Investment Professionals
David F. Swensen ’80 PhD
Chief Investment Officer
David Swensen is Yale's Chief Investment Officer. Prior to joining Yale in 1985, David spent six years on Wall Street, where his work focused on developing new financial technologies. He authored two books: Pioneering Portfolio Management: An Unconventional Approach to Institutional Investment and Unconventional Success: A Fundamental Approach to Personal Investment. Mr. Swensen has taught in Yale College since 1980.
David advised the President of the United States as a member of the President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board. In 2008, he was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. He has advised the Brookings Institution, the University of Cambridge, the Carnegie Corporation, the Carnegie Institution, Hopkins School, the New York Stock Exchange, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, TIAA-CREF, Yale-New Haven Hospital, and the States of Connecticut and Massachusetts. David graduated from the University of Wisconsin, River Falls in 1975. He earned his Ph.D in Economics at Yale in 1980. A longtime stalwart of the Stock Jocks - 2010 Yale Graduate-Professional Softball League Champions - he bats second and anchors the defense at first base.
Dean Takahashi ’80, ’83 MPPM
Senior Director
Dean Takahashi, Senior Director, joined the YIO in 1986 and has broad portfolio responsibilities working with office staff and external managers. He also deals with asset allocation, spending policy, and various University financial policy issues.
Dean received his B.A. in economics in 1980 and his MPPM in 1983 from Yale University. A Lecturer in Economics, Dean teaches a senior economics seminar in Yale College and a course on endowment management at the School of Management. Dean is a contributing author to Managing Investment Portfolios: A Dynamic Process (3rd edition), a CFA Program curriculum textbook.
Currently, Dean is a member of investment committees for the Kresge Foundation, Save the Children, the Foote School, and Choate Rosemary Hall. Dean was formerly a board member of Choate, Foote, the Edith B. Jackson Child Care Program, Asian Community Services of New Haven, the Boston Community Loan Fund, and two NYSE-listed investment companies. Prior to joining the Investments Office, Dean worked at Affirmative Investments in Boston and as a VISTA volunteer in Vermont. During the financial crisis, he briefly served as a Special Governmental Employee at the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Dean is married to Wendy Sharp, who teaches violin and oversees chamber music at Yale. They have two children, Kerry and Kai, who are members of the Yale College classes of 2014 and 2016. The office speedster, Dean bats leadoff, patrols centerfield, and serves as the team's lockdown closer.
Peter H. Ammon ’05 MBA, ’05 MA
Director
Peter Ammon joined the YIO in 2005. He oversees all marketable asset classes (domestic equity, foreign equity, and absolute return), timber, and asset allocation. Prior to his time at Yale, Peter worked at the Princeton University Investment Company. He is currently a Senior Faculty Fellow at the Yale School of Management, where he co-teaches a class on endowment management. He serves on the Investment Advisory Sub-Committee for MCIC, a captive insurance company for teaching hospitals and medical schools, and as co-Treasurer of the Edith B. Jackson Child Care Program in New Haven. Peter graduated from Princeton in 1999 with an A.B. in Politics and became a CFA® charterholder in 2002. He earned an M.A. in International Relations and an MBA from Yale in 2005. Peter has taken a temporary leave of absence from the Stock Jocks in order to spend more time with his family.
Alexander C. Banker
Director
Alex Banker joined the YIO in 1997. He oversees risk management and capital markets activities. Prior to working at Yale, Alex was a senior manager at Coopers & Lybrand in Boston. He served as executive assistant to Bill Moyers at Public Affairs Television and as senior producer for several radio news interview programs on WOR-AM in New York. Alex currently serves as treasurer of both the Hopkins School and the Lingnan Foundation, an organization dedicated to the advancement of higher education in South China. He also chairs the investment committee of Middlesex School. He received a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies from Trinity College in 1983 and an MBA from Harvard University in 1991. Alex much prefers golf to softball.
Alan S. Forman
Director
Alan Forman joined the YIO in 1990. He oversees the Endowment's real estate portfolio. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of Kimpton Group Holdings and serves on the Dartmouth College Investment Committee. He is also a former member of the Board of Trustees of Acadia Realty Trust, a NYSE-listed REIT. Alan received a Bachelor of Arts from Dartmouth College in 1987 and an MBA from the Stern School of Business at New York University in 1990. He became a CFA® charterholder in 1993. During his heyday, Alan won the Stock Jocks' Silver Slugger award too many times to count.
