Elliot Berger - Berger joined Merrill Lynch in 1999 as the philanthropic specialist for Family Office Services. For the last three years, Berger served as Director of Strategic Philanthropy, overseeing services for 3,000 foundations. His experience includes twelve years in the nonprofit sector, including Director of Development at New York University.
Berger recently became an advisor for the Private Banking and Investment Group. He continues to consult with nonprofits and ultra-high-net-worth families on how to maximize the impact of charitable endeavors and how asset management is different for philanthropic resources. He provides advice on best practices with values based investing, foundation governance and management issues, next generation preparation, and venture philanthropy.
Berger's volunteer involvement includes leadership positions with the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria, UJF of Princeton, and NJ Explorers of Boy Scouts. He earned his B.A. and M.B.A. from Rutgers University.
Patricia Farrar-Rivas - Farrar-Rivas is the Managing Partner of Veris Wealth Partners, a national, SEC registered, wealth management firm focused on sustainability. Headquartered in New York City, Veris is committed to aligning client's wealth with their personal values using sustainable solutions. Since 1986 Patricia has helped found and grow successful businesses and nonprofit organizations with a focus on Sustainability and Social Justice.
Farrar-Rivas began her financial services career in 1992 at Progressive Asset Management - an Oakland based Socially Responsible Investment Firm - by launching their New York Office. For the last sixteen years Farrar-Rivas has provided wealth management services to individuals, families, family offices and nonprofit institutions. In 2001 Farrar-Rivas joined Frank, Rimerman & Co LLP to establish and build Frank, Rimerman Advisors LLC.
After a successful career, Farrar-Rivas saw the need for an independent, sustainable wealth advisory and joined four partners founding Veris in July of 2007. Farrar-Rivas leads Veris' partnership with Envestnet Asset Management co-building the Sustainability Platform: America's leading sustainable investing platform.
Maximilian Martin - Martin serves as a Visiting Professor at the University of Geneva and lectures at the University of St. Gallen. Previous engagements include serving as Head of Research at the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, Senior Consultant with McKinsey & Company, instructor at Harvard's Economics Department, and Fellow at the Center for Public Leadership at the John F. Kennedy School of Government.
His research focuses on the relationship between globalization, social entrepreneurship and philanthropy, and emerging cross-sector value creation opportunities in this space. In 2003, he developed the first university course on social entrepreneurship in Europe for the University of Geneva and the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship. In 2003-2004, he conceptualized and then set up the UBS Philanthropy Services model and the UBS Philanthropy Forum.
Martin holds a Master in Anthropology from Indiana University, a Master in Public Administration from Harvard University, and a PhD in Economic Anthropology from the University of Hamburg, Germany.
Raul Pomares - Pomares serves as a Portfolio Manager for clients of Guggenheim Wealth Management. In addition, Pomares specializes in global Social, Mission & Sustainability Investment (SMSI) programs for foundations and clients seeking social impact from their portfolio.
Prior to joining Guggenheim, Pomares was Co-founder and Director of Client Services for a boutique wealth management firm that specialized in comprehensive estate planning and investment advisory services for private family offices and individuals. Prior to that, he was a Financial Planner and Investment Advisor with AXA Advisors.
Earlier in his career, Pomares gained experience as an International Private Banker for Bank of America and completed various international consulting projects for private investors. He received his degree in International Business Management from the University of San Francisco.
Sean Stannard-Stockton - As a principal at Ensemble Capital Management, Sean Stannard-Stockton is director of tactical philanthropy and manages client portfolios.
Stannard-Stockton authors the column "On Philanthropy" for the Financial Times and writes the blog Tactical Philanthropy, which has been cited by the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times.
Stannard-Stockton speaks regularly on the trends defining what he calls The Second Great Wave of Philanthropy and is often quoted in the media. He is a member of the World Economic Forum's Global Agenda Council on Philanthropy and Social Investing.
