2025 Conference speakers
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Mark Strauch is a founding partner and president of the private equity firm Alpine Investors, known for its unique CEO training program. Mark also co-founded ASG, the firm's vertical SaaS platform. He has been involved as board member in over 25 past and present Alpine investments.
Prior to Alpine, Mark has served in several CEO roles for venture and PE-backed businesses and has over 30 years of experience as an investor and operator.
Mark received his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and his Bachelors of Science in Industrial Engineering from Lehigh University where he graduated with honors and served as a four-year letter winner and captain of the baseball team.
MARK Strauch ‘98 MBA
FOUNDING PARTNER & PRESIDENT
ALPINE INVESTORS
Chuck Templeton is a Managing Partner and co-leads S2G.
He is focused on value creation for portfolio companies by helping emerging entrepreneurs, executives, and companies scale their businesses. As an ex-operator — including founding OpenTable and serving as lead investor and operating Chairman in companies such as Grubhub and Venmo (Braintree Payment Systems) — he considers himself a student of leadership, entrepreneurship, and cultural development. He is focused on helping the S2G team, entrepreneurs, and executives take their ideas, validate them, institutionalize process, and ultimately scale their business innovations to address today’s urgent environmental and societal problems; examples of portfolio support topics include leadership development, culture building, operations, and team building.
Chuck was US Army Ranger qualified and a sniper before receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Economics from California Polytechnic State University and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Chuck Templeton ‘06 MBA
Managing PARTNER & co-leader
s2g
LP/GP Panel: A Look Behind the Curtain
Michael Barzyk is the Managing Director and Global Head of Private Equity at Allstate Investments, where he oversees the firm’s portfolio of private-equity and infrastructure investments across fund commitments, co-investments, and direct deals. With more than two decades of experience in principal investing, he plays a key role in shaping Allstate’s private-markets strategy and managing relationships with fund managers and portfolio companies. Prior to his current role, Barzyk built deep expertise in evaluating and structuring complex investments across sectors, particularly in corporate and infrastructure assets. He earned his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and continues to be recognized for his leadership in institutional private-equity investing and portfolio management.
MICHAEL BARZYK
GLOBAL HEAD OF PE
ALLSTATE
Kevan Comstock has 20+ years of private equity and investment banking experience joining Lazard Private Capital Advisory (PCA) in 2008 from Allstate Investments. Kevan is responsible for PCA’s North American businesses across both fundraising and secondary advisory in private equity.
Kevan focuses his efforts on GP origination and execution of primary and secondary engagements. He also maintains key relationships with institutional investors in the Midwest region of the United States. Prior experience includes four years at Allstate Investments in the Private Equity Group, where he was most recently a Principal investing in funds, direct co-investments and secondary transactions. Additional prior experience at Chestnut Partners, a boutique merchant bank, and at Salomon Smith Barney, covering business services investment banking.
Kevan Comstock ‘04 MBA
Managing Partner
Lazard
Lorraine joined Pomona in 2007. She has 26 years of private equity experience. Prior to joining Pomona, Lorraine spent fifteen years at General Electric Company, lastly as a Senior Managing Director at GE Equity. In that role, she was responsible for private equity investments in the U.S. and internationally. She also served on the board of directors of a number of private companies in the financial services, healthcare and services sectors. Previously, Lorraine spent three years as a Senior Financial Analyst at Financial Guaranty Insurance Company, then a subsidiary of General Electric Company. Lorraine received an MBA from New York University and a BS from Fairfield University.
LORRAINE HLIBOKI
PARTNER
POMONA CAPITAL
Chris Sznewajs is the Managing Partner, Founder and Investment Committee Member of Pacific Avenue Capital Partners. Mr. Sznewajs is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the firm’s investment activities along with chairing the Boards of the active portfolio companies.
Prior to founding Pacific in 2018, Mr. Sznewajs served as a Principal with The Gores Group where he focused on investing in special situations and corporate carve-outs in the industrials sector. Mr. Sznewajs also was a Manager at Bain & Company in the restructuring and turnaround practice. Mr. Sznewajs graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Finance and Accounting. He has an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
CHRIS Sznewajs ‘07 MBA
MANAGING PARTNER
PACIFIC AVENUE CAPITAL PARTNERS
Brian Gallagher has extensive experience in the middle market buyout industry. He shares responsibility for all aspects of the Firm’s investment and fundraising activities. Mr. Gallagher serves on the Management Board and the Investment Committee of Twin Bridge.