Lisa M. Howie ’00, ’08 MBA
Director
Lisa Howie joined the YIO in 2008. She focuses on the Endowment's foreign equity investments, both marketable and private. Lisa received a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry from Yale College in 2000 and an MBA from the Yale School of Management in 2008. Between college and business school, she worked in non-profit strategy and development. She also became a CFA® charterholder in 2012. Lisa's talents are put to use in both the infield and the outfield of the Stock Jocks defense.
Timothy R. Sullivan ’86
Director
Tim Sullivan joined the YIO in 1986. He oversees the Endowment's private equity portfolio and serves on the advisory boards of numerous private equity partnerships. He is a former Director of NYSE-listed oil company Newfield Exploration. Tim earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Yale in 1986 and became a CFA® charterholder in 1990. Tim is a longtime Boston Red Sox fan and earns his keep on the Stock Jocks at third base.
Carrie A. Abildgaard
Associate Director
Carrie Abildgaard joined the YIO in 2004. She manages the Endowment's fixed income assets and its pools of retirement assets. Prior to working at Yale, she attended Lafayette College, earning bachelors' degrees in Mathematics, Economics, and Spanish in 2004. She became a CFA® charterholder in 2008. A true team player, Carrie plays everywhere from second base to right field.
Celeste P. Benson
Senior Portfolio Manager
Celeste Benson joined the YIO in 1999. She oversees the Endowment's cash management and trading activities. Prior to working at Yale, Celeste worked in Sales and Trading at Merrill Lynch, Oppenheimer, Cowen, and Tucker Anthony. She started her career in Sales at Kidder Peabody in New York and later worked as Assistant Operations Manager for the Kidder Peabody Office in Boston. Celeste earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Kenyon College in 1981. Before retiring from the Stock Jocks, Celeste was the team's best and only pitcher.
Michael E. Finnerty
Associate Director
Mike Finnerty joined the YIO in 2000. His main areas of focus are real estate, derivative activities, and debt financings. Prior to his time at Yale, Mike worked at Lehman Brothers in the Public Finance Division concentrating on higher education clients. He presently serves on the Hartwick College Investment Committee and the Yale-New Haven Health Services Corporation System Investment Committee. He also advises the Yale-New Haven Hospital on its debt financing and derivatives activities. Mike graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Hartwick College in 1992 and earned an MBA with honors from Boston University in 1998. Mike has taken a temporary leave of absence from the Stock Jocks to pursue a career as his son Patrick's little league coach.
R. Alexander Hetherington ’06
Associate Director
Alex Hetherington joined the YIO in 2006, where he works on the natural resources and absolute return portfolios, and helps determine spending policy and asset allocation. He graduated from Yale College in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science and Economics and became a CFA® charterholder in 2010. Alex is a former captain of the Stock Jocks and is fondly remembered by his players as a true players' manager.
Matthew S. T. Mendelsohn ’07
Senior Associate
Matt Mendelsohn joined the YIO in 2007. He focuses on the private equity and timber portfolios, in addition to helping with asset allocation. Matt graduated from Yale College in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in Physics and became a CFA® charterholder in 2011. Matt recently ended a successful three-year stint as Stock Jocks captain and remains the team's biggest home-run threat.
John V. Ricotta ’08
Senior Associate
John Ricotta joined the YIO in 2008, where he works primarily on the natural resources portfolio. He graduated from Yale College in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and became a CFA® charterholder in 2012. John generally patrols left field, from which he can keep an eye on his energetic dog.
Cain P. Soltoff ’08
Senior Associate
Cain Soltoff joined the YIO in 2008, where he focuses on the domestic equity and absolute return portfolios. He graduated from Yale College in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Mathematics and became a CFA® charterholder in 2012. Cain possesses massive opposite field power and plays a tight third base.
David S. Katzman ’10
Senior Financial Analyst
David Katzman joined the YIO in 2010, where he focuses on performance analysis and private equity. He graduated from Yale College in 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Mathematics. David is the latest in a long and prestigious line of Stock Jocks' captains.
