Earning Your Trust Every Day

Lara Banks, a Managing Director, is Head of Makena’s Private Equity team, responsible for day-to-day portfolio management and manager selection across private equity investments. Prior to joining Makena in 2012, Lara was an associate at GE Energy Financial Services, a financial division investing across the capital structure of energy assets. Before working at GE, Lara was a power markets analyst at DC Energy, a proprietary energy trading firm. Lara earned an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and a B.A. in Economics and Government, magna cum laude, from Cornell University.

Kayley is a Compliance Officer with Makena’s Legal and Compliance Team. Prior to joining Makena, she was an associate at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, where she specialized in investments funds regulatory work. Kayley earned a B.A. in Legal Studies from the University of California, Berkeley and a M.B.A. And J.D. from the University of California, Irvine.

Noah is an Associate of Makena’s Client Strategy team. In this capacity, he is responsible for the development and maintenance of relationships with endowments, foundations, family offices and ultra-high net worth investors, and global institutions. Prior to joining Makena in 2024, he worked at BlackRock as an Associate on the Family Office team within their America’s Institutional Business division. There he advised families on their fixed income and alternatives investments serving as an extension of their investment teams. Noah began his career as a paralegal at Berry Appleman & Leiden where he focused on corporate immigration and mobility for several Fortune 500 tech companies. Noah earned a bachelor’s degree in International Relations & Spanish from Tufts University.

Casey Borovsky is a Senior Associate on the Real Assets team. In this capacity, Casey conducts investment diligence on managers and new investments. Casey also serves as Chief of Staff to the CIO, assisting in coordination across asset classes. Casey holds a B.S. with Distinction in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University.

David Busch is a Senior Manager on Makena’s Performance Reporting Group and is responsible for portfolio reporting, data integrity, and trade operations. He also helps support risk management functions and portfolio strategy. Prior to joining Makena, David was a Vice President of Operations at Point72 Asset Management where he was responsible for portfolio financing, valuation, and performance reporting. David earned a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of New Hampshire.

Jennifer Casey is an Associate in Makena’s Client Strategy Group and is responsible for supporting investor relationships across E&F’s, family offices, and global institutions. Prior to joining Makena, Jennifer oversaw the client service experience for ultra-high net worth and institutional clients at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management in Boston. Jennifer graduated from the University of Virginia with a B.A. in Media Studies.

Jonathan Chan, a Managing Director, oversees all financial operations of Makena vehicles. Prior to joining Makena, Jonathan was the Controller at Parador Asset Management, a long/short Canadian hedge fund. Before joining Parador, Jonathan was the Finance Manager at Pantera Capital Management, a global macro hedge fund. Jonathan received a B.S. in Mathematics and a B.A. in Economics from the University of California, Irvine.

Lisa Chen is a Director at Makena, working on various functions within Makena’s management company. Prior to joining Makena in 2008, Lisa was a Fund Controller at JPMorgan Chase. Lisa earned a B.A. in Accounting from Eastern Washington University and is a CPA in California (inactive).

Courtney is Managing Director and Associate General Counsel. Prior to joining Makena, she most recently was a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, where she specialized in the formation and operation of private funds. Courtney earned a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley and a J.D. from New York University School of Law.

Cristin Chinn is a Managing Director and Head of Human Capital at Makena, where she leads all people-oriented strategies and programs. She also chairs the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. Prior to Makena, Cristin spent 14 years at McKinsey & Company in multiple roles: Management Consultant, Chief of Staff to the CEO, and most recently, Professional Development Associate Director. Cristin holds an A.B. magna cum laude from Harvard College in Economics, and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, where she graduated with Distinction.

Fiona is a Controller on Makena’s Financial Operations Team. Prior to joining Makena in 2022, Fiona was a VP Controller at Litman Gregory Wealth Management. Before that, Fiona was a Fund Controller at SteelWave and Stockbridge Capital Group. Fiona began her career as an Auditor and ultimately an Audit Manager at Ernst & Young. Fiona is a Certified Public Accountant and a graduate of San Francisco State University, where she earned a B.S. in Business Administration with a double major in accounting and finance, and later earned a Master of Business Administration.

