Our Team

Rich joined GEM in January 2008 and has over 25 years of experience in the financial industry, most of which has been spent on accounting and compliance for alternative investments. Rich began his career as an auditor at RSM in New York City and has worked at investment firms in Charlotte and New York, including Blue Ridge Capital. He graduated cum laude from the State University of New York at Albany in 1991 with a B.S. in Accounting and is licensed as a CPA in the State of New York.

Virginia Adams is an Analyst on the Client Strategy team at Global Endowment Management (GEM). In this role, she is responsible for producing client materials, responding effectively to client requests, and providing support to the firm’s business development efforts. Virginia joined GEM in 2023 after completing the firm’s Summer Analyst Program in 2022. She received a B.A. in both Economics (magna cum laude) and Hispanic Studies from Davidson College, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

Mark joined GEM’s Operations team in February 2021. He previously held Associate roles at Citco Risk & Transparency Products, Citco Fund Services, and Provident Funding Associates. Mark holds a B.S.B.A. in Investments from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is a CFA Charterholder.

Alexandra joined GEM’s sourcing team in August 2021 following a two-year position as Miss North Carolina through the Miss America Scholarship Organization. Alexandra holds a B.S.B.A. in Risk Management, Insurance and Finance from the University of South Carolina Honors College.

Matt joined GEM in March 2018 following six years as a Partner at Windhorse Capital Management, an Outsourced-CIO that became part of New Providence Asset Management. Prior to that, he spent five years at Goldman, Sachs & Co. in New York. Matt supports Stephanie Lynch in leading GEM’s investor service efforts.  He holds a B.A. in Government from Dartmouth College where he graduated with honors, and an M.B.A. from Tuck School of Business. He is also a CFA Charterholder.

Kelly joined GEM in December 2014. Previously, she worked with the private investment team at UNC Management Company, the endowment office for the University of North Carolina system. Kelly graduated summa cum laude from Florida State University and beta gamma sigma from the Masters of Science in Finance program at Vanderbilt University. She currently serves on the Advisory Board for the MSF program at Vanderbilt and is a CFA Charterholder.

Elly joined GEM in April 2019 . She was previously a Capital Formation Associate at Social Finance, a Research Associate at LSU Economics Policy & Research Group, and a Manager Selection Analyst with JP Morgan Chase & Co. Elly graduated from The University of Virginia in 2015 with a B.S. in Finance and is a CFA Charterholder.

Blake joined the GEM team in March 2021. He previously held roles as Senior Systems Engineer with Logically, and Systems Engineer with Network Computing Technologies. Blake served in the US Army from 2003 through 2011 and was awarded a Purple Heart during his service. Blake holds a B.S. in Psychology from Louisiana Tech University, and is a Microsoft Certified Expert: Azure Solutions Architect.

Jennah joined GEM in January 2020. She previously was a Staff Tax Accountant at Ernst & Young. Jennah holds a B.S. in Accounting and a Masters of Accounting from North Carolina State University, and is a CPA.

Courtland Buchan is an Associate Director of Trading Operations at Global Endowment Management (GEM). In this role, he directly supports the Chief Investment Officer by modeling and executing trades across all asset classes, and coordinates with trading partners and counterparties to facilitate trade settlements. Prior to joining GEM in 2022, Courtland worked as a Portfolio Manager at Wells Fargo Wealth Management and is an alumnus of the Wells Fargo Wealth and Investment Management Analyst talent development program. He received a B.B.A in Finance (cum laude) from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Courtland holds the Series 65 License and is a CFA Charterholder.

Elise joined GEM in July 2013. She focuses primarily on creating and producing investor-facing materials, from presentations to facilitate client meetings to content for GEM’s annual investor conference. Elise graduated from Davidson College with a B.A. in Art History.

Kevin joined GEM in August 2021. Previously, he was a software engineer at ZOLL Medical, a company focused on novel resuscitation and acute critical care technology. He has a B.S. in Computer Engineering from Wentworth Institute of Technology.

Allie joined GEM in June 2015 as an Administrative Associate, and transitioned to Performance Reporting Associate in 2019. She holds a B.S. in Biology from Salem College.