Nilesh V. Vashee ’09
Senior Financial Analyst
Nilesh Vashee joined the YIO in 2009, where he works on the domestic equity and international private equity portfolios. He graduated from Yale College in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. Nilesh's soccer cleats help him dig into the dirt as he sprints around the basepath.
Xinchen Wang ’09
Senior Financial Analyst
Xinchen Wang joined the YIO in 2009, where she works on the foreign equity and absolute return portfolios. She graduated from Yale College in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Mathematics. Xinchen is the Stock Jocks' physical defensive catcher.
Philip Bronstein ’12
Financial Analyst
Philip Bronstein joined the YIO in 2012, following his graduation from Yale College with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. Philip showed great promise in his rookie softball season.
Florence Dethy ’11
Financial Analyst
Florence Dethy joined the YIO in 2011, following her graduation from Yale College with dual degrees in Economics and Classics. Flo knows how to execute a mean swinging bunt at the plate.
Sebastian Serra ’11
Financial Analyst
Sebastian Serra joined the YIO in 2011, following his graduation from Yale College with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. Hailing from soccer-obsessed Mexico, Sebastian is beginning to embrace the finer points of the game of softball.
Kaiyuan Wang ’11
Financial Analyst
Kaiyuan Wang joined the YIO in 2011, following his graduation from Yale College with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. Kaiyuan excels for the Stock Jocks in the outfield.
David Zhang ’12
Financial Analyst
David Zhang joined the YIO in 2012, following his graduation from Yale College with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. A nagging back injury has kept David on the Stock Jocks’ disabled list.
Legal Professionals
Kenneth R. Miller ’71
Senior Associate General Counsel
Ken Miller has been a member of the YIO since 1987. In addition to working on a broad range of securities regulation and tax planning matters, Ken has helped structure many of the over 100 relationships that the Investments Office has established with external managers. Ken received his B.A. in Urban Studies from Yale University in 1971, an M. Phil. in economics from Oxford University in 1976, a J.D. from the Harvard Law School in 1977, and a M.P.P. from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard in 1977. He became a CFA® charterholder in 2000. Ken recently retired from the Stock Jocks after a long and illustrious career.
Stephanie S. Chan ’97
Associate General Counsel
Stephanie Chan joined the YIO and the Office of the Vice President and General Counsel in 2008. As Associate General Counsel, Stephanie focuses on legal and compliance matters related to the investment and management of the Endowment. Before coming to Yale, Stephanie was an associate in the Investment Management practices of Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr in Boston and Davis Polk and Wardwell in New York. She also worked as a management consultant for Booz Allen & Hamilton prior to law school. Stephanie received her Bachelor of Arts in Ethics, Politics and Economics from Yale College in 1997 and her J.D. from Harvard Law School in 2002. Stephanie contributes to the Stock Jocks' success by not coming anywhere near the field.
Deborah S. Chung
Associate General Counsel
Deborah Chung has been an Associate General Counsel and member of the YIO since 2006. Deborah works on diverse legal matters related to the management of the Endowment, including structuring and reviewing manager relationships and overseeing various compliance efforts. Some of her Endowment-related work has broader reach within the University, such as the advisory committee on investor responsibility and the calculation of assessments on Endowment spending. Deborah received her A.B. degree in the Woodrow Wilson School from Princeton University in 1996 and her J.D. from Harvard Law School in 2000. Deborah is taking a leave of absence from the Stock Jocks until 2024 (when her children become teenagers).
J. Colin Sullivan
Associate General Counsel
Colin Sullivan is an Associate General Counsel of Yale University and has been a member of the Investments Office since 2010. Prior to joining the University, he was an associate in the private investment funds group of Proskauer Rose, representing U.S. and non-U.S. sponsors in private fund formations, regulatory compliance, and operational issues and representing institutional investors in their alternative asset investments. He received a Bachelor of Arts in English from Boston College in 1996, a Masters of Arts in Public Communications from Fordham University in 1999, and a J.D. from Boston University School of Law in 2005. Colin plays a wicked-good shortstop for the Stock Jocks.