Maddie Clarfield is a Director at Makena. Maddie is responsible for supporting portfolio management and manager selection across Hedge Funds. Maddie received a B.A. in Business Administration with an emphasis in Finance at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, where she graduated with High Honors.

Nicole is a Client Operations Analyst on the Client Operations team within Makena’s Client Strategy Group. Prior to joining Makena, Nicole worked at Bay Hills Capital, where she served as an Operations Administrator supporting client service and firm operations. Nicole graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology along with a professional certificate in Technology Management & Marketing.

Katie Connor is a Client Operations Manager on the Client Operations team within Makena’s Client Strategy Group. Katie joined Makena in 2011 and supports investor communication, reporting, and events, and leads Makena’s client data systems. Katie holds a B.A. in Advertising and Public Relations from Loyola University of Chicago.

Logan Crespan is a Senior Analyst in Makena’s Performance Reporting Group, working across multiple Makena funds with a focus on private equity. Prior to joining Makena in 2021, Logan was an auditor at Frank, Rimerman + Co. LLP, an accounting firm, where he specialized in venture capital audits. Logan earned a B.A. in Economics and Accounting from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Rossella Curci, a Managing Director, leads the team responsible for Investor Relations and Client Operations at Makena. Previously, Rossella was part of the Investor and Fund Management team at CCMP Capital Advisors in New York City. Prior to CCMP, she was a Vice President at JPMorgan Partners, where her responsibilities included fund management and portfolio valuation. Rossella began her career at KPMG where she was a manager in both the valuation services and assurance practices. Rossella holds a B.S. degree in Business Administration from the Walter A. Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, and is a CPA.

Alison Davis is a Managing Director in Makena’s Client Strategy Group, working closely with both domestic and international clients across different segments, including family offices, Endowments and Foundations (E&F), and sovereign wealth funds, on their investment portfolios. Prior to joining Makena in 2016, Alison worked at NEPC in Boston as an investment analyst in the E&F practice. Alison earned a B.A. in Political Economy from Williams College.

Joe Dekker is a Managing Director and the Head of Makena’s Portfolio Strategy team. He is responsible for the manager selection and portfolio management of hedge funds, fixed Income, cash, and defensive hedging strategies. Additionally, Joe spearheads Makena’s Risk Management and Portfolio Solutions functions, Chairs the Risk Management Committee, and is a member of the Investment Committee. Prior to joining Makena at its inception, Joe was an associate at the Stanford Management Company, where he drove asset allocation and risk analytics in support of the Stanford University endowment.

Joe holds a B.S. degree in Finance from the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, where he graduated with honors, and an M.B.A. from the Wharton School. He is also a CFA Charterholder.

Nikita Douglass is an Associate in Makena’s Client Strategy Group and is responsible for supporting investor relationships across E&F’s, family offices, and global institutions. Prior to joining Makena, Nikita was an Associate at Goldman Sachs, where he helped to manage over $18 billion in assets and supported ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, and institutions with investment strategies, liquidity management, and portfolio construction across multiple asset classes. Prior to Goldman Sachs, Nikita worked at First Republic Investment Management and Baker Boyer Bank, gaining extensive experience in wealth management and investment advisory. He holds a B.S. in Finance from the University of Oregon.

Emily Dyer is an Executive Assistant at Makena, supporting the Client and Portfolio Strategy teams. Prior to joining Makena, Emily worked at Peterson Partners in Salt Lake City, UT, where she served as an Administrative Assistant with the Ventures and Private Equity teams, in addition to coordinating largely attended LP conferences. Emily holds a degree in Business and Communications from LDS Business College (Ensign College).

Louanne Feng is a Senior Accountant in Makena’s management company. Prior to joining Makena in 2023, Louanne was a senior tax consultant at Deloitte & Touche LLP. Louanne earned a B.S. in Accounting from University of Oregon and is a CPA licensed in California.