Pu-Ning joined GEM’s Impact Investing team in January 2022 after working as a Venture Capital Analyst at both Fresenius Medical Care Ventures and Trans-Pacific Technology Fund. She was previously an Associate Brand Manager at MilliporeSigma, Merck KGaA. Pu-Ning holds a B.S. in Neuroscience and M.A. in Biotechnology from Brown University.

Adam joined GEM in March 2015. He was previously P&L Manager at Citco Fund Administration, and a supervisor at hedge fund administrator AlphaMetrix360. Adam graduated from The Ohio State University in 2009 with a B.S.B.A. in Finance and International Business Administration, and is a CFA Charterholder.

Avery joined GEM in January 2018 and is the person on call to support GEM's clients. Previously, she was the Office Manager and Assistant to the owner at Steenhaus, LLC. Avery holds a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Georgia.

Harry joined GEM in November 2021 after three years at Pacific Western Bank as an Analyst and then a Client Manager. He was previously an Analyst at Credit Suisse. Harry has a B.S.B.A. in Finance from Elon University and is a CFA Charterholder.

Matt joined GEM in March 2011. Previously, he spent five years as a Senior Auditor at Deloitte. Matt graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.A. in Economics in 2005 and a Masters in Accounting in 2006. He is a CPA and CFA Charterholder.

Jillian came to GEM in September 2018. Prior to joining, she was selected as a Henry Luce Foundation Scholar and spent a year in Japan as a Research Analyst for the Institute of Developing Economies within the Japanese External Trade Organization. Jillian studied Mathematical Economics at Wake Forest University; she graduated summa cum laude in 2017 and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

Caroline joined GEM in May 2018. She was previously Assistant Vice President of Institutional Equity Sales with FBR Capital Markets, and Assistant Vice President in BB&T Corporation’s Private Wealth Management Group. Caroline graduated from Davidson College in 2012 and holds a B.A. in English.

Sal joined GEM in July 2015 and is a Principal on Investments Team. Prior to his current role, he served as an Associate, Senior Analyst, and Analyst. Sal studied Economics at Davidson College, where he graduated magna cum laude and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He is a CFA Charterholder.

Mamie joined GEM in July 2014; prior to her current role she was GEM’s Fund Controller. Previously, she was a Senior Associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Mamie graduated from Davidson College in 2009 with a B.A. in Economics, and received her M.Acc. with Highest Academic Distinction from Wake Forest University in 2010. She is a Certified Public Accountant.

Porter Durham is a Co-Founder, Partner, and Counsel at Global Endowment Management (GEM). In this role, Porter provides strategic oversight of the firm’s legal operations. Prior to GEM, he served as Staff Counsel and Director of the Education Division of The Duke Endowment, as well as Chairman of the Corporate and Securities Department at Baker Donelson law firm. He is currently chair of the Duke Law School Board of Visitors and serves as a Trustee of the National Humanities Center, the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, the Oxford American Literary Project, and Trinity Episcopal School. He is a former Trustee of Johnson C. Smith University. He graduated cum laude from Duke University and the Duke University School of Law.

Jillian joined GEM in January 2022 after two years as an Associate Home Advisor with Better Mortgage. Before that, she was a Personal Banker at PNC. Jillian holds a B.A. in Art History, Criticism, and Conservation from The University of North Carolina Charlotte.

Nick Ely is a Support Engineer of Systems and Technology at Global Endowment Management (GEM). In this role, Nick is responsible for providing IT support to all employees. Prior to joining GEM in 2023, Nick held engineer and IT support roles at Caddis Technology Group, WVU Medicine, Crown Castle, and RadioShack.

Torrey joined GEM in July 2012, serving first on GEM’s Investor Services Team, and now supporting clients with vintage assets. Torrey is also a Certified Diversity Professional and supports GEM’s diversity and inclusivity efforts both internally and externally. Previously, Torrey served as Assistant to the President and Director of Corporate Relations at Johnson C. Smith University, and was Publisher at PRIDE Magazine. Torrey holds a B.A. in Speech, Communication and Rhetoric from Wake Forest University.

Ted joined GEM in March 2022 after a year as a Client Operations Associate at BMO Family Office. He was previously a Senior Investment Analyst at RVK. He holds a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from the University of Oregon.

