Our Team
Alex Finerman
Director
Alex Finerman
Director
Coming out of business school, I co-founded a public benefit company that applies technology and logistics to reduce expensive, unjust, and avoidable pre-trial detention. Through this experience, I saw firsthand how market failures, policy inefficiency, and entrenched thinking open up enormous areas of opportunity where doing the right thing generates real economic and financial value. At Inherent, I’m excited to realize this opportunity at larger scale and scope through our investment and engagement activities. I focus on investments in areas with growing social need and meaningful government participation, such as healthcare and education. As a recovering history major, the world and the people in it continue to fascinate me. I love traveling to different corners of the globe, taking in New York’s cultural offerings, and making headway against the ever-expanding pile of books on my side table.
Key past roles:
- ContourGlobal, VP Finance, Strategy & Acquisitions
- Co-Founder, Uptrust
- Glenview Capital Management, Analyst
- C4Q
(rigorous coding education creating pathway from poverty to the middle class) - Examity
(secure & efficient online exam proctoring)
Education:
- Wharton Business School, MBA
- Harvard College, AB
Brenda Pai
Managing Director
Brenda Pai
Managing Director
Decisions that corporations make – whether it’s how they treat employees, the chemicals they use in manufacturing, or waste disposal practices – have the potential to affect us all. At Inherent, I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to invest in companies that can become ESG leaders in their industries and/or companies whose primary mission is to make a positive impact on society. What’s more, understanding a company’s approach to ESG issues has proven invaluable in assessing company culture, a key component in Inherent’s investment process. I live in New York City with my husband and two daughters. I’m a black belt in Taekwon-do and am also a big fan of hot yoga, spinning, and photography.
Social/charitable interests:
- Women in the workplace
- Diversity and inclusion
Key past roles:
- Blackstone, Managing Director
- Ziff Brothers Investments, Director
Education:
- Yale College, BA
Designation:
- CFA charterholder
Chelsea Rossetti
Director
Chelsea Rossetti
Director
Businesses and industries in transition have created some of the most exciting investment opportunities I’ve encountered in my career thus far. The social and environmental changes that companies face today are similarly creating compelling investable opportunities. And, I am excited every day to help further Inherent Group’s mission to impact how companies and investors incorporate sustainability.
At Inherent I spend my time focused on opportunities across the capital structure, where our ESG framework sets our underwriting apart. Outside of the office, I’m an adult gymnast and avid fan of the sport. When I’m not on a balance beam, I can be found having dumplings in Chinatown or at a Brooklyn Nets game.
Key past roles:
- Roystone Capital, Research Analyst
- Angelo Gordon, Distressed Associate
- Jefferies, Investment Banking Analyst
Social/charitable interests:
- Gender and racial equality
- Financial inclusion
Education:
- New York University, BS, Finance & Information Systems
Dan Carroll
Managing Director
Dan Carroll
Managing Director
I’ve always been curious about how things work, whether they be natural processes, machines, or organizations. My favorite part of investing is being introduced to new businesses and figuring out how they work. Once I get an idea of that, my most important question as an investor is: are they built to last? Integrating ESG considerations is a natural part of that analysis. I’m also a total accounting nerd, and love to get into the weeds of financial statements. I’m happily married with a recently arrived baby boy and live on the Upper East Side where, in my spare time, I enjoy watching terrible TV shows (as defined by my wife).
Key past roles:
- Tinicum Incorporated, Principal
- Merrill Lynch, Investment Banking Analyst
Education:
- Georgetown University, BS
Danielle Schaefer
CFO
Danielle Schaefer
CFO
Being part of the management team at Inherent Group feels like a reward for my efforts throughout my career to align what is good for business with my personal values. I believe the investing community has an important role in aligning the interests of businesses with solutions that it can provide to improve society. When done correctly, businesses thrive and shape a better future for the next generation. Everyone wins!
I am married with three daughters. We live in NYC and have several (translation: too many) pets. There is a long list of things I always plan on doing outside of work, but most often I can be found bringing people together around a meal.
Key past roles:
- Stone Lion L.P., Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer
- Bear Stearns, Senior Managing and COO of Credit Trading and Origination
Social/charitable interests:
- Partnership Schools (advisory board member of a K-8 school in the South Bronx)
- Girl Scouts (leader and coordinator of largest group in NYC)
Education:
- Pace University, MBA
- Pace University, BBA
Designations:
- CPA
- CFA charterholder
Jamie Mitchell
Managing Director, Business Development
Jamie Mitchell
Managing Director, Business Development
Value investing has always resonated with me, but coupling that with responsible and impact investing truly interests me.