Anne Marie is a Managing Director and Head of Public Equity for Makena Capital. She joined Makena in July 2023 from the University of Cambridge Investment Management Limited, where she had been a Managing Director overseeing public equity, hedge fund, and credit investments. Previously, she was with GIC, a sovereign wealth fund, where she spent 12 years as a Public Equity Portfolio Manager, managing European and Global pools of capital, and Morgan Stanley, where she worked for seven years as a Portfolio Manager and an Equity Research Analyst. She also spent seven years with Deloitte & Touche in the US and UK.

She earned her MBA from London Business School and her Bachelor of Arts degree (with Honors and Distinction) from the University of California at Berkeley.

Outside of work, Anne Marie is the Co-Chair/Co-Founder of the charity Girls Are Investors (GAIN), which encourages young women to consider investment management as a career.

Jackson Garton is the Chief Investment Officer at Makena Capital Management. He has held several key positions at Makena, including Co-CIO, Deputy CIO, and Head of Marketable Investments. Jackson began his career at Makena in 2006 as an Analyst and later as an Associate supporting asset allocation. Jackson holds a B.S. in Mathematical and Computational Science from Stanford University and an M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he was an Arjay Miller Scholar and received the Alexander A. Robichek Student Achievement Award in Finance. He is also a CFA Charterholder. In addition to his role at Makena, Jackson is a member of the Stanford Graduate School of Business Trust, managing a portion of the GSB endowment. He also serves on the advisory boards of several investment managers.

Breanna (Bre) Stein Genecov is a Director at Makena focusing on risk management and portfolio strategy, supporting the design, implementation, and management of multi-asset class portfolios across Makena’s vehicles. Bre also plays a leading role with the firm’s select Outsourced CIO (OCIO) clients, applying tools from Makena’s portfolio and risk management functions to meet the custom needs of these portfolios. Previously, Bre worked on the Natural Resources team, where she was responsible for supporting portfolio management and manager selection for Makena’s Traditional and Sustainable Natural Resources portfolios.

Bre rejoined Makena after earning her M.B.A. at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Prior to her M.B.A., Bre was an associate on Makena’s Listed Equity team, while supporting the CIO, various asset class teams, and the team overseeing asset allocation. Bre received a B.A. in Economics with a minor in Finance from Vanderbilt University, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa, and with Honors in the College of Arts & Sciences.

Kia Ghorashi is a Managing Director and Partner of Makena Capital. A member of the Firm’s Investment Committee, Kia plays a leading role sourcing emerging manager investments given his experience working across the public equity, hedge fund and venture capital asset classes. Given his broad investment background and responsibilities, Kia spends considerable time with Makena’s clients providing insights on both asset allocation decisions and investment manager selection. Prior to joining Makena in 2015, Kia was an Associate at RiceHadleyGatesManuel, a consulting firm founded by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. He has an MBA and MA in International Relations from Stanford University, and graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in Foreign Affairs.

Arí Gibson is an Investment Analyst on the Private Equity team, responsible for conducting diligence on new investments and manager selection across the Venture Capital, Growth Equity, and Buyout asset classes. Arí earned a B.A. in International Relations with Honors and a minor in Economics from Stanford University.

Will Goffe is an Associate on the Private Equity team, responsible for conducting diligence on new investments and managers across the Venture Capital, Growth Equity, and Buyout asset classes. Will graduated from the University of Washington with a B.A. in Finance and Information Systems

Jonathan Van Gorp, a Managing Director, is responsible for leading portfolio management and partner selection across Makena’s Real Assets investments. In addition to his duties overseeing real assets investments, Jonathan co-leads the firms sustainability efforts as they relate to investment diligence and oversight. Prior to joining Makena, Jonathan was a Vice President at Paxion Capital, a Bay Area family office, where he oversaw the buildout of the real assets portfolio. Previously, Jonathan was a Director at the Stanford Management Company, overseeing domestic and international real asset investments. Jonathan began his career at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in the Real Estate Investment Banking Group. Jonathan received a B.B.A. in Finance from the University of Georgia.