Jack Finegan is an Analyst on the Investments team at Global Endowment Management (GEM). In this role, he is responsible for sourcing, evaluating, and monitoring investments and researching investment theses. Prior to joining GEM in 2023, Jack worked as an Investment Banking Analyst at Bank of America. He received a B.S. in Finance from Wake Forest University and holds the Series 63 and Series 79 licenses.

Amanda Gadsden is an Associate Director on the Communications team at Global Endowment Management (GEM). In this role, she is responsible for providing strategic direction and execution on GEM's internal and external marketing and communications functions. Prior to joining GEM in 2022, Amanda worked as an Associate Director of Global Marketing at Barings. Amanda received a B.S. in Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an M.B.A with a Marketing Analytics concentration from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Clark joined GEM's Investments Team in July 2019 after completing the 2018 Summer Analyst program. He holds a B.S. in Computer Science and a B.A. in Asian & Middle Eastern Studies from Duke University where he graduated with Academic Distinction, and is a CFA Charterholder.

Heather joined GEM in March 2022 after serving as Managing Director and Chief Marketing Officer at Black Creek Group (acquired by Ares Management Company). Prior to her time with Black Creek, Heather was Vice President of Marketing for Fidelity Investments, focusing on Sector and ETF investments. In addition, she held several senior positions at Janus Henderson Investments, Old Mutual Investment Partners, and Transamerica. Heather was a founding member of the Colorado chapter of Women in ETFs, an organization that brings together people across the world in the ETF industry to promote equality, diversity and inclusion. She graduated cum laude with a B.A. from Boston University in English, and has an M.S. from the University of Denver in Communications. She also holds Series 7, 26, and 63 Designations.

Kate joined GEM’s Client Strategy team in June 2021. Prior to GEM, she was the Controller at Falfurrias Capital Partners where she supported finance, operations, and investor relations for the firm. Kate began her career as an Associate with PwC in their Private Client Assurance practice. Kate graduated cum laude with a B.S. in Accounting from Florida State University, and an M.S. in Accounting from the University of Tampa where she graduated summa cum laude. She is a Certified Public Accountant and serves on the Board of a local non-profit, Carolina Breast Friends.

Meredith Lorenz Heimburger is a Partner and Head of Impact at Global Endowment Management. As Head of Impact, Meredith partners with GEM’s clients to align their investment programs with their values and mission. Meredith and her team aim to meet these clients where they are to help them fulfill both their impact and investment objectives.<br>Prior to joining GEM in 2012, Meredith spent seven years with Teach For America. She served first as a classroom teacher and then as a member of the staff, leading the expansion of the organization’s presence in new and developing regions across the U.S. <br>Meredith is a trustee and chair of the finance committee for the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation, which promotes sustainable solutions to human and environmental problems. She is also a member of the Davidson College Board of Visitors and a trustee of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library Foundation. She is an active member of several organizations that focus on leveraging assets for positive impact, including The ImPact and The Philanthropy Workshop (TPW). <br>Meredith received her B.A. in English with a concentration in Gender Studies from Davidson College.

Heather Hybarger is a Manager, Human Capital at Global Endowment Management (GEM). In this role, she manages and supports the routine functions of the Human Capital department including talent acquisition, payroll and benefits administration, performance management, and enforcing and maintaining company policies and practices. Prior to joining GEM in 2023, she spent five years in staffing roles, recruiting for multiple industries and sectors such as accounting, information technology, legal, administration, and sales. She managed all payroll, policies and handbook updates, disciplinary hearings, and benefits for 13 countries while working for a UK-based company. Heather received a B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte

David Jarret is an Analyst on the Investments team at Global Endowment Management (GEM). In this role, he is responsible for assisting with manager diligence, monitoring existing portfolio relationships, sourcing new ideas, and conducting market research on areas of interest. David joined GEM in 2022 after completing the firm’s Summer Analyst program in 2021. He received a B.B.A in Finance and a B.A in History (summa cum laude) from the University of Notre Dame and was a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma and Phi Alpha Theta Honors Societies.

CJ joined GEM in March 2022 after two years as an Investment Associate at Dimensional Fund Advisors . He holds a B.S. in Business Administration and a B.A. in Peace, War, & Defense from The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill where he graduated with highest distinction.

