Margaret Bacheler
Basic Forms of Early-Stage Capital
Monday August 14 2:15 - 4:15 PM
Director of Educational Initiatives
Angel Capital Association
Dr. Margaret Bacheler is Director of Educational Initiatives for the Angel Capital Association. In this role, she oversees angel investor education programs including the Ann and Bill Payne ACA Angel University curriculum. Dr. Bacheler is passionate about inclusive economic development, creative placemaking, and diversifying the ranks of the angel investor community and the founders they support. She holds an Ed.d in Educational Leadership from Widener University, an MBA from Saint Joseph’s University, and a BA in World Politics from Hamilton College. She is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. Currently, she is an active angel investor supporting start-ups who are developing innovative approaches for active aging and longevity.
Angela Blatt
Welcome & Overview
Monday August 14 12:00 - 12:15 PM
Director, Research & Technical Assistance
Council of Development Finance Agencies
As Director of Research & Technical Assistance with the Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA), Angela focuses on the W.K. Kellogg Foundation-funded initiative “Defining the Food System Asset Class,” whereby CDFA explores opportunities for the advancement of local and regional food systems using development finance tools. Through this initiative, Angela collaborates with communities across the country providing technical assistance and producing strategic plans for development finance strategies that meet infrastructure, agriculture, and small business needs to support equitable, local food economies. Angela leads CDFA’s Food Systems Finance Advisory Council, joining both the food and finance industries, administers CDFA’s Food Systems Finance Webinar Series, connecting food-related businesses and projects with development finance agencies, and manages the Food and Agriculture Finance Update monthly newsletter. In 2021, she gained certification as a Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) through the CDFA Training Institute.
A Navy Veteran, Angela holds two degrees from The Ohio State University: a Master of Public Administration with a focus on Food Policy from the John Glenn College of Public Affairs, and a Bachelor of Science from the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
David Brooks
Accessing Private Early-Stage Capital
Monday August 14 4:15 - 5:00 PM
CEO
Cirrus Secure
With 25 years of financial services experience, David has held various community banking and corporate finance positions in the U.S. and abroad with organizations including BB&T (now Truist), Deloitte, Citigroup, Merrill Lynch, and Volvo Finance. In addition to executing billions of dollars in debt transactions, David has advised on M&A for corporate and private equity sponsors. David graduated from Wake Forest University with a dual BS in Business and German, and he holds an MBA from Oxford University. A member of the CFA Society of Colorado, David has served on the boards of numerous nonprofit organizations, including leadership positions with the Manatee County Economic Development Corporation, Rotary Club of Nashville, and Red Rocks Credit Union, where he also served as Interim CEO. David is a lifelong lover of lacrosse, skiing, snowboarding, hiking, photography, and music. He resides in Evergreen with his lovely wife Jenny, three wonderful children, and one boundlessly enthusastic wirehaired pointing Griffon named Charlie.
Chris Chang
Building Successful Early-Stage Capital Environments
Tuesday August 15 2:30 - 4:00 PM
Senior Manager of Portfolio Company Growth
Elemental Excelerator
Chris Chang leads Elemental Excelerator’s portfolio experience, where he is responsible Elemental’s early-stage accelerator program—the Strategy Track—as well as resourcing, programming, and investment strategy for the broader portfolio. His focus is to increase meaningful portfolio engagement by working cross-functionally with all Elemental teams, maximizing access to network and growth opportunities as the portfolio scales.
Prior to Elemental, Chris developed startup communities, accelerator programming, and pilot products with global accelerator company, Techstars. His work supported accelerator expansion to Australia and managing pilot initiatives with large corporate partners, including Target Corporation, Metro AG, and the US Department of Defense.
Chris holds a BS In Business Administration and a master’s degree in Entrepreneurship and Management from the University of San Francisco. Outside of the office, you can find Chris in the ocean or training for competition (whatever the sport may be!). He also enjoys experimenting in the kitchen and daydreaming of far-off surfing destinations.
Bryce Fluellen
Fostering Early-Stage Capital Throughout Your Community
Tuesday August 15 4:00 - 5:00 PM
Executive Consultant, Social Equity Franchise & Philanthropy
Bryce Fluellen is a food & health equity subject matter expert, author and chef who uses his extensive background in food and underserved communities as a platform to create sustainable social change. He currently serves as the President & Co-Founder of Arthur Lee Consulting & Advisory, a social-impact enterprise that collaborates with food entrepreneurs and organizations of color to increase their social equity, impact and access to flexible, catalytic capital. He is the former Executive Director of Everytable's Social Equity Franchise program where he implemented and led a transformative franchise model that invests directly into marginalized entrepreneurs of color by providing the opportunity to open Everytable stores with zero upfront capital or net worth.
Fluellen has fought for food justice and social equity for more than 20 years developing and implementing strategic programs at starbucks, magic johnson enterprises, and the american heart association to drive systemic change to benefit underserved populations and communities. As community impact director at the Los Angeles chapter of the American Heart Association, he was instrumental in developing and executing a multi-year, million-dollar regional campaign with the national football league foundation to transform and improve youth physical activity, building a collective impact blueprint for the league to scale across 30 team markets.