Calvin Grimes is an Associate on Makena’s Portfolio Strategy Team, responsible for risk management of multi-asset class portfolios across Makena’s vehicles and hedge fund manager selection. Prior to joining Makena in 2025, he worked at Jordan Park as a Senior Associate on the Investment Strategy team helping oversee $20B in taxable and non-taxable portfolios comprised of public and private assets. He also spent time as a private equity allocator and as a member of the client advisory team. Calvin graduated from the University of Utah with a B.S. in Finance and is a CFA charterholder.

Peter Harris is a Managing Director on Makena’s Private Equity team, responsible for portfolio management, manager selection and direct investments. Previously, Peter spent 8 years at Jasper Ridge Partners where he was on the Private Equity team, leading single asset investments including directs, co-investments, fundless sponsors and continuation vehicles. Prior to Jasper Ridge Partners, Peter worked for a middle-market private equity firm after starting his career in investment banking and strategy consulting. Peter earned an MBA from INSEAD and an B.A. from Dartmouth College.

Nhi Hoang is a Controller at Makena, responsible for accounting and operational functions for Makena’s management company. Prior to joining Makena in 2022, Nhi was an Accounting Manager at Strada Investment Group. Nhi earned a B.A. in Economics from the University of California, Davis, and is a CPA licensed in California.

Cuan Soo Hoo is an Associate in Makena’s Performance Reporting Group. Prior to joining Makena in 2018, Cuan was a Senior Associate at EisnerAmper, where he worked primarily on audits of investment fund clients. Cuan earned a B.A. in Economics & Accounting from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Michelle Hung is a Finance Manager on Makena’s Financial Operations team. She is responsible for portfolio reporting, data integrity, and middle office. Prior to joining Makena in 2014, Michelle was a Supervisor at Citco Fund Services where she was responsible for middle office operations. Michelle holds a B.A. in Political Economy from the University of California, Berkeley.

Christopher Kan is a Director within Makena’s Financial Operations team. Chris oversees the daily accounting and financial operations across the firm’s funds and manages the relationships with key vendors. Prior to joining Makena in 2014, Chris was a Senior Account Manager at CITCO Fund Services, a fund administrator in San Francisco, where he oversaw the reconciliation and accounting functions for an alternative credit and energy-focused client. Chris earned a B.A. in Biological Sciences from the University of California, Davis.

Kunal Koppula is a Senior Manager who serves as Data Engineer at Makena. He is responsible for all data-related workflows including constructing ETL workflows and partnering with teams across Makena to better utilize their data capabilities. Prior to Makena, he worked at Parallax Volatility Advisers as a Quantitative Developer – building signal generation tools and back-testing pipelines. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Washington University in St. Louis where he studied Computer Science and Finance.

Daniel Landers, a Director on Makena’s Client Strategy Group, is responsible for advising institutional and wealth management investors on the integration of alternative investments into portfolios. Before joining Makena, Daniel was the Co-Head of Investor Relations at Horsley Bridge Partners, an early-stage venture fund of funds. Prior to Horsley Bridge, Daniel helped start the family office business at Cohen & Steers. Daniel started his career at BlackRock, spending the better part of a decade there working with family offices, endowments and foundations. He earned a BA in Economics and International Relations from Tufts University.

Derek Lapcevic is the Managing Director of Performance Reporting at Makena, where he leads the team responsible for portfolio reporting, data integrity and trade operations. Prior to joining Makena, Derek was an Operations Manager at CITCO Fund Services, where he was responsible for the portfolio valuation, profit and loss reporting and middle office operations of CITCO San Francisco’s hedge fund clients. Derek earned a B.S. from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. He is a CFA Charterholder.

Jessica Lateur is a Client Operations Senior Analyst on the Client Operations team with Makena’s Client Strategy Group. Prior to joining Makena, Jessica was a Client Service Associate at First Republic Investment Management, working with high-net-worth individuals. Jessica holds a B.S. in Mathematical Analytics and Operations Research from the University of California, Davis.

