of hit shows on major television networks, Mina channeled her extraordinary skills into the development of powerful prevention education video programs at Victoria’s Voice. She also oversaw the development of the foundation’s most impactful resource: Victoria’s diary, a personal account of her devastating journey to addiction from the age of 12 until her death at 18. To date, Victoria’s Voice has published and distributed nearly 100,000 free copies of her diary, inspiring thousands of teens to seek help through counseling. Over time, Victoria’s Voice rolled its youth education programs together under the Save Our Kids moniker. A core component of Save Our Kids is the foundation’s live School Speaker Series. This program has been well received by some of the largest school districts in the U.S., including Orange County Public Schools in Florida and the Clark County School District in Nevada. The thousands of messages received from parents, teachers, and teens who have been directly touched and saved by our speakers are a testament to the impact of the foundation’s programming. More than one million individuals across nearly 600 schools and 42 states have been impacted by Save Our Kids, with the goal of reaching all 50 states. Mina’s accomplishments include the development of the Victoria’s Voice Second Chance Treatment Assistance Program, which partners with highly vetted treatment facilities to provide free 90-day treatment stays for those who cannot afford the cost of care. She brokered a powerful partnership with an organization of 17,000 pastors among 25 denominations in 50 states to further expand distribution of the foundation’s parent and youth prevention programming. She also orchestrated production of the foundation’s collaborative One Step Away program for incarcerated parents, which is now available in 565 facilities in 42 states. Realizing the value of media, Mina has led a strong media and social media campaign in partnership with influencers with a combined 100 million+ followers, and she has partnered with the largest syndicated television network in the country, Sinclair Broadcast Group. Celebrities like Priscilla Presley, Tim Tebow and the Wolf of Wallstreet, Jordan Belfort, have shared their stories and influence through Victoria’s Voice and groups that support its mission. With her strong belief in the power of collaboration, Mina has partnered with reputable organizations like the Las Vegas Raiders, Smiths, UFC, and the Boys & Girls Club. She has also worked with countless government leaders and agencies to support the distribution of opioid overdose reversal medications like naloxone, including the DEA, ONDCP, HIDTA, CADCA, governors, attorneys general, sheriffs, and police chiefs. Under her leadership, the foundation’s programs have generated the support of major corporations like Pepsi, US Foods, and Interval International, to name a few. Upholding the principles of David Siegel, who believes it will take a village to move the needle in the fight to end the drug epidemic, Mina envisioned and launched the Save Our Kids Forum, now in its fourth year. What started as a three-hour conference is now a one-day symposium that brings together 100 government, prevention, healthcare, and business leaders to address the mental health and drug addiction crisis in the country. After a series of panel and round table discussions, the event culminates in a commitment by each attendee to actively implement at least one of the solutions discussed within their area of influence—and to return the following year to share the results. Speakers have included the nation’s drug czars, ONDCP directors, attorney generals, bipartisan elected officials, highly reputable CEOs of organizations like the Boys & Girls Club, and top medical experts. In response to the catastrophic rise in overdose deaths from fentanyl—now the number one cause of death among Americans ages 18 to 45—Mina led the 2023 initiative to secure a bipartisan federal resolution declaring June 6, the day Victoria died, as National Naloxone Awareness Day. Extending this effort, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed Victoria’s Law in June 2024, directing the Departments of Health and Children and Family to implement naloxone and fentanyl awareness campaigns on the newly established Revive Awareness Day. Following these milestones, Mina and her team launched Get. Give. Save., a massive media campaign to spread awareness of lifesaving opioid overdose reversal medications like naloxone. As a result, Victoria’s Voice earned more than one billion impressions and the support of Niagara Falls and 75 monuments, bridges, and landmarks across America, which were illuminated purple on June 6, 2024, in recognition of National Naloxone Awareness Day. Alongside these efforts, Mina continues to lead her team in driving the distribution of Victoria’s Voice education and awareness programs in all 50 states through creative private and government partnerships. The innovative Beauty For Good program, for example, was created in partnership with the Mrs. America Pageant System and its passionate beauty queens, who genuinely want to save lives and serve their communities across the political and business spectrums. Mina has also begun forming a strong relationship with SHRM, the premier association of human resources professionals. This partnership aims to expand the distribution of the foundation’s VITAL SIGNS drug prevention program for parents to SHRM’s 300,000 employer members and their collective network of 100 million employees. Large employers like Westgate Resorts and LVMH co-owned Starboard Cruises have already started making the program available to their team members. Having built a world-class team that continues to deliver beyond its strategic plan year after year, Mina is focused on building stronger alliances and deep relationships with hundreds of family offices and individuals with significant networks and resources to effect change in every area of investment and opportunity, in a spirit of philanthropy and mutual support.