Before co-founding Twin Bridge Capital Partners, Mr. Gallagher was a Principal with UIB Capital, where he was responsible for leading private equity investments in the United States. Mr. Gallagher was also a Partner at PPM America Capital Partners, where he led investments in private equity funds and co-investments. Mr. Gallagher began his career at Arthur Andersen. Mr. Gallagher is a board member of the Grosvenor Registered Multi-Strategy Fund and a trustee of the Grosvenor Hedge Fund Guided Portfolio Solution Fund. He is also a board member of HFS Chicago Scholars. Mr. Gallagher is also on the advisory board of Integrity Risk International and is a member of the Business Advisory Council at the University of Notre Dame.
Mr. Gallagher earned his MBA in Finance at Northwestern University and a BA in Accounting from the University of Notre Dame. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive). Mr. Gallagher is a member of the CFA Institute, the AICPA, the National Association of Corporate Directors and the Association for Corporate Growth.
Brian gallagher ‘95 MBA
PARTNER
Twin Bridge Capital Partners
BEYOND Capital commitments: value creation in pe/vc
Susan Edwards is an Operating Partner at The Vistria Group, a private equity firm focused on driving high-value social change. Her work focuses on advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Impact strategies across Vistria's portfolio companies.
Her extensive background spans private equity, non-profit executive leadership, and management consulting. Prior to Vistria, she was the Program Director for the Private Equity Accelerator at Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT), an initiative dedicated to increasing minority representation in alternative investments. She previously served as the Interim Executive Director at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center in Liberia, launching its flagship program to empower African women in public service. Ms. Edwards also has experience as an investment professional, having worked with the Abraaj Group's Africa Health Fund in Kenya and the Pan African Capital Group in Liberia. She began her career at Abbott Laboratories in various engineering and program management roles.
Susan Edwards ‘10 MBA
Operating Director
Vistria
Karin O'Connor has been an active investor in early- and growth-stage companies for more than 25 years. She currently serves as Clinical Associate Professor of Strategy at Kellogg, where she leads the school's growth-stage entrepreneurship initiative and teaches its Growth Strategy Practicum course. She also recently developed and launched an experential course called Strategy Management Practicum in the school's new Master in Management (MiM) program. In addition, Karin is a Venture Partner at Serra Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm headquartered in Champaign, Illinois, and leads the firm's activities in the Chicago market, including recent investments in Hypercell, Inc., Hazel Technologies, Built In, Tank Utility, Backstitch, The Cumin Club, and IMIO. She is also active as an advisor to growth-stage companies, including Aaron Equipment Company and Cedar Concepts, Inc.
From 2011 until 2014, Karin served as managing director of Hyde Park Angels, Chicago's largest angel investor network. She invested in 15 companies with the group and served as HPA's representative on the boards of portfolio companies FeeFighters, which was acquired by Groupon, Inc., in 2012; and Moxie Jean, which was acquired by Schoola in 2015.
Karin received her BA in Finance from the University of Illinois, where she graduated magna cum laude and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She earned her MBA from Kellogg, where she was an F.C. Austin Scholar and was elected to Beta Gamma Sigma. Karin received a CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) charter in 2007.
Karin O’connor ‘89 MBA
Clinical Associate Professor of Strategy
Kellogg School of Management
Samantha Gordon is a Partner who leads the Portfolio Transformation Group (PTG) at Revelstoke Capital Partners, a private equity firm focused on the healthcare sector. She is responsible for the firm's in-house value creation team, which provides specialized operational, strategic, human capital, and infrastructure support to portfolio companies to maximize value creation.
Ms. Gordon has a strong background in management consulting and investment banking, primarily within the healthcare industry. Before joining Revelstoke, she was a Principal at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), where she was a senior member of the Payer, Provider, and Services Group. In this role, she advised a wide range of health systems and hospitals on strategic, operational, and M&A issues. Earlier in her career, she was an Associate in the Healthcare Group of the Investment Bank at Credit Suisse and started her consulting career at Booz & Company, also focusing on strategy and operations for payer and provider organizations.
Samantha Gordon Webb ‘07 Northwestern
Partner
Revelstoke Capital
Jim TenBroek is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Growth Catalyst Partners (GCP), a middle-market private equity firm focused on investing in the information, marketing, and tech-enabled services sectors.
With decades of experience as a successful private equity investor, Jim has a proven track record of partnering with management teams to drive significant value creation. Before co-founding GCP, he played a leadership role in the growth and evolution of Wind Point Partners, a Chicago-based middle market private equity firm. Prior to Wind Point, he was an associate at GTCR.
He holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, a Master in Engineering from Cornell University, and an AB from Dartmouth College. He is also the former Chairman and a current Executive Committee member of the Illinois Venture Capital Association (IVCA).
