Stifel Financial Corp

Katya Kohen is a Managing Director at Stifel Financial Corp. leading strategy and ecosystem development for the Venture & Fund Banking group, bringing over 20 years of experience across Wall Street, venture capital, and startup ecosystems. She has raised and managed four funds, invested in over 200 startups and 56 direct private deals, advised on 50+ M&A and pre-IPO transactions, and served as a mentor to over 450 founders globally through her work at Techstars. Kohen is the author of "Own Your American Dream: Life and Trust" and focuses her investment activity on fintech, health and wellness, and sustainable innovation.

Mark Morrissette has worked in venture capital since 1995 and joined North Atlantic Capital in 2000. Before that, he held roles at Advent International in Boston and at consulting firm CSC Index in Cambridge, MA. He holds a BA from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Harvard Business School, and previously served as President of the Board of the Northeast Regional Association of Small Business Investment Companies.

Michael Nitka is a Managing Director at Stifel Financial and a partner and investment committee member of the Stifel North Atlantic AM-Forward Fund. He has been with Stifel since 2012, focusing on investing in and supporting small and medium businesses, and previously built a specialty corporate loan platform at Cantor Fitzgerald and worked in investment origination at several global banks. He holds a BBA from Loyola University Maryland and is a Chartered Financial Analyst.

Jason Gorey is Director of Investments at North Atlantic Capital, with prior experience across public, private, military, and non-profit roles. He co-founded ASTRO America, a non-profit research institute focused on advanced manufacturing in defense and aerospace supply chains, and earlier spent over a decade supporting government agencies including the Department of Defense, State Department, Defense Intelligence Agency, and the White House. A former Reserve Army Intelligence Officer who deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq, he co-founded the charity No One Left Behind, and holds a BA in Government from Georgetown University.

Advisory Partner working with the Growth Products & Services and Technology teams. Previously a Partner at Gryphon Investors and The Carlyle Group, and a senior policy advisor in the George H.W. Bush White House.

Elisa Yan is an Analyst at Runtime Ventures, where she analyzes cybersecurity deal flow, builds investor communications, and supports portfolio engagement. Before Runtime, she gained venture and finance experience at firms including Growth Factory Ventures and Silver Lead Partners, working on deal sourcing, market research, and investment committee preparation. She is pursuing a BS in Finance and International Business at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business, where she is a private equity analyst with Georgetown Student Capital Partners and a Global Business Fellow.

Marnya Bufithis joined North Atlantic Capital in 2026 as Chief Financial Officer, with a background in regulated financial services and multi-entity environments covering financial reporting, internal controls, and regulatory compliance. She was previously Assistant Controller at BankProv and earlier founded an accounting and advisory firm providing CFO and Controller services along with financial and operational diligence support. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance from Franklin Pierce University.

Natalie Perez serves as VP/SVP of Venture Lending and Banking at Stifel Bank, part of Stifel Financial Corp. Stifel Bank is a Member FDIC institution held by Stifel Financial Corp.