Speakers

Elena Mervine focuses on performing buy and sell-side due diligence for private equity firms, lenders, independent sponsors, family offices, and strategic buyers and sellers. With more than 16 years of experience in finance, public accounting, and transaction diligence, she serves clients throughout the lifecycles of transactions and assesses quality of earnings, working capital, financial reporting infrastructure, profitability, and value drivers of operations.

Marisa Messana’s experience includes over 15 years of training to compete at the highest level of professional golf, while partnering with brands who prioritize optimized technology, innovation and performance. Marisa exudes high performance and shares her solutions to maintaining resilience and human optimization through her notable speaking engagements.

Marisa was the first female student athlete at Clemson to receive the Elite 90 Award at the D1 NCAA National Championship for her 4.0 GPA, and she was inducted into Clemson’s Academic Hall of Fame as, “the most decorated student athlete in Clemson history”.

After finishing her masters, Marisa played professionally full time for 3 years, then launched her Sports Illustrated channel, “Marisa’s Minute.” Marisa shares instructional golf content and memorable golf experiences through her magnetic energy and her dynamic experience competing and coaching.

Allie Colman works with a wide range of clients in the technology industry. Many of her clients are C corporations, both public and private. Allie frequently works with clients who experience both inbound and outbound foreign transactions. Laws differ by country and she enjoys helping her clients understand what they need to know from a US tax perspective as it can often be overwhelming. Historically, Allie has worked with clients across a variety of industries, such as manufacturing and distribution, food and beverage, and retail.

Jess Love is a Vice President at BlackArch with a focus on the firm's Life Science & Healthcare group. Prior to joining BlackArch, Jess practiced as a corporate and M&A attorney with Alston & Bird LLP and Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP. Jess earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, with highest distinction, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and a Morehead-Cain Scholar. She also earned a Juris Doctor, with honors, from the University of North Carolina School of Law, where she was a member of the North Carolina Banking Institute Journal. Jess lives in Belmont, just outside of Charlotte, with her husband and three children.

Michelle Jacobs co-founded Womaness in 2020 with her Co-founder Sally Mueller, driven by the mission to rewrite the myths around aging and mid-life, Womaness provides trusted advice and innovative solutions for changing minds, bodies, and sex drive. Partnering with doctors and experts to ensure individuals live and feel their best from the inside out. Womaness believes in embracing every stage of life with vitality and confidence. Womaness has become more than just a brand but a movement reshaping the conversation of modern wellness. Prior to Womaness, Michelle had a long career in brand development and marketing. She worked at Real Simple Magazine, Pfizer Consumer healthcare and Qurate/Home Shopping Network and received her MBA from NYU STERN in 2003. 

Marissa B. Wiley advises companies and individuals around the world on private equity transactions, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and corporate governance. Marissa has particular experience in the fashion, beauty, entertainment, technology, manufacturing, clean energy, healthcare, and food and beverage industries

Two things shaped Aysha Saeed’s life: her late father’s love of European fashion and immigrating to the US from Pakistan at the age of 12. While teen years are hard for everyone, Aysha’s were especially challenging trying to fit into the American culture and having English as a second language. However, she was able to seek comfort in fashion and consciously used it to create her identity, build her confidence, and provide the needed support for her future endeavors.

Seeking a safe career path, she entered the finance industry working for Fortune 500 institutions only to realize this was not her passion. That’s when she decided to take the plunge and enter the world of fashion. Without a fashion degree or experience, she made the daring move to design silhouettes utilizing embroidery and unique hand-printed fabrics sourced from Lahore, Pakistan, and Mumbai, India. She then developed a stunning portfolio catered to top-line luxury design houses in Milan and Paris.

After an extensive labor of love and hard work, Aysha made her mark and had the privilege to create silhouettes showcasing her embroidery designs for brands such as Dolce & Gabbana, Dior, Kritzia, and La Perla, among others. It was these world-renowned fashion houses that gave Aysha the training, education, and hands-on experience that led her to create her eponymous brand,
AYSHA NY.

Today AYSHA NY stands for accessible luxury that is authentic, feminine, and sustainable; proudly dressing moms to moguls.  

Phyllis Kurlander Costanza, As Principal and Chief Social Investment Officer at Advanced Portfolio Management's Social Investment Solutions division, she leads the development of a Social Index and associated funds targeting companies excelling in both social impact and financial performance.

Previously, Phyllis served as CEO of UBS Optimus Foundation and Global Head of Social Impact for 11 years. Under her leadership, the foundation's annual giving grew from $10 million to over $200 million. Her team pioneered innovative financing models, launching the first Development Impact Bond in India with Educate Girls and the first Social Success Note in Uganda with Yunus Social Business.

Her extensive experience in social finance, innovative funding models, and leadership roles in prominent foundations make her a highly sought-after speaker at universities and conferences worldwide.

Phyllis has also worked in government for Governor Mario Cuomo of New York, and holds a Master's Degree in Public Policy from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.