Manoj Bhargava is the founder and chief executive of Innovation Ventures, LLC. He is the creator of 5‐hour ENERGY® - the segment-leading and iconic 2-oz energy shot. He is a highly successful serial entrepreneur and philanthropist, committed to companies that are at the forefront of improving the lives of humanity worldwide. Those enterprises include his family office, MBX Group, which owns a self-clearing broker-dealer and companies that focus on water purification, healthcare, and The Obvious Factory, the invention shop that creates new solutions to old problems. The companies in the Bhargava portfolio carry a common theme – do something useful.

Mirabelle works with individuals and organizations offering powerful programs on neuroscience and breathing, resilience, and lifestyle changes to unlock clarity, vitality, and contentment as their fullest expression. She specializes in executive coaching, authentic communication, keynote speaking, and team-building retreats that support visionary leaders align their professional roles with their authentic selves and inner genius. Mirabelle’s clients include government organizations, accounting firms, law and real estate firms, and not-for-profits. Her approach draws from extensive work with yogic monks, āyurvedic doctors, trauma experts, and scientists—blending wellness and science with a Consciousness-centered foundation. A published author, wife, mother, and passionate advocate for human potential, Mirabelle is a wisdom keeper, excellence mentor, and joy catalyst, delighting in empowering organizations and individuals hungry for meaningful expansion. In the words of one of her clients, " Mirabelle blends practical science and expert knowledge with her secret sauce...an undefinable energy you can hear and feel."

Mr. Rafferty was born and raised in South Philadelphia. He received his BS in Finance from Temple University. Peter currently serves as a Director at the West Virginia Investment Management Board. In addition, advises a multi-family office located in Philadelphia. Previously, Peter spent 20 years at the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), where he served in numerous roles including, Portfolio Strategist, Senior Fund Manager and a member of the Global External Equites Investment Committee. Over the course of his tenure at ADIA he managed the Global, US, EMEA and Emerging Market external portfolios. Also, while residing in Abu Dhabi, Peter was an active officer of the American Chamber of Commerce-Abu Dhabi, an organization that worked with the US Embassy, the UAE government and American businesses looking to setup in the Middle East. Prior to moving to Abu Dhabi, Peter was an Investment Officer at the Philadelphia Board of Pensions & Retirement. He earned his CFA Charter in 2000.

Poonacha Machaiah, as the CEO of The Chopra Foundation, leads a mission-driven organization committed to enhancing health, societal, and environmental well-being. With a visionary approach, he co-founded groundbreaking enterprises like Cyberhuman.AI, a pioneering personal AI digital wellness companion, and Seva.Love, a transformative metaverse platform dedicated to well-being, in collaboration with esteemed mind-body medicine innovator and best-selling author Deepak Chopra, MD. His leadership extends to spearheading initiatives like NeverAlone®, aimed at addressing mental health and suicide prevention, and Peak Living, which celebrates the synergy of wisdom and vitality across generations. Poonacha brings a wealth of experience from esteemed roles at industry giants such as Nortel, Iridium, Motorola, and Sasken, where he contributed to shaping technological landscapes. Poonacha Machaiah's academic journey includes earning an MBA from the esteemed College of William and Mary, complemented by a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Engineering. His dedication to leveraging technology for holistic well-being, coupled with his strategic vision and commitment to social impact, underscores his invaluable contributions to The Chopra Foundation's mission.

Russell Deakin is the CIO and Founding Managing Partner of Aceana Group, a SFO focused on private investments. Mr. Deakin is an executive with 30 years’ experience in North America, Europe, Asia and South America with private equity/venture capital, real estate, and infrastructure/energy. Mr. Deakin has been a partner of a VC fund and a managing director of a private equity firm. Over the last few years, Mr. Deakin has been an active investor in general strategies, Climatetech, AI, Deep tech,Fintech, Blockchain, Crypto, Life science, Digital Health, Proptech. SpaceTech, EdTech & MedTech by investing in venture and private equity funds, direct investments, co-investments, and tokens. Also, Mr. Deakin was a CFO/partner for 11 years for a real estate developer in addition to being on boards of invested companies and interim CFO for other portfolio companies. Previously to Aceana Group, Mr. Deakin was a Managing Director of Rio Bravo Investimentos, a fund manager with AUM of USD 2.6 billion, that seeks to invest in equities, real estate investments, private equity and infrastructure funds. Before this, Mr. Deakin was a Partner at CRP Participações, Brazil’s oldest private equity/venture capital firm; and prior to that, for 11 years, he was a Partner and CFO for a Brazilian real estate developer. Mr. Deakin also has previous capital markets experience with Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch in London. A dual British and American citizen, Mr. Deakin is a frequent speaker at industry wide PE/VC and family office events. Mr. Deakin has a BA in economics and history from Tufts, where he was selected for an Honors exchange program with Oxford University. He also has an MBA in International Marketing and Finances from the Anderson Graduate School at UCLA.