Bryce also aligned with the American Heart Association’s national office to develop national health equity programs, cultivating volunteers, donors and corporations for both national and local initiatives. fluellen created a groundbreaking sustainable basic cooking skills and nutrition curriculum for more than 9,000 children within the los angeles, long beach, and santa ana school districts, and facilitated hundreds of workshops to educate parents, school administrators, corporate and community leaders about the positive impact of healthy eating on disease prevention.
A classically trained chef, he operated a los angeles full- service catering company, YAMS catering, where he created partnerships with health-focused organizations to educate black and brown communities about healthy eating.
In 2022 Fluellen was named one of the 50 most influential restaurant leaders by the NRN( National Restaurant News) power list and has been a featured subject matter expert at the Culinary institute of America and Harvard University’s TH. Chan Public School of Health Menus of Change Summit, Fast Casual magazine's franchise innovation conference, & W.K. Kellogg Foundations radical social enterprise convening. He also serves on the executive committee of the Los Angeles Food Policy Council.in 2016, he published his first book that artfully connects healthy recipes with captivating family stories titled Food a Vehicle for Healing: (The fruitful journey) pt. 1.
Sonya Guram
Publicly-Sponsored Early-Stage Capital
Tuesday August 15 12:15 - 2:15 PM
Deputy Director
Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade
Sonya has been with OEDIT since 2006; during her tenure at OEDIT, she has helped to implement, manage, evaluate, and improve a variety of programs that support a healthy Colorado economy. She currently manages programs providing debt and equity financing and tax credits that incentivize and reward business investment. Sonya enjoys collaborating with others to bring opportunity to entrepreneurs and communities - program success relies on strong partnerships with economic development professionals across the state, professional venture capital fund managers, non-profit lenders, and organizations providing business support as well as coordination and alignment with other state agencies.
Sonya is excited to expand capital access opportunities for Colorado entrepreneurs with State Small Business Credit Initiative funds being deployed through a cash collateral support program, loan fund, and venture capital fund-of-funds program where aligned fund managers are making seed investments in innovative companies throughout the state.
Sonya has worked in a number of industries in the private sector and transitioned to public service in 2002. She earned her Bachelor's in Business Administration at Baylor University and her MBA at Texas Tech. She's been a Colorado resident for more than 2 decades and is grateful to live in an amazing state and to be in a position focused on expanding economic opportunity for all Coloradoans.
Ryan Helon
Basic Forms of Early-Stage Capital
Monday August 14 2:15 - 4:15 PM
Executive Vice President, Investment Funds
Rev1 Ventures
Ryan Helon serves as Executive Vice President – Investments at Rev1 Ventures, where he manages Rev1’s pre-seed, seed, and early-stage investment funds. He has served as part of CEO Tom Walker’s leadership team at Rev1 Ventures since 2012. Ryan works closely with Rev1 portfolio companies and serves on the Boards of Directors of Basking Biosciences, Healthy Roster, Clarivoy, and TicketFire, and as a Board observer covering several additional portfolio companies. Ryan and his team’s efforts at Rev1 include deal sourcing, due diligence, company valuation, investment structuring, portfolio company and fund management, and investor reporting and relationship management. Rev1 has $130 million of capital under management, has invested in 135 unique companies since 2013, and has 77 active portfolio companies across its active funds and balance sheet investments. Rev1 is among the most active seed-stage investors in the Great Lakes region. Ryan began his career at Nationwide Insurance where he held roles in corporate development and private equity. Ryan received his undergraduate degree in Finance and Economics and an MBA with concentrations in Finance and Strategy from The Ohio State University.
Peter Herz
What is Early-Stage Capital?
Monday August 14 12:15 - 2:00 PM
General Partner
1st Course Capital
Peter Herz is general partner of early stage venture capital firm, 1st Course Capital (https://1CC.vc). 1CC invests in entrepreneurs developing innovations that will improve the environmental, human and social health of the food system, while delivering above market returns. Previously, Peter was co-founder of Food System 6 Accelerator and a serial entrepreneur and executive in a range of companies over a thirty-year career.