Daniel Leblond is a Director of Fund Operations in Makena’s Financial Operations team. Dan’s responsibilities include operational oversight of a number of Makena’s funds and their service providers. Prior to joining Makena in 2017, Dan was a partner at Vastardis/Conifer, which had provided fund administration services to Makena since Makena’s inception. Dan has spent the majority of his more-than-20-year career focusing on financial operations for asset allocators including funds of funds, endowments & foundations, and family offices. Dan earned a B.A. in Economics from the State University of New York at Geneseo and a M.S. in Finance from the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Carson Levit is an Investment Analyst on the Portfolio Strategy Team, responsible for hedge fund manager selection, risk management of multi-asset class portfolios across Makena’s vehicles, and portfolio solutions. He holds a B.A. in Sociology with a minor in Economics and an M.S. in Management Science & Engineering from Stanford University.

Justine Liu is a Managing Director on Makena’s Private Equity team, responsible for supporting portfolio management, manager selection, and direct investments for Makena’s Private Equity asset class. Before joining Makena, Justine was a Senior Associate at Apollo Global Management, where she focused on the evaluation and execution of private equity investments. Prior to Apollo, Justine was an Associate at Goldman Sachs in the Principal Investment Area within the Merchant Banking Division, where she analyzed private credit investment opportunities across the capital structure. Previously, Justine was an Investment Banking Analyst in Goldman’s Leveraged Finance group. Justine graduated cum laude from Harvard University with a B.A. in Statistics and a Secondary in Economics.

Joseph Magher is a Managing Director and Head of Business Development and Client Partnerships at Makena with a particular focus on Endowment and Foundation (E&F) and family office clients. He has successfully led the development and growth of our E&F and Outsourced CIO (OCIO) practice. Makena now partners with over 50 E&F clients, including 12 relationships in a fully outsourced capacity. Prior to joining Makena in 2009, he worked at Morgan Stanley as a Vice President, advising institutions on their hedge fund portfolios as well as advising hedge funds on capital raising and strategic business matters. Previously, Joseph worked at Credit Suisse First Boston in Private Wealth Management advising high net worth families and foundations on alternative investments. He began his career at a Salomon Smith Barney affiliate in Buenos Aires, Argentina covering local pension funds and Latin America focused investment funds for four years. Joseph received a B.A. in Economics from the University of Virginia and an M.B.A. from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business.

Arthur Markley is a Senior Associate on the Public Equity team. In this capacity, Arthur conducts investment diligence on managers and new investments. Arthur also serves as Chief of Staff to the CIO, assisting in coordination across asset classes. Arthur holds a B.A. in Economics from Princeton University.

Bill McGrath is Makena’s General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer. Before joining Makena, Bill was the EVP & General Counsel at Vulcan Inc., the family investment office of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. Prior to Vulcan, Bill held senior legal positions at several Silicon Valley-based technology companies and worked for two national law firms. Bill received a B.A. in Political Science from Claremont McKenna College and a J.D. from the University of Chicago.

William Miller is a Managing Director of Makena Capital Management. Bill joined Makena in its first year and served as the firm’s Chief Operating Officer from 2006 through 2020. Prior to joining Makena, Bill was the President and CEO of Valchemy, a financial services technology company he led from initial funding in 2002 until it was acquired by IBM in 2006. Before Valchemy, Bill was President and COO of iMediation, S.A, a private software company. Bill spent the first third of his career at Intel and its investment arm, Intel Capital, where his team was responsible for the majority of Intel’s North American equity investments and technology licensing. In his twelve years at Intel, Bill was a senior finance executive for two business groups and served as a general manager, a marketing executive, and a manufacturing engineer.

Bill serves on the board of Western Technology Investment, a registered venture debt investment firm. He holds a B.S. in Industrial & Systems Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Jeffrey Morales is a Data Engineer at Makena, focused on building and scaling cloud data infrastructure across the firm’s asset classes. Jeffrey graduated from University of California, San Diego, where he studied Management Science and Computer Science.

Mia Olsson is an Executive Assistant at Makena, supporting the Operations team. Prior to joining Makena, Mia was Office Manager and Executive Assistant at Permira Advisers in Menlo Park. Mia holds a B.Sc. in International Business from Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business.