Recognized as one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the nation, R. Donahue (Don) Peebles, Jr. is Chairman and CEO of The Peebles Corporation, one of the country’s most active privately held national real estate investment and development companies. Mr. Peebles strictly adheres to his company’s guiding principle of Affirmative Development™ to provide transformative economic inclusion for minority and woman owned businesses in the communities where the company does business. The Peebles Corporation (TPC), founded in Washington, DC in 1983, has a successful track record of investing in select markets, across multiple property types, and through several economic cycles. TPC has overseen the execution of over 10 million square feet of real estate development and has a pending development pipeline of approximately 4 million square feet and over $8 billion in key metropolitan cities including New York, San Francisco, Boston, Miami, Charlotte, Durham, Atlanta, and Washington, DC. Mr. Peebles is an industry leader in the acquisition and development of large-scale urban real estate development projects through Public-Private Partnerships. By integrating construction excellence, sustainable materials, historic preservation, and innovative design, each project is strategically selected to achieve transformative results for the company as well as revitalize communities. Mr. Peebles is a frequent guest commentator on CNBC, CNN, FOX News, and FOX Business Network, and is a highly sought-after speaker. He is the author of two top-selling books, The Peebles Principles and The Peebles Path to Real Estate Wealth, which provide rules and principles to succeed in real estate. As a proponent of mentoring underprivileged youth, Mr. Peebles believes strongly in exposing young adults to the value of entrepreneurship and emphasizing the accessibility of starting a career in the real estate profession. He is the former Chairman of the Board of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, served on President Barack Obama’s National Finance Committee, was the Chairman of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, and serves on the Board of Directors of the YMCA of Greater New York.

Growing up in a family deeply rooted in nonprofit leadership, Sean Coveleski developed an early appreciation for service and the crucial impact nonprofits have on communities. Today, Sean serves as Senior Vice President of Development at Stand Up To Cancer, where he brings a wealth of expertise in strategic fundraising and innovative, data-driven approaches to advance the organization's mission. With a career spanning various leadership roles in renowned nonprofits, Sean has made significant contributions to institutions such as the Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience and Shriners Hospitals for Children. His ability to leverage data for impactful decision-making has consistently resulted in meaningful progress and organizational growth. In addition to his extensive nonprofit experience, Sean’s legal background equips him with a unique perspective on compliance, governance, and risk management, which enhances his strategic approach to development and leadership. He holds a BA in Communications and Leadership Studies from West Virginia University and a JD from Western Michigan University Cooley Law School. His background and commitment to service make him a thought leader in nonprofit development and strategy, driving results that make a lasting impact.

Steve McIntosh is the CEO of Cayman Finance, the industry association for financial services in the Cayman Islands, as well as a recovering accountant, entrepreneur and author. Originally from Scotland, Steve began his career with KPMG in the UK before moving to the Cayman Islands in 2001. In 2004, he founded CML, a financial services recruitment firm. He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, holds a BA from the University of Strathclyde and an MBA from the University of Oxford.

Sue Nickason is a VP with Dart Family Office. Additionally, she serves as a director of the Cayman Islands Family Office Association, the Cayman Alternative Investment Summit for Family Offices and Cayman Finance. She is a member of Private Client Global Elite and is an Accredited Director with the Chartered Governance Institute. Originally from Canada, Sue holds a BA from Mount Allison University and a MBA from the University of Guelph. Prior to working in the family office sector, Sue's career focused on attracting inward investment to communities and working with HNWI's to develop resort-residential projects.

Sparrow Mahoney is a serial entrepreneur, angel investor, and award-winning motivational speaker with over two decades of experience building, scaling, and successfully exiting companies. Specializing in tech innovation, health and wellness ventures, and enterprise blockchain strategies, Sparrow has achieved four successful exits across diverse industries, including Fastbite.com, MedicalTourism.com, and RunWhere - sold to Ironman. As Founder and Executive Director of the Alaska Blockchain Association, Sparrow is deeply involved in frontier energy partnerships, large-scale bitcoin mining, and un-stranding energy assets. She brings unparalleled expertise in capital acquisition, strategy design, and super-capital specialization through her role as Managing Partner at STaX Capital Partners. Never one to sit still, Sparrow is also an active Founding Partner of Unit18, which focuses on dual-use military technology, and her consulting work includes advising Coinchange and multiple venture capital funds across the US and Europe.

