In her role as Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion & Emerging Manager Strategy, Taffi Ayodele drives the strategy within the Bureau of Asset Management (BAM) to expand engagement with and increase allocations to Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises and emerging investment managers. She also has oversight of the Minority, Women and Disabled Veteran – Owned Broker Program and coordinates BAM’s annual Emerging and Diverse Manager Conference. 

Ms. Ayodele is a seasoned executive with experience in the financial services, technology and real estate sectors. Prior to joining the Comptroller’s office, Ms. Ayodele most recently served as a Principal with Harpia Asset Management, a mission-driven real estate investment and development company and co-founded Thando Holdings, a global fashion and technology company focused on creating a global platform for African artists and their fashion products. In 2015, Forbes named her one of the 10 Emerging Women Entrepreneurs to Watch in Africa. Prior to founding Thando Holdings, she served as a Principal of TW Advisory, a boutique small business advisory practice. 

Ms. Ayodele began her career at Blaylock Van, LLC, (BRV), Wall Street’s longest continuously operated African American investment banking and financial services company. She previously served as Director of the Office of Executive Initiatives at the New York State Dormitory Authority (DASNY), New York State’s public finance and construction authority. 

She currently serves on the board of the Toigo Foundation, the NYU Global Libraries and is a Trustee Emeritus of New York University (2015-2021), The Guyana Economic Development Trust (2018-2021), and New Jersey SEEDS (2017-2019). 

Ms. Ayodele earned a BA in Economics from New York University and an MBA from New York University’s Leonard N. Stern School of Business.  

With more than two decades of financial industry experience and a diverse international background, Aoifinn Devitt plays an integral role in establishing Moneta’s long-term investment vision, philosophy and strategies. As the firm’s Chief Global Market Strategist, she aligns Moneta’s investment programs with broader firm goals while also overseeing the research, evaluation and selection of asset classes and investment vehicles. 

Devitt values knowledge sharing and education, which motivates her to ensure investors are informed as possible. She strives to reduce complexity and demystify the world of investing for them by educating rather than just giving advice. 

Devitt joined Moneta in 2021 with extensive experience working with institutional clients and alternative investments as well as overall portfolio oversight functions. Her global career – with stops in London, Hong Kong, New York City and Chicago – helped open her mind and introduce her to new investing perspectives while stimulating creativity, innovation and adaptability. She has also seen a wide range of investment manager talent and has developed a robust network of industry contacts. 

Originally from Ireland, Devitt spent her early career working in London as an investment banking associate at Goldman Sachs International and a specialist consultant at Cambridge Associates Limited. Devitt also founded Clontarf Capital, a pan-alternatives research and consulting firm. More recently, she served as CIO for the Policemen’s Annuity and Benefit Fund of Chicago and head of investment for Ireland at Hermes Fund Managers Ireland Limited. 

Devitt is also a licensed attorney who has been a member of the New York Bar since 1996. She earned her law degrees from Trinity College Dublin and Oxford University. She also earned her MBA from INSEAD in France and MSc in Applied Neuroscience from Kings College London. 

In addition to her work at Moneta, Devitt hosts and produces The Fiftyfaces Podcast, which showcases diversity and inclusion within the investments industry and other professions. She has run 53 marathons, is fluent in both German and French, and enjoys traveling. 

Robert Holley is a 20-year veteran in the investment industry, with a background in fixed income, equities, alternatives, and futures/commodities. He currently serves as Executive Director for the $3.0 billion Baltimore City Fire & Police Employees’ Retirement System. In his role, Robert is responsible for all aspects of managing the defined benefit retirement plan for the first responders of the City of Baltimore. Prior to his work in Baltimore, he headed the $2.0 billion Prince George’s County Pension Plan, and before that was portfolio manager for the Office of the Illinois State Treasurer. From 2001-2014, Robert worked in New York and Chicago, holding several positions with Citigroup Global Markets, Inc. within their Institutional Clients Group (ICG).

A graduate of Stanford University (2001), Robert focused on public policy, with a minor in art history. During his undergraduate studies, he participated in an immersive transfer program working for the House of Representatives Budget Committee in Washington, DC. Following that, he began a summer internship with Salomon Smith Barney in New York through the Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO) program.

Robert is a champion for workforce diversity. He regularly participates in fundraising and hosting networking events for the Sponsor’s for Educational Opportunity (SEO). From 2003- 2008 he served as Citigroup’s firm captain for the SEO program. He is also an active member of the National Association of Securities Professionals (NASP) and involved in programming and initiatives for the National Association of Investment Companies (NAIC).

Robert currently resides in Laurel, Maryland, with wife (Lynda) and his two sons (Quinton and Malcolm). He recently completed his Executive MBA at Georgetown University in May 2023.

Ms. Johns joined the New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Investment in 2023 as the Head of Private Equity.  Prior to New Jersey she was a member of the Private Equity team at the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System and is an experienced private markets investor and leader in the U.S. public pension and broader institutional investor community.  

Ms. Johns has over 20 years of experience investing and managing multi-billion dollar global portfolios of institutional alternative investment assets. She has deep expertise in private equity and a highly developed personal network with established top performing private equity fund managers and next generation managers. Ms. Johns has a demonstrated long-term track record for selecting and managing strong performing private equity fund portfolios. She is committed to supporting discourse and initiatives focused on the thoughtful advancement of private markets investing and creating pathways to inclusion for underrepresented talent in private equity.  

