Connectivity Ventures

Jaahred Thomas is a Founding Partner of Connectivity Ventures Fund, where he leads analytical due diligence on prospective investments. Before CVF, he spent 17 years in institutional equity sales, focusing on the Media & Technology, Healthcare, Financials, and Consumer/Retail sectors. He began his career at Hambrecht & Quist and later held senior roles at JPMorgan, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, and Oppenheimer.

Joyce Fensterstock is a founding Partner and Chief Operating Officer of Connectivity Capital Partners. She previously co-founded Westwood Partners, a retained search firm for the financial services industry, where she has served as COO since 2002, and earlier held roles including Co-Head of Investment Banking at PaineWebber and President of Mitchell Hutchins Asset Management, after starting her career at Goldman Sachs. She holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, an MA from Fairfield University, and a BA in Psychology from Wellesley College, and pursued a PhD in Psychology at Fordham University.

Mike Flood is Managing Partner at Connectivity Capital Partners. He founded Westwood Partners, a retained search boutique focused on financial services, where he remains involved in senior-level search and advisory work, and earlier co-founded The Capstone Partnership, another independent search firm. He began his career as a Principal at Seaforth Investments, a U.K.-based venture capital firm, and holds a BA from Albright College.

William Crowder is the Founding Partner of 42 Venture Partners, a seed-stage fund backing technology that improves how people work and live. He previously led the Comcast Ventures Catalyst Fund, a $20 million fund focused on entrepreneurs of color, and was a partner at Dreamit Ventures. Earlier in his career he led strategic efforts at AOL, Thomson Reuters, and Radio One, and consulted at Mercer Management Consulting; he holds an MBA from Duke's Fuqua School of Business and bachelor's and master's degrees in Computer Science from North Carolina State University.

Brian Finn has more than 35 years of experience in financial services. He retired in 2013 as Chairman and CEO of Asset Management Finance Corp., and previously served as Chairman and Head of Alternative Investments at Credit Suisse, where he held roles including President of Credit Suisse First Boston, CEO of Credit Suisse USA, and member of the Credit Suisse Group Executive Board. He began his career in 1982 in the M&A group at The First Boston Corporation, later becoming Co-Head of M&A, and currently serves as a Strategic Advisor to KKR and an Investment Partner at Nyca Venture Partners.

Ellen Hoch is a founding Partner of Connectivity Capital Partners and works in talent management and operations. She is also a recruiter with Westwood Partners, a retained search firm, and previously worked as an equity research analyst at Citigroup covering retail, chemical, and business services companies, and as a management consultant in PricewaterhouseCoopers' Strategic Change Practice. She holds an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a BBA in Finance from the University of Michigan.

Lisa Skeete Tatum is a Kauffman Fellow, a member of Class 4 of the two-year venture capital leadership program run by Kauffman Fellows. The program's member directory lists them at "Landit, Inc." in United States.

Operating Partner at Preface Ventures, serial entrepreneur and author. Previously General Partner at Latimer Ventures, a $15M fund supporting underrepresented enterprise tech founders, and has served on boards including Maryland TEDCO.

Preeti Sriratana is an executive with two decades of experience in hospitality, design, and community-focused organizations. He previously served as CEO of Kent Hospitality Group and is a founding partner of architecture and design practice Modellus Novus, with early career experience at Jean Nouvel's Paris-based firm. Sriratana has held leadership positions including Board Chair of Apex for Youth, serves on the Advisory Board of the Asian American Policy Review at Harvard Kennedy School, and is a co-founder of Central Queens Academy Charter School; he holds degrees from the University of Illinois, Columbia University, and Harvard University.

Shu Chowdhury is the founder, chairman, and CEO of a stealth AI startup. He has over a decade of experience in enterprise software, including ERP systems across the aerospace and defense, financial services, and hospitality sectors.

Spencer Gerrol is founder and CEO of SPARK Neuro, which develops diagnostic technologies for dementia and cognitive impairment identification in partnership with institutions including Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins. The company offers Spark Predict, an AI platform for healthcare data analysis and decision-making. Gerrol also serves on the board of Soren Acquisition Corp., a healthcare-focused SPAC.

Sunil Madhu is Founder and CEO of Instnt, which develops AI technology to convert fraud losses into insurable assets. With over 30 years of experience as a serial entrepreneur and software architect, he has built products and teams across hardware and software sectors, overseeing exits and IPOs exceeding $100 million, including his previous company Socure, valued at $5 billion.

William Crowder has spent over a decade backing underrepresented fintech founders, launching a diversity-focused corporate VC fund in 2012 and advising Morgan Stanley and Hearst on structuring inclusive capital programs.