Frank Perez is a Managing Director, responsible for managing Makena’s operational due diligence (ODD) function. Frank brings over 15 years of alternative investment due diligence experience to his role with Makena. Prior to joining Makena in 2015, Frank was engaged in the ODD efforts at Saguenay Strathmore Capital, Morgan Stanley and UBP, where he focused on private equity, real estate and hedge fund investments. Earlier in his career, Frank held risk management roles within the capital markets divisions of several global investment banking institutions, where he was responsible for conducting due diligence on hedge fund counterparties. Frank graduated with a B.A. in Economics and English from Rutgers University.

TC Pettit is a Senior Analyst working on the Public Equity team. In this capacity, TC conducts new investment diligence and portfolio management. TC graduated from Stanford University with a B.S. in Management Science and Engineering.

Taylor Pilossoph is a Senior Associate with Makena’s Portfolio Strategy Group, primarily working with Makena’s OCIO clients on investment portfolios. Taylor works alongside Makena’s client team. Prior to joining Makena in 2019, Taylor was an analyst at Goldman Sachs in the Private Equity Group. Taylor earned a B.A. in Political Economy and Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley.

Luke Proskine joined Makena in 2005 and is a Managing Partner of the firm. He also leads Makena’s client and portfolio strategy. Prior to his appointment as Managing Partner, Luke served in several leadership roles at the firm, including Chief Investment Officer, Deputy Chief Investment Officer, and Head of Portfolio Strategy. Luke has also worked in both private equity and portfolio management functions at Makena. He has extensive experience working with UHNW families and serves as a board member for prominent family offices.

Before the formation of Makena, Luke worked as a Senior Investment Manager at the Stanford Management Company, where he was responsible for portfolio management and risk analysis, as well as private equity and real assets investing for the Stanford Endowment. Prior to joining Stanford Management Company, Luke worked for the Thomas Weisel Partners Investment Banking Group, where he was involved in a variety of corporate finance and M&A transactions. Luke holds a B.S. in Economics, magna cum laude, from Vanderbilt University, and an M.B.A. with a major in Finance, with honors, from the Wharton School.

Brian Rodde joined Makena in 2007 and is a Managing Partner of the firm. Before his appointment as Managing Partner, Brian served as the Head of Private Equity and as the portfolio manager for Makena’s private equity funds. While at Makena, Brian has led portfolio construction and manager selection activities in the Private Equity, Venture Capital, Real Estate, and Natural Resources portfolios. Given his breadth of experience across private assets, Brian is often called on to advise Makena’s global clients on the integration of private asset strategies into client portfolios. Prior to joining Makena, Brian was an associate at SVB Capital, where he evaluated private equity partnership investment opportunities. Brian earned an M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a B.A. in Economics from Stanford University.

Callie Rosenthal is a Senior Analyst on the Private Equity team, focused on investments across the Venture Capital, Growth Equity, and Buyout asset classes. Callie graduated from Stanford University with a B.A. in Economics.

Ed Ruiz is the Director of Information Technology and Security where he provides vision and leadership in the development and implementation of IT infrastructure, information security and cloud computing environment. Prior to joining Makena, Ed was the Sr. IT Manager at Strava where he was responsible for the technology infrastructure, strategy, and operations. He established an information security program and retooled technology platforms within different departments. Ed was also Principal, IT at Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. where he was responsible for next generation network architecture, server infrastructure and information security with a notable achievement of scaling the company’s network from five to fifteen offices globally.

With nearly 15 years of experience in providing leadership and managing IT teams, Ed has a proven track record of developing IT efficiencies and strategies incorporating a wide range of applications and technologies.

Sean Semeniuk is an Assistant Controller at Makena, working closely with the Financial Operations Team on Makena’s flagship fund. Prior to joining Makena in 2021, Sean was a Senior Fund Accountant at Top Tier Capital Partners, a family of funds focused in venture capital. Before joining Top Tier Capital Partners, Sean was a Senior Associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he specialized in the taxation of financial products. Sean earned a B.S. in Business Administration with a focus in Accounting from the University of San Francisco.