Industry recognition includes Wall Street Journal Pro Private Equity 2023 Women to Watch, Institutional Investor Global Top 50 Women in Investment Management, Trusted Insight Top Public Pension Investors Directors, and PEWIN Member of the Year highlighting Ms. Johns’ work in transforming the private equity industry with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. 

Ms. Johns is Board Chair of the Private Equity Women Investor Network (PEWIN), and a member of the Academy for Institutional Investors Editorial Committee, AIF Women’s Leadership Steering Committee and the SEO Alternative Investments Limited Partner Advisory Council. 

Ms. Johns has both a B.A. in Comparative Literature from Indiana University Bloomington and a B.S. in Computer Info Systems from Stevenson University. She graduated from Loyola University Maryland with a Master’s in Finance while working full time as an Associate at Camden Private Capital, a private equity fund of funds.  

Mr Kua is currently the Head of Private Equity and Private Debt of Great Eastern Life Assurance Company, one of the largest life insurance companies in Southeast Asia. He has been with the firm since 2010 and prior to joining Great Eastern, he was with the CEO office of Straits Trading Company, responsible for strategic planning and corporate mergers and acquisitions since 2003. Straits Trading Company was a conglomerate listed on the Singapore Exchange. Mr Kua graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science with BSc. in Management Sciences and MSc. in Economics. 

As Chief Investment Officer and Deputy Comptroller for Asset Management, Steven Meier, overseeing the five pension systems that compose the New York City Retirement system.

Mr. Meier brings nearly 40 years of experience in both the public and private sectors, previously serving as Assistant Treasurer and Interim Chief Investment Officer for the Connecticut Office of the State Treasurer Shawn T. Wooden, overseeing the investments of Connecticut’s $40 billion public pension system and its ESG initiatives. Before joining the Connecticut state treasurer’s office, Meier spent more than a decade at State Street Global Advisors, where he rose to Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer for Global Fixed Income, Currency, and Cash Management, overseeing over $900 billion in assets.

Prior to his time at State Street, he worked at Credit Suisse as Director, Global Head of Fixed Income & Money Market Electronic Trading and Senior Trader in the Global Financing Group at Credit Suisse. His experience also includes roles at Oppenheimer Capital, Merrill Lynch Capital Markets, and Irving Trust Company.

Meier is a CFA Charter Holder and certified Financial Risk Manager. He holds an MBA from Indiana University’s Kelly School of Business and a BBA from Hofstra University’s Zarb School of Business.

Vishnu Mohanan is Director of Private Markets at HRM Pension Plan, a $2.9bn pension system based in Halifax, NS. In this role, he is responsible for leading the organization’s investment activities in private equity, private credit and infrastructure through primary funds, co-investments and secondary transactions. Vishnu previously worked as a Manager at Castle Hall, an investment consulting firm where he led operational due diligence reviews on hedge funds, private equity, private credit and real estate funds. Vishnu received a Bachelor of Commerce degree from St. Mary’s University in Halifax and is a CAIA charter holder. 

As Chief Investment Officer, Shannon O’Leary oversees the Foundation’s Investments team as well as all aspects of the Foundation’s $1.8 billion investment portfolios for individual donors, nonprofit endowment holders as well as two partner foundations, F. R. Bigelow Foundation and Mardag Foundation. In her role, Shannon works closely with the investment committees, Foundation staff and others on portfolio decision-making to maintain and grow assets that sustain the Foundations’ grantmaking, ensuring secure annual income and offering other investment funding, education and capacity-building resources for the 200+ nonprofits it serves. Since joining the Foundation in 2019, Shannon has implemented an approach that both quantifies and preferences Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as well as ESG investing strategies that align with the Foundation’s work to inspire generosity, advocate for equity, and invest in community-led solutions.

An experienced leader with depth and breadth in building and managing investment teams, processes and procedures, Shannon joined the Foundation after serving as CIO at The Advocate Group, a Minnesota-based wealth management firm. Previously, Shannon spent seven years as the manager of wealth planning and investments for a large family office and served as a member of its Investment Committee. She played an integral role in portfolio construction and monitoring, the management of due diligence, client reporting and risk management for the family’s complex multi-generational investment structure and associated entities.

Shannon began her career as an analyst at Dearborn Partners in Chicago after earning a bachelor’s degree in economics with a concentration in high-energy physics from the University of Wisconsin—Madison. As a mom of four, Shannon enjoys bringing her family to community events where they can see the work of the Foundation.

As Chief Investment Officer – Benefit Plans, Erin has investment oversight for over $50 billion in global defined benefit assets and $20 billion in U.S. defined contribution assets. In addition, she has responsibility for the accounting, reporting and financial aspects of plan design for pensions, healthcare and other fringe benefits.

Erin joined Ford in 2000. Prior to her role as CIO, she was the Director of Global Treasury Operations with control over global transactional settlements, securitization reporting and compliance. She also has managed a variety of other organizations within Ford Treasury, including Corporate Foreign Exchange and Derivatives Trading, Securitization Operations, and Ford Credit Strategy (with responsibility for global affiliates and financial regulation adherence).

Erin began her career at NBD Bank in 1994 in Commercial Banking. She spent time in the Credit Underwriting and Loan Syndications Origination groups before leaving for Ford.

She holds a BBA and an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.