I am proud to tell the Inherent Group story, as driving positive change across good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, access to technology, etc. have all been personal passion projects of mine through the years. Whether mentoring students, helping female athletes advocate for equal pay, traveling to emerging market countries, getting involved with the community or enjoying the ocean with my rescue pup Biscuit, I spend much of my free time on ESG-related activities.
I am excited to be focusing my professional efforts on building a profitable business focused on doing good.
Key past roles:
- Blockhouse Capital, Director of Marketing & Investor Relations
- Deutsche Bank, Investment Banking
Social/charitable interests:
- Co-Chair & a Founding Member of Columbia Business School’s Women’s Circle
- Education, diversity and equality initiatives
Education:
- Columbia Business School, MBA
- DePauw University, BA
Lucia Wang
Vice President
Lucia Wang
Vice President
For me, the most engaging part of investing has always been picking apart and piecing together information to understand businesses. From shifting regulatory landscapes to competitive dynamics, there are many variables to evaluate in good underwriting, and in today’s ever changing world, sustainability is increasingly important to driving returns. At Inherent, I’m excited to leverage both business and ESG underwriting to pursue opportunities across the capital structure. Outside of the office, I love to travel and scuba dive, going off the beaten path to trade the concrete jungle for the natural jungle. Whether in NYC or elsewhere, I’ll always make some extra time to find great hole-in-the-wall eats.
Past roles:
- Goldman Sachs, Special Situations Group
- Goldman Sachs, Investment Banking
Social/charitable interests:
- Climate change
- Education access
Education:
- Princeton University, BSE
Michael Ellis
COO/CCO
Michael Ellis
COO/CCO
Since seeing miles of wind farms generating clean power while on a trip to Germany in 2003, I have dedicated my career to helping business improve people’s lives and the environment. At Inherent Group, I focus on our energy- and water-related investments. I also run our firm's operations along with our CFO and work on ESG integration in our investment process. I live in Connecticut with my wife and two children, where I specialize in Uno, playing with dolls, and cooking chicken nuggets.
Key past roles:
- Cleantech Group, EVP
- Katzenbach Partners, Engagement Manager
Selected board memberships:
- Arbor Brothers (supports non-profits that fight the root causes of poverty)
- Inherent Foundation (focused on innovative finance for social enterprises)
- Catchafire (volunteer and capacity-building platform)
Education:
- Harvard Business School, MBA
- Yale College, BA
Nikhil Mirchandani
Portfolio Manager
Nikhil Mirchandani
Portfolio Manager
I have been passionate about forecasting and investing in structural change throughout my adult life. Business models, industries, and even entire societies and political regimes in transition regularly present engaging analytical puzzles and compelling investment opportunities often absent from their more stable counterparts. Today, I think capitalism itself is in the middle of a massive, generational structural shift toward long-term orientation, demanding that businesses and societies broaden their concepts of stakeholders and focus on social and environmental sustainability. I’m thrilled to be part of Inherent Group, where our daily work is at the nexus of this structural shift toward sustainability. I focus personally on applying this thinking toward credit markets and international markets, and I believe quite strongly that traditional value investing and sustainability considerations can marry into a mutually supportive investment process in these areas. Both sides have a lot to contribute to the conversation, but they are all too often not even conversing!
Away from work, my passion is spending quality time with my wife and daughter. Together, we enjoy travel, food, outdoor sports, an increasingly diverse mix of music (spanning from Disney to 90s hip hop by way of R&B and electric blues guitar), and the company of our friends and families.
Key past roles:
- King Street Capital Management, Senior Research Analyst
- Goldman Sachs, Investment Banking
Selected social/charitable interests:
- National Association for Urban Debate Leagues, Governing Board Member
- Educational opportunity
- Healthy food
Education:
- Harvard College, BA
Patrick Healy
Executive Assistant/Office Manager
Patrick Healy
Executive Assistant/Office Manager
An executive and celebrity assistant for over 14 years, I have the pleasure of working with an incredible team at Inherent that supports, enlightens and further engages me in this work every day. I'm an avid cyclist, spin instructor, and a passionate advocate for the environment and gender equality. When I’m not cycling, I’m seeing a Broadway show or singing in a choir somewhere. Currently, I serve as the President of New York Celebrity Assistants, an active and esteemed professional organization that supports and empowers assistants to obtain the best resources and network needed to succeed in this industry.