Keith Black currently serves as the Managing Director of Education for RIA Channel. He previously served at the CAIA Association, where he was a co-author of the second, third, and fourth editions of the level I and II CAIA curriculum on alternative investments. In prior roles, Dr. Black served as a hedge fund manager research consultant to large pension funds, traded equity and commodity derivatives, and built quantitative stock selection models. Dr. Black has served on the faculty of the Illinois Institute of Technology. He currently teaches courses on investment consulting and cryptocurrencies at the University of Massachusetts. Dr. Black has published sixteen refereed journal articles and contributed to eight books. His most recent book, “Investing in Cryptocurrencies and Digital Assets,” was published in 2023. Dr. Black earned a BA from Whittier College, an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University, and a PhD from the Illinois Institute of Technology. He has earned the CFA, CAIA, FDP, and CDAA designations.

Steven began his real estate career in 1986, when he Co-founded JMS Development & Management Co. in Chicago, Illinois. With over 60 years of combined experience, the JMS team developed and acquired over 20 projects throughout Chicago and South Florida. The core strategy employed at JMS focuses on the acquisition of assets in strong locations that have a long‐term outlook. JMS adds value through construction, repositioning, and an intense focus on management. Steven continues to own his stake in JMS. Steven had an extensive career as a trader and investment fund manager. Steven began his financial career with the Chicago Board of Trade. He developed proprietary models which he used to trade successfully in the yield curve instruments before expanding into the IMM. Steven has also been a member of the Chicago Board of Trade, the Chicago Mercantile Exchanges, and the Mid‐American Exchange, where he sat on several member committees. In 2000, Steven joined forces with the head macro analyst at Soros Quantum Fund to form Macro Fund, a global macro fund. In 2001, he sold his interest in Macro to concentrate on his real‐estate investments. Steven has been an Adjunct Professor at Florida Atlantic University and regularly lectures to graduate level students at both Florida Atlantic University and University of Miami. Banyan Group & Banyan Family Office is a privately held, multifaceted, real estate investment and development company headquartered in Delray Beach, Florida. The firm focuses on development and project financing. Its mission is to create & invest inl commercial properties that exceed expectations and add value to communities. We pride ourselves on our attention to detail, creativity, and commitment to excellence. Our expertise spans a wide range of commercial real estate projects as well as multi‐ family projects, including office buildings, retail centers, industrial parks, and mixed‐use developments.

Thomas Brigandi, CFA is a Managing Director at RisCura USA, a division of RisCura, the largest emerging & frontier market-domiciled investment consultancy by assets under advisement (AUA), with roughly US$200 billion. RisCura also manages / administers roughly $10 billion in assets and Brigandi serves on RisCura's Global Fixed Income Manager Due Dilligence Working Group. Prior to joining RisCura, Brigandi served as a Vice President in the Global Investor Management Team at Moody’s Investors Service (MIS), where he was responsible for building and maintaining senior level institutional investor relationships. Prior to serving in the Global Investor Management Team, Brigandi served for nearly a decade in the Global Project and Infrastructure Finance Group at MIS, where he was a Lead Analyst responsible for a portfolio of 34 power, toll-road, airport, port, water, wastewater, natural gas pipeline and project finance credits that collectively had over $15 billion of debt outstanding. While a Lead Analyst, Brigandi served on Moody’s public pension steering committee, ESG Americas working group and veteran recruiting sub-committee. Prior to Moody’s, Brigandi worked at the ~$250bn NYC Pension Fund, where he focused on energy and natural resources and reported directly to the chief investment officer. Brigandi is Chair of the Board of Directors of CFA Society New York (CFANY), one of the largest CFA Institute Societies. Brigandi, the CFA Institute Inaugural Global Outstanding Young Leader & 2021 Americas Volunteer of the Year, has organized over 90 in-person CFA Society conferences globally that were attended by over 17,000 investment professionals, in addition to over 50 virtual conferences that reached many thousands of participants. These events featured over 400 senior asset owner and investment consultant speakers who represent organizations that collectively oversee or advise on more than $75 trillion in fiduciary assets. Brigandi, the founder of CFANY’s Asset Owner Series, Global Policymakers Series, Emerging and Frontier Market Series and Putting Beneficiaries First Series, leads a team of several hundred investment professional volunteers globally. Brigandi maintains over 16,000 connections on LinkedIn and holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance, Accounting and Economics from the Macaulay Honors College (MHC) at the City University of New York. Brigandi received the college’s inaugural Alumni Pioneer Award and serves on the MHC Foundation Board of Directors as Treasurer. Brigandi serves as a Board Member of The Ocean Foundation, an Advisory Board Member of the Singapore Economic Forum, a Bretton Woods Committee Member and a Fellow of the Foreign Policy Association.