Ollie Howie
Fostering Early-Stage Capital Throughout Your Community
Tuesday August 15 4:00 - 5:00 PM
Managing Director
New Community Transformation Fund
Ollie Howie is a Harvard University graduate with a degree in economics, Howie comes to Grand Rapids from global investment manager SoftBank Group. Since September 2020, he’s been based in Atlanta with SoftBank’s SB Opportunity Fund, which has committed $100 million to backing Black, Latinx and Native American business founders. As the first Black fund manager in the State of Michigan, Ollie is a model-breaker. While Ollie is a first-time manager, he has strong venture experience. Ollie was the Chief Financial Officer for Afriex, Inc. where he helped grow the company valuation from $2M to $250M with investors who include Sequoia China and Y Combinator. He was the first early-stage investor for the SB Opportunity Fund venture fund investment team and helped invest over $40 million in companies led by diverse founders nationwide. He also spent time on the investment team at Greenspring Associates (acq. Stepstone Group), a $10 billion venture firm at the time. He graduated from Harvard with a bachelor’s degree in economics. Ollie’s extensive economic and business acumen have garnered him numerous awards and recognition, including 200 most powerful in Grand Rapids 2022, Grand Rapids Business Journal 40 under 40, and HBUVC 31 under 31 Venture Capital. Ollie has participated in over 40 venture investments prior to arriving at NCTF and has a well-established network of professions to create syndicates, share deal vetting, and source deals internationally
Keith Jones
Basic Forms of Early-Stage Capital
Monday August 14 2:15 - 4:15 PM
Director
Stonehenge Capital Company
Keith Jones works with several Stonehenge funds that target small businesses in underserved markets. Keith spends most of his time on Stonehenge’s $50 million funds targeted towards small businesses based in rural Ohio that need flexible debt capital. Keith also is part of the team deploying a $225 million debt fund supporting small businesses nationally. Stonehenge is a nationally-recognized specialty finance company that has invested over $1.7 billion in small businesses since 1999. Keith also works with the Stonehenge New Markets Tax Credits platform, where Stonehenge is one of the leading national firms in receiving allocation since the inception of the program. Prior to joining Stonehenge, Keith worked for Lancaster Pollard, an investment bank focused on health care and senior living organizations, where he performed financial analysis, credit/risk analysis, and valuation across a range of investment and mortgage banking products for clients nationwide. Keith has a BA from Case Western Reserve University and an MBA from Ohio State University.
Hannah Lange
Publicly-Sponsored Early-Stage Capital
Tuesday August 15 12:15 - 2:15 PM
Venture Financing Manager
ND Development Fund
Hannah joined the North Dakota Department of Commerce in March 2020 serving as Credit and Venture Analyst for the North Dakota Development Fund (NDDF). After one year in this role, Hannah was promoted to Venture Financing Manager where she is responsible for handling all new business for the NDDF. Hannah works with companies and private lenders and investors to structure funding packages for businesses. She performs the due diligence and provides support to companies from application to board presentation.
Prior to joining Commerce, Hannah founded Pathway Ventures, a student-run venture capital fund focused on investing in companies in the Midwest. She served as Head of Business Development and helped raise $100,000 for the fund.
In 2018, Hannah co-founded Women in Business, an organization with a mission to create of community of women who support each other in their careers. She grew this organization to over 120 members in two years and it continues to impact the lives of women today.
Hannah graduated Summa Cum Laude from North Dakota State University with B.S. degrees in both Finance and Economics. Hannah grew up in Paynesville, MN and currently resides in Fargo. In her free time, Hannah can be found reading at a coffee shop, traveling, or enjoying live music.
Sarah Day Levesque
What is Early-Stage Capital?
Monday August 14 12:15 - 2:00 PM
Managing Director
Regenerative Food Systems Investment
Michael Obi
What is Early-Stage Capital?
Monday August 14 12:15 - 2:00 PM
Chief Executive Officer
UBIZ Venture Capital
Tim Rollender
Publicly-Sponsored Early-Stage Capital
Tuesday August 15 12:15 - 2:15 PM
Director - Venture Programs
New Jersey Economic Development Authority
Timothy Rollender is the Director of Venture Programs within the EDA’s Office of Economic Transformation, where he is responsible for shaping and leading the Authority’s policy, advocacy and program administration efforts related to all capital investment programs to support the innovation economy – including venture capital and angel investing.
Tim joined the EDA after working as a Senior Analyst for asset management firm Hirtle, Callaghan & Co., where he led due diligence on alternative investment opportunities. He also worked as an Investment Analyst for the New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Investment, and has extensive experience in private and public equity investing.
Tim earned an MBA from Temple University’s Fox School of Business and a BA in Economics and Philosophy from Drew University in Madison, NJ.
Selena Skorman
Building Successful Early-Stage Capital Environments
Tuesday August 15 2:30 - 4:00 PM
Director of Entrepreneurship Policy and Partnerships
gener8tor
Selena holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics at Sarah Lawrence College in New York. After graduating, she worked as a research assistant at the Urban Institute, where she evaluated nonprofits and conducted educational policy research. She then moved, she moved to Oklahoma City to take a position at Arts Council OKC as the Director of Development. After that, Selena spent three years as Executive Director of the Plaza District Association and the Plaza Business Alliance.
In August of 2021, she helped launch gBETA Oklahoma City, a gener8tor product that is an accelerator for early stage startups based in Oklahoma. Recently, Selena began as Director of Entrepreneurship Policy and Partnerships for gener8tor, where she works with local governments and national foundations to secure impactful programming for entrepreneurs throughout the country.
Selena also is a proud board member of Sunny Dayz and a graduate of LOYAL Class XII.