Event Speakers

Go Back

Catherine is the Investment Director for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, a pediatric healthcare system with a $4 billion portfolio. Her responsibilities include development of the Investment Policy, setting asset allocation targets, researching investment opportunities, performing manager searches and due diligence for new investments, negotiating partnership terms and conditions, and performing ongoing monitoring of investment portfolio, including its 17.5% allocation to alternative assets. She previously worked with Arthur Andersen, Northside Hospital, and Atlanta Capital Management Company. She graduated with a B.S. from Providence College.

Dean is a VP and Investment Strategist in SunTrust’s Employee Benefit Solutions group. He partners with client service teams to provide consultative investment management services to defined contribution plan clients. Previously, he was at Fifth Third Bank, Wells Fargo, Harris myCFO, and Bank of America in various investment positions advising High Net Worth and Institutional Clients. He has served as the President of the Atlanta Society of Finance and Investment Professionals and as a Society Leader of the CFA Institute. He earned his B.S. from University of Florida and an MBA from Clark Atlanta University.

David started his investment career in 2000 and joined NEPC in 2011. His consulting responsibilities and background include servicing public pension plans, corporate pension plans, endowments, and foundations. David serves as a member of NEPC’s International and Global Equity Research Advisory Group. Prior to joining NEPC, David was a Senior Investment Consultant at Hewitt EnnisKnupp where he held a variety of leadership roles, such as heading the U.S.-based global, non-U.S., and emerging markets equity research for the firm’s Global Investment Management team. During his tenure at Hewitt EnnisKnupp, he authored several technical research papers and reports on investment topics such as portfolio transition management, credit default swaps, 401(k) plan design, active versus passive management, and soft dollars. Before Hewitt EnnisKnupp, David was an Investment Consultant with Towers Watson Investment Consulting. David received his BBA in Finance from Georgia Southern University and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. He is a member of the CFA Institute and a member of The CFA Society of Atlanta. David also holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designation. Prior to his investment career, David served three years on active duty in the United States Army followed by two years in the Florida National Guard.

Jason Blackwell is a Principal in Mercer’s Wealth business. He is a senior consultant within the Wealth Manager Solutions group where he assists clients in manager selection, portfolio construction and asset allocation. Jason is also an active member of several of Mercer’s North American Strategic Research Teams (SRTs); he chairs the team responsible for developing education materials and thought leadership on Alternatives and is a member of both the Wealth Management and the Environmental, Social & Governance SRTs. He is based in Atlanta. Jason received a Bachelor of Arts (Economics) from the University of Colorado-Boulder. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designations and is a member of the Atlanta Society of Finance and Investment Professionals.

Zack returned to Emory Investment Management in 2017. His responsibilities include investment research, monitoring and due diligence within the Private Markets and Natural Resources segments. Zack has held a variety of investment and operations roles at EIM, with much of his work focused on the private markets portfolio. Prior to rejoining Emory, he was a generalist investment professional at Phillips Exeter Academy’s endowment with responsibility for investment research and monitoring across public and private markets. He is an MBA graduate of Emory University's Goizueta Business School and received his BS in Finance from the University of Maine. Zack is a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) charterholder.