Jim tenbroek
Managing Partner
Growth Catalyst Partners
advanced manufacturing & re-industrialization
Achal Bassamboo is the Charles E. Morrison Professor at Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. He is also the co-director of the MMM program which is dual degree program between Kellogg and Segal Design at McCormick School. Professor Bassamboo joined the faculty at the Kellogg School of Management in 2005, after completing his Ph.D. in Operations, Information and Technology at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. His research interests lie in the areas of service systems, revenue management and information sharing. His current research involves designing flexible service systems with a focus on capacity planning and effects of parameter uncertainty. He is also studying credibility (or lack thereof) of information provided by a service provider or a retailer to its customers.
His articles have appeared in leading journals, including Management Science, Manufacturing and Service Operations Management, and Operations Research. Professor Bassamboo was award the 2016 "Young Scholar Award" given by the Manufacturing and Service Operations Management Society for his research. He has served on the editorial boards for Management Science, POMS and Naval Research Logistics. Professor Bassamboo teaches courses on operations management, supply chain logistics, decision models and statistics.
Achal Bassamboo
Chair
Operations Department at Kellogg
Allison Lechnir is a partner at Hyde Park Venture Partners, a Chicago-based early stage venture capital firm focused on high-growth, mid-continent technology startups. Prior to HPVP Allison ran business operations for Civis Analytics, a Chicago-based data science software startup. She also co-founded Flag Analytics, a predictive analytics company focused on public safety, and spent her early career in healthcare consulting at Accenture. She is a 2017 MBA/MPP from the University of Chicago. She received her undergrad degree from Northwestern in materials science and engineering.
Hyde Park has invested in tech-enabled service companies such as Slip Robotics, a robotic solution to improve operating efficiency in warehousing, distribution, logistics, and manufacturing facilities, and marketplace companies such as FactoryFix, a managed marketplace for skilled workers.
She would contribute to the panel by highlighting VC investments in early-stage AI and robotics for manufacturing, supply chain innovations, and her Chicago-based perspective on tech-driven industrial transformations.
Allison Lechner
Partner
hyde park venture partners
Joe Musselman is the Founder and Managing Partner of Bravo Victor Venture Capital, a Chicago-based fund investing in transformative early-stage technology companies. Joe leads investment strategy and portfolio operations with a strong focus on national security and breakthrough innovation. Under his leadership, BVVC has made early investments in leading companies such as Anduril, Figure, and Epirus, each recognized for driving major advancements across defense and artificial intelligence. Previously, Joe founded The Honor Foundation, supporting career transitions for U.S. Special Operations veterans, and co-founded UNION, an energetic materials technology company.
Joe brings expertise in capital strategy, mission-driven leadership, and team building to the panel, offering insights on investing in innovation, guiding portfolio growth, and fostering partnership between capital and purpose.
Joe Musselman
managing partner
bvvc
Emerging Opportunities: Next-Gen Sectors
Sara has been an accomplished leader in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors for over three decades. She is driven by a passion to connect people and ideas.
Sara advises organizations around governance, strategy, and operations. As president of SCS Innovations, she guides entrepreneurs advancing healthcare products and technologies. Currently, Sara serves on the boards of 1871 (Chicago’s entrepreneurial hub), Crown Family Foundation, Musician’s on Call, the Erikson Institute, The Jewish United Fund of Chicago, The Covenant Foundation, Georgetown University Law Center’s Advisory Board, and as President of The Henry Crown Scholarship Fund. In addition, she judges for the University of Chicago’s New Venture Challenge.
Previously, Sara served on the boards of Thinx (an international FemTech company) and Advanced Absorbent Technologies (a health-focused consumer products company). She has also served on the boards of Crown Family Philanthropies, Latin School of Chicago, Hebrew Union College, and the Craniofacial Center Advisory Board at the University of Illinois. Sara launched the Business Law Scholars track at Georgetown University Law Center, the Star Fellows Cantorial track at Hebrew Union College, and the Bazelon Fellowship at the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law.
Sara graduated with a B.S. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. She also completed the Wexner Heritage Program and received an Executive M.B.A. from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.
She enjoys hiking, swimming, skiing, hot yoga and has co-produced two Off-Broadway shows in New York City.
