ACG Los Angeles | From Analyst to Partner - Paths to Advancing Women & Diverse Leaders in Investment and Finance

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Cornelia Cheng, LTC Properties, Inc (NYSE: LTC), Independent Board Director. ACG LA Board Member. 50/50 Women on Boards, LA Leadership Committee Co-Chair. (Moderator)

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Mary Rose, Managing Director, Head of Responsible Investment Strategy, Antares Capital

Mary (Gaede) Rose currently leads Responsible Investment Strategy as a Managing Director for Antares Capital, a $70B+ global alternative asset manager that is one of the leading providers of financing for private equity-backed companies. Mary joined the Antares team in 2000 and brings over 25 years of investment and leveraged lending experience to her role.  Prior to her current role, Mary was a senior originations professional for the firm, covering West Coast private equity clients for approximately 15 years. She previously spent 10 years leading underwriting and credit teams in Chicago. Mary is based in Los Angeles and leads the Antares LA office together with being a member of the firm’s Operating Committee. Mary is also actively involved in Antares' social responsibility efforts, which includes creating pathways for under-represented groups into and within the business world. Mary graduated summa cum laude from the Honors College at Michigan State University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. She has an MBA with concentrations in finance and management strategy from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management. She lives in Manhattan Beach with her three children, who are the lights of her life.

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Naseem Sayani, Co-Founder & General Partner, Emmeline Ventures

Naseem Sayani is Co-Founder and General Partner at Emmeline Ventures, a seed-stage fund investing across healthcare, financial services, and sustainability, specifically where technology and innovation are helping women live and thrive. The fund has 23 companies in its portfolio, including  Alloy Women’s Health, LunaJoy, WealthMore, and The Beans.  

Naseem’s investing and business-building experience comes from 20+ years in executive leadership roles across management consulting, agency services, venture incubators, a corporate venture capital firm, and an active angel investor.  She and her partners launched Emmeline Ventures with a deliberate focus on investing in solutions that unlock the spending power of women and expanding the 2% of venture capital that currently goes to female founders. 

Naseem has an MBA from NYU's Stern School of Business, where she was awarded the Dean's Leadership Award two years running, and a BA from UCLA in Business Economics, where she graduated cum laude. 
 

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Alena Solonina, Partner & Co-Founder, CurvePoint Capital

Alena Solonina is a climate tech investor and Co-Founder of CurvePoint Capital, an independent investment firm with focus on providing flexible capital solutions for high-growth companies that solve pressing environmental problems. Before starting CurvePoint Capital, Alena invested capital across various asset classes filling the financial gap for small and medium enterprises around the world. Alena’s expertise spans multiple sectors, including sustainable investments and climate finance, aligning with the firm’s mission of responsible and impactful investing.

Alena actively supports female entrepreneurs through her leadership of the LA Chapter of Women in Climate Investing and Finance. Additionally, she co-founded The RAR Studio, an initiative that provides educational resources and a community platform for female entrepreneurs to help them navigate the complexities of capital markets.