Selected board memberships:
- President, New York Celebrity Assistants
- Secretary, Inherent Foundation
Social/charitable interests:
- Gender equality
- Environment
- The LGBT Center of New York
Key past roles:
- Personal Assistant to Olympia Dukakis & Louis Zorich
- Executive/Personal Assistant, CBRE
Priti Jajoo
Controller
Priti Jajoo
Controller
Being part of the asset management industry has afforded me the opportunity to learn and understand a variety of business models and investment structures. I enjoy supporting the investment and broader team from an accounting and operations lens. At Inherent Group, I feel fortunate to bring together my professional experience and interests to a team dedicated to ESG focus in their investment strategies. I am excited to align myself with such a mission-driven organization that can make a meaningful impact. I live on Long Island with my husband and our two sons. Outside the office, my interests are yoga & meditation, vegetarian food, being in nature and travelling.
Key past roles:
- Pershing Square Capital, Controller
- TPG Opportunities Partners, Fund Controller
- Ernst & Young, Senior Auditor
Social/charitable interests:
- Diversity & Inclusion
- Equal Educational Access
Education:
- University of Virginia, MAcc
- University of Georgia, BBA
Designations:
- CPA
Rob Lasner
Head of Operations
Rob Lasner
Head of Operations
When I was younger I was fascinated by how things worked and how many different parts would come together to accomplish a unified goal. I was given a book aptly titled “How Things Work” and would read through it often. Growing older, I was captivated by shows such as “How Things Are Made” and continued to let my curiosity lead me. Professionally, I see operations as an outlet to understand how investment vehicles work and, in turn, maximize their output. Outside of the office you can find me running through Central Park, binge-watching the latest movies and TV, or daydreaming about food.
Key past roles:
- Owl Creek Asset Management, Senior Operations Associate
- Ziff Brothers Investments, Operations
Social/charitable interests:
- No Kid Hungry
- Camp Power
Education:
- University of Maryland, BS
Tony Davis
CEO & CIO
Tony Davis
CEO & CIO
I’m passionate about investing and giving back, and I feel so fortunate to be able to combine the two at Inherent Group. I believe business can and must lead on environmental and social issues. And I believe it’s good for business as well. At Inherent, I have the honor to lead a great team of people dedicated to investing for profit, with purpose. I sit on our investment committee and oversee our engagement activities. I’m married with two young kids who keep me plenty busy, but when I can I love to sneak away for nature sports: skiing, mountain biking, and kiting.
Key past roles:
- Anchorage Capital Group, Co-founder, President and Portfolio Manager
- Goldman Sachs, Portfolio Manager and Investment Banker
Selected board memberships:
- Achievement First (charter management organization closing the achievement gap)
- Inherent Foundation (focused on innovative finance for social enterprises)
- Vital Farms (pasture-raised egg brand)
Education:
- Wharton Business School, MBA
- The Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania, MA
- Brigham Young University, BS
Willa Wang
Vice President
Willa Wang
Vice President
My favorite part of investing has always been understanding what a business does today and thinking creatively about what it has the potential to do in the future. Core to understanding a business’s potential is understanding how it addresses the social, environmental and economic challenges we face. I am thrilled to be part of Inherent Group where I have the opportunity to invest in companies that are addressing these complex issues with multifaceted solutions. Building relationships is very important to me so outside the office I am usually with friends and family exploring the best that New York has to offer.
Key past roles:
- Veritas Capital, Associate
- Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Investment Banking Analyst
Social/charitable interests:
- Minds Matter New York Chapter
Education:
- Harvard University, BS
Advisory Council
Matt Christensen
Global Head of Sustainable & Impact Investing, Allianz Global Investors*
Former Global Head of Responsible Investment for AXA IM
Former Global Head of Responsible Investment for AXA IM
Matt Christensen
Global Head of Sustainable & Impact Investing, Allianz Global Investors*
Former Global Head of Responsible Investment for AXA IM
Former Global Head of Responsible Investment for AXA IM
Matt is Global Head of Sustainable & Impact Investing at Allianz Global Investors. Previously he was Global Head of Responsible Investment for AXA IM, where he directed the impact investing program as well as the integration of ESG criteria across asset classes. Prior to that he was a member of the European Commission's coordination committee on sustainability policy and legislation in the EU. He was the Founding Executive Director of Eurosif, the leading European responsible investment think tank. Prior roles include Business Development Director at Motley Fool and Strategy Consultant at Braxton Associates and Deloitte Consulting. Matt has held board positions with impact funds in the alternatives arena, including a listed private equity fund on the London Stock Exchange and as Vice President of a microfinance fund. Matt holds an MBA and an MA in international political economy from the University of Pennsylvania – Wharton.