Sara Crown star ‘21 MBA
venture Partner
femhealth ventures
Alex Schneider is an Adjunct Lecturer of Entrepreneurship at the Kellogg School of Management where he is focused primarily on Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (“ETA”), search funds and private equity. He also serves as the program director for the ETA track of the Zell Fellows Program
Outside of Kellogg, Alex is a co-founder and a managing partner of Clover Capital Partners, an independent sponsor private equity firm located in Evanston that specializes in acquiring small businesses with a focus on food and beverage manufacturing. He is also a co-founder and managing partner of Clover Vitality, a growth equity fund with a focus on investing in emerging consumer products brands. In addition to his strategic investments in food and beverage, Alex personally invests in startups, search funds and other forms of entrepreneurial acquisition. Prior to Clover, Alex spent 10 years in traditional private equity, most recently with Chicago-Based Keystone Capital and began his career in finance with JPMorgan as an investment banking professional. Alex graduated from the Honors Program in Mathematical Methods in the Social Sciences at Northwestern University and received his MBA from The Kellogg School of Management.
Alex schneider ‘06 MBA
Co-Founder & Partner at Clover Capital
Adjunct Lecturer at Kellogg
Frank focuses on the development and maintenance of wealth management, family office, and RIA relationships in the United States.
Prior to Adams Street, he was an Assistant Vice President and Wealth Management Consultant at Heitman LLC, where he led the capital raising efforts and client relationship management in the central region. Frank previously held roles with William Blair & Co., Superfund USA, LLC, and Fidelity Investments.
frank trager ‘18 MBA
vice president
adams street partners
Lucas brings an operator’s perspective to Venture Capital, having led teams at fast-growing startups in digital health, proptech, and retail. Most recently, he led BizOps at LetsGetChecked, an at-home lab diagnostics company that helps people detect conditions early and live longer lives. Lucas earned his MBA from Kellogg, where he focused on entrepreneurship and venture. During that time, he founded a marketplace for esports viewing events called FanHome, culminating in a first-place victory in The Garage’s summer accelerator demo day. Complementing that experience, Lucas worked part-time while in business school as an investment associate at MATH Venture Partners, where he focused on evaluating early-stage SaaS investments and developed a passion for venture. Prior to business school, Lucas cut his teeth in investment banking at KeyBanc Capital Markets, as well as on the strategy team at Trunk Club. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan.
lucas pasch ‘19 MBA
senior principal
alumni ventures
Private Equity in sports
Mr. Affolter is a Partner, Portfolio Manager and Co-Head of Sports Media and Entertainment. He formerly served as Co-Head of U.S. Direct Lending in the Ares Credit Group. He is a member of the Ares Credit Group's U.S. Direct Lending Investment Committee. He additionally serves on the Ares Sports, Media and Entertainment Investment Committee. As part of this strategy, he currently serves as a board member for Atletico de Madrid. Prior to joining Ares in 2008, Mr. Affolter was a Managing Director at CIT. Previously, Mr. Affolter was a Senior Managing Director at GE Capital in its sponsor finance business and a Senior Vice President at Heller Financial, leading its mezzanine finance business in corporate finance. He currently serves on the Regional Committee of Washington University and holds an A.B. from Washington University in Economics.
Mark Affolter
Partner & Co-head of sports, Media, and Entertainment
Ares Management
Matt is a distinguished professional known for his multifaceted career spanning sports, academia, and investment. As a former Major League Baseball (MLB) player and Olympian, Matt demonstrated exceptional dedication and skill on the field, representing his country with pride and excellence. Transitioning from his athletic career, Matt pursued higher education and graduated from Northwestern University's prestigious Kellogg School of Management, where he honed his strategic and leadership capabilities.
Prior to co-founding True Up Capital Advisors, Matt established himself as an investment partner at A111, where he specialized in sourcing and funding deals in the lower middle market. His keen insight and strategic acumen have been instrumental in identifying and nurturing promising investment opportunities, contributing significantly to the firm's success. Matt's unique blend of athletic discipline, academic rigor, and investment expertise makes him a dynamic and influential figure in the industry.
Matt LaPorta ‘24 MBA
Partner
True Up Capital Advisors
Rob is the Managing Partner at Ryan Sports Ventures. He is also the Executive Chairman of Interactive Metronome and Co-Founder of BrainBeat. At Interactive Metronome, Rob introduced the company's training and assessment tool to schools, the United States Navy, and professional and college athletic teams.
Before Interactive Metronome, Rob worked in business development at eChalk, a provider of web-based communication tools for the K-12 market. Previously, Rob taught high school English at Providence-St. Mel, an internationally acclaimed school on Chicago’s West Side, and co-founded the Alain Locke Charter School.
Rob graduated from Dartmouth College with his BA in English, where he also played football. He holds his JD from the Northwestern University School of Law and his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Rob lives in New York City with his wife Jennifer.