James Shecter is a Vice President on Makena’s Private Equity team, responsible for venture and growth-stage directs, secondaries, and co-investments as well as GP (fund-level) allocations and portfolio management within Makena’s Private Equity asset class. Before joining Makena, James was an investor at Fika Ventures (a seed-stage VC in Los Angeles focused on B2B software), where he co-led the firm’s investing across vertical SaaS, AI application layer, and data and developer tools. Prior to Fika, James was an investor at 9Yards Capital (a growth-stage VC in Los Angeles), where he supported the firm’s enterprise, fintech, and logistics investments. Before 9Yards, James worked at Lee Equity Partners (a middle-market buyout firm headquartered in NYC), where he worked on transactions across insurance services, business services, and healthcare. James began his career in investment banking at Citigroup in New York City, providing multi-stage M&A and financing advisory across aerospace and business services sectors. James earned an M.B.A. from Wharton and a B.A. in Behavioral Economics from Harvard College.

Hannah Soar is an Investment Analyst working on the Real Assets team. In this position Hannah is responsible for the due diligence process regarding new and existing managers. Hannah graduated from the University of Utah with a B.S. in Economics, and competed in the 2022 Beijing Olympics for freestyle skiing.

Marcus Solomon is a Vice President on Makena’s Real Asset team, where he conducts diligence on managers and new investments. He has six years of prior experience at Morgan Stanley, where he worked on the public side of the bank’s trading desk, covering a wide range of sectors, before transitioning to the private real estate team. He also has a B.A. in Finance with a minor in Economics from Pace University.

Haidee is an Executive Assistant at Makena supporting the Public Equity and Real Assets teams. Before joining Makena, she was an Executive Assistant to the investment team at a tech-focused hedge fund based in Redwood Shores, CA. Haidee also has a decade-long experience in the hospitality industry, working in sales and event planning. Haidee graduated from the University of the Philippines with a B.S. in Tourism.

Brandon Talagtag is the Office Administrator responsible for firmwide event support, procurement, and facilities. Prior to joining Makena, Brandon was a department manager for H&M, and a General Merchandise Leader at Target. Brandon holds a BBA in Marketing from De Anza College, and Marketing Operations credential from DeVry University.

Lily is a Tax Manager at Makena, responsible for the federal, state, and international tax compliance of the Makena funds.  Prior to joining Makena in 2015, Lily was a financial controller at Open Door Capital Advisors for four years and a Senior Tax Associate with Ernst & Young for five years.  Lily holds an M.S. in Accounting from Syracuse University and is a CPA in California (inactive).

Vanessa Tollefson is a Director on the Client Operations team with Makena’s Client Strategy Group. She is responsible for investor communication and reporting while supporting business development efforts. Prior to joining Makena, Vanessa was the Director of Compliance, Regulatory and Investor Reporting at Coastland Capital. Vanessa holds a B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California.

Mike Tremmel is Makena’s Chief Financial Officer. As CFO, Mike is responsible for the oversight of the financial operations of the firm, managing all operational processes for the Makena investment strategies, including financial policies, audits, risk controls and service provider relationships. Prior to joining Makena in 2009, Mike was the Chief Financial Officer at Pantera Capital Management, a global macro hedge fund in San Francisco, where he oversaw the operational, trading, accounting, and tax functions. Before joining Pantera, Mike was Senior Audit Manager with Ernst and Young, where he served for six years in San Francisco and the Cayman Islands. Mike received a Bachelor of Management degree with a major in Accounting from the University of Lethbridge, Canada, and is a CPA in California (inactive) and British Columbia, Canada.

Jackie Tsai is a Senior Manager on Makena’s Performance Reporting Group, and is responsible for portfolio reporting and data integrity.  Prior to joining Makena, Jackie was on the Investment Operations team at KKR, where she was responsible for portfolio pricing, performance track records, and data maintenance.  She was previously a Senior Associate at Citco Fund Services, focusing on middle office operations.  Jackie earned a B.A. in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles and is a CFA Charterholder.