* Serves in personal capacity, not as a representative of the organization(s) listed.
Mike Hayes
Chief Digital Transformation Officer, VMware
Former Commanding Officer, SEAL Team TWO
Former Commanding Officer, SEAL Team TWO
Mike Hayes
Chief Digital Transformation Officer, VMware
Former Commanding Officer, SEAL Team TWO
Former Commanding Officer, SEAL Team TWO
Mike Hayes is Senior Vice President and Head of Strategic Operations at Cognizant Technology, a global IT services firm. Previously he served in Chief of Staff and COO roles at Bridgewater Associates. Before entering the private sector, he was a Navy SEAL Officer, eventually serving as the Commanding Officer of SEAL Team TWO. He was a White House Fellow and Director, Defense Policy and Strategy at the National Security Council in both the George W. Bush and Obama administrations. He is a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a frequent speaker on building high-performance organizations.
Mali Locke
Managing Director, Inherent Foundation
Former Director of Development, City Fund
Former Director of Development, City Fund
Mali Locke
Managing Director, Inherent Foundation
Former Director of Development, City Fund
Former Director of Development, City Fund
Mali Locke is the sole Managing Director of Inherent Foundation. Most recently, she was the founding Director of Development at the City Fund, a national philanthropy focused on education reform. Mali has held multiple senior roles in philanthropy including as Director of the Milken Institute Center for Strategic Philanthropy, where she led the center’s design thinking and workforce development in higher education initiative. She started and led the development team at CityBridge Education, focusing on large institutional gifts. Previously, Mali was the Director of the Maverick Capital Foundation at Maverick Capital in New York City. She started her career in philanthropy at the Robin Hood Foundation, where she was a Senior Program Officer on the education team. She has a BA in French Literature from Yale University and an MS in Organization Change Management from the Milano School of Policy, Management, and Environment at the New School University.
George Serafeim
Professor, Harvard Business School
Course: Reimagining Capitalism
Course: Reimagining Capitalism
George Serafeim
Professor, Harvard Business School
Course: Reimagining Capitalism
Course: Reimagining Capitalism
George Serafeim is a Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. He has taught courses in the MBA, executive education and doctoral programs, and is currently teaching the elective course “Reimagining Capitalism: Business and Big Problems” in the MBA curriculum, which received the Ideas Worth Teaching Award from the Aspen Institute and the Grand Page Prize. He has presented his research in over 60 countries around the world and ranks among the top 20 most popular authors out of over 12,000 business authors on the Social Science Research Network.
Alessandro Tomé
Director, Audeo Advisors
Alessandro Tomé
Director, Audeo Advisors
Alessandro Tomé is Vice Chairman of the British style-setting interiors brand OKA in his role as Industrial Advisor with InvestIndustrial, a leading family-controlled European PE firm active in sectors including consumer, hospitality, and design, whose notable assets include Aston-Martin. He is also Strategic Advisor to a large Italian family investment vehicle with emphasis on strategic PE investments and partnerships. He is a Strategic Advisor to the cyber security- and cloud-focused investor C5 Capital and a mentor for its PeaceTech Accelerator in Washington, DC. He is an investor in EatWith, the leading experiential dining platform, as well as FrugalPac, maker of recyclable coffee cups, cartons and bottles currently launching in the UK. Alessandro was previously a Senior Advisor for Canaccord Genuity and spent fifteen years with third-party alternative investment distribution firm, Anchor Asset Management.
Tensie Whelan
Director, NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business
Former President, Rainforest Alliance
Former President, Rainforest Alliance
Tensie Whelan
Director, NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business
Former President, Rainforest Alliance
Former President, Rainforest Alliance
Tensie Whelan is a Clinical Professor of Business and Society at New York University Stern School of Business. She leads the school’s efforts on business and sustainability, driving research and coursework on societal and natural resource-based challenges including climate change, water scarcity, biodiversity loss, poverty and unsustainable development. She founded and leads Stern’s Center for Sustainable Business, whose mission is to ensure that current and future business leaders develop the knowledge and skills to embed sustainability in core business strategy so they can reduce risk; create competitive advantage; and develop innovative services, products, and processes; while building value for society.