Ryan Tsujimoto is an Assistant Controller in Makena’s Financial Operations Team. Before joining Makena in 2022, Ryan was a Senior Fund Accountant at Asia Alternatives Management LLC. Prior to Asia Alternatives Management LLC, Ryan was a Senior Assurance Associate at Ernst & Young LLP. Ryan earned a B.A. in Business Administration: Accounting and a Masters in Professional Accounting: Audit and Assurance from the University of Washington.

Sarah Walker is a Managing Director, responsible for advising Makena’s Endowment and Foundation (E&F) clients in the integration and implementation of alternative asset strategies into existing portfolios. Previously, Sarah worked as a consultant in the Investor Relations group at Hall Capital Partners, an investment firm based in San Francisco. Sarah began her career as an Investor Relations Associate at Pantera Capital Management, where she was solely responsible for managing all marketing and investor relations activities. Sarah earned her M.B.A. from the Walter A. Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. Sarah holds a B.A. degree in History, with honors, from Yale University.

Ryan Walters is a Senior Associate on Makena’s Performance Reporting Group. He is responsible for portfolio reporting, trade operations, and exposures tracking. Prior to joining Makena, Ryan worked in the Middle Office at CITCO Fund Services, where he was responsible for portfolio valuation and P&L reporting. Ryan earned a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

Jenny Wang is Makena’s Tax Director. Jenny is responsible for leading the firm’s tax strategy, planning, structuring, manager and equity placement, as well as overseeing all aspects of tax compliance.

Prior to Makena, Jenny served as Director of Tax at 5AM Ventures, a leading venture capital firm focused on next-generation life sciences companies. There, she managed the full spectrum of tax functions, supporting the firm’s innovative investment strategies. Before her time at 5AM Ventures, Jenny spent over eight years as a Senior Tax Manager in Ernst & Young’s Financial Services Operations within the Wealth & Asset Management practice in San Francisco. Before joining Ernst & Young, Jenny was with PricewaterhouseCoopers, where she advanced to the role of Tax Manager during her more than seven years with the firm.

Jenny holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of San Francisco and is a Certified Public Accountant in the state of California.

Lan Wang is a Senior Manager in Tax at Makena. Lan is responsible for tax compliance, tax planning, and equity placement analysis. Prior to joining Makena, Lan was a tax manager at Deloitte, specializing in tax compliance and consulting for asset management. Lan earned an M.S. in Accountancy from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a B.S. in Agricultural Economics from Purdue. Lan is an active CPA.

Jordan Wheeler is an Executive Assistant at Makena, working alongside the Private Equity team. Prior to joining Makena in 2017, Jordan was the Operations Manager at Harrison Metal, overseeing daily functions of the company and office.

Ryan Young is a Senior Associate with Makena’s Portfolio Strategy Group, primarily working with Makena’s OCIO clients on investment portfolios. Ryan also works alongside Makena’s client team on onboarding prospective clients and supporting Makena’s client relationships in Europe. Prior to joining Makena, Ryan supported relationships and multi-asset class investment portfolios across Endowments, Foundations, and family office clients at Stamos Capital Partners. Ryan graduated from Colorado College with a B.A. in Economics.

Mengru Zhang is a Managing Director at Makena who focuses on risk management and portfolio strategy, supporting the design, implementation, and management of multi-asset class portfolios across Makena’s vehicles. Prior to joining Makena, Mengru was a Director on the Investment Strategy Group of ICONIQ Capital, where she led the firm’s public market portfolio across long-only equities, hedge funds, tail hedging, and fixed income. Prior to ICONIQ, Mengru worked at RJA Asset Management, where she focused on options-based strategy research and portfolio management. Mengru holds a Master’s degree in Finance from the MIT Sloan School of Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Finance (First Class Honors) from the University of Hong Kong. Mengru is a CFA Charter holder.

John Zuercher is an Associate and Chief of Staff for the Private Equity team. John conducts diligence on new investments and managers across the Venture Capital, Growth Equity, and Buyout asset classes. John graduated from Stanford University with a B.S. in Management Sciences and Engineering.