Sam Johnston is a member of the Administration, Facilities, and Office Management team at Global Endowment Management (GEM). In this role, she serves as the face of GEM, managing and assisting with all aspects of day-to-day office management in support of both associates and guests. Prior to joining GEM in 2022, she was a Service Experience Professional at LPL Financial. Sam received a B.A. in Humanities from Wofford College.

Alex Kocher is a Director on the Client Strategy Team at Global Endowment Management. Previously, he held roles on the Public Investments team. Prior to joining GEM in July 2014, Alex was an Investment Banking Analyst in Jefferies' Consumer and Retail group. Alex graduated from The College of William & Mary with a B.B.A in Finance and a double major in International Relations. He is a CFA Charterholder.

Matt was a GEM Analyst from 2012-2015, and re-joined the Investment Team in August 2018 following a three year post at Dorsey Asset Management. Matt graduated magna cum laude from the University of Notre Dame in 2012 with a BS in Finance, and is a CFA Charterholder.

Abby joined GEM in October 2018 following five years as an Executive Assistant and Preferred Banking Associate at First Republic Bank. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2012 with a B.F.A. in Dance Performance.

Jason joined GEM's Investments Team in July 2019 after completing the 2018 Summer Analyst program. He holds a B.S. in Commerce and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Virginia and is a CFA Charterholder.

Stephanie Lynch is a Co-Founder and the Managing Partner at Global Endowment Management (GEM). As GEM’s Managing Partner, Stephanie provides strategic direction for the firm and oversees its daily operations. Stephanie also leads the Client Strategy team where she heads client relationships, partners with client committees and staff, and supports investment policy development. Prior to GEM, she served as the Chief Investment Officer at The Duke Endowment. She was also a portfolio manager at INVESCO Capital Management and Trade Street Investment Services. Stephanie is currently a Trustee for The Thacher School and is a member of the Investment Committee for the Baby J. Fund, a private foundation supporting research for pediatric cancers. She previously served as Trustee of the Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center Foundation and was a Director of Novant Asset Management Co. Stephanie received a B.S. in Finance from Florida State University and is a CFA Charterholder.

Sue joined GEM in June 2013; prior to her current role, she was an Administrative Associate and then an Associate on our Legal team. Previously, she was a court stenographer for Diamond Court Reporting, Inc. Sue graduated from Stenotopia Business School.

Danielle joined GEM in 2010 and has her PHR and SHRM-CP certifications in human resources. She graduated with a B.A. in History and International Studies from Queens University of Charlotte in 2007 and earned her M.S. in Human Resources Development from Villanova University in 2015.

Mackenzie joined GEM in March 2022 after spending two years as the Director of Programming at the Soccer Foundation of Charlotte. She holds a B.A., magna cum laude, in Sport Communication and a M.A., summa cum laude, in Communication, Technology & Society from Clemson University.

Alex joined GEM in June 2015; prior to her current role she was a Senior Fund Accountant and Vintage & Special Investments Administrator. Alex graduated magna cum laude from Davidson College in 2015 with a B.A. in Latin American Studies; she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

Lauren Murray is an Analyst, Client Strategy at Global Endowment Management (GEM). In this role, she is responsible for portfolio analysis and communication, producing client materials, and responding effectively to requests in support of the firm’s client relationships. Prior to joining GEM in 2022, Lauren worked as an Investment Banking Analyst at Piper Sandler. She received a B.S. in Business Administration from Washington and Lee University.

Michael joined GEM in June 2017. He has held positions on GEM's Private Investment and Operations Teams, and is currently the Director of Investment Operations. He previously worked for Bank of America Merrill Lynch as a Corporate Strategy & Development Analyst. He graduated from Appalachian State University in 2014 and holds a B.S.B.A. in Finance & Banking; he is also a CFA Charterholder.

Daman Papneja is an Analyst on the Investment Operations team at Global Endowment Management (GEM). In this role, he supports the Investments team by assisting with operational and reporting deliverables, streamlining data processes, and automating reporting and analytics. Prior to joining GEM in 2023, Daman worked as a Financial Analyst at Better Mortgage. He received a B.A. in Economics from University of Delhi and an M.S. in Quantitative Management from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.

Rebecca Payne is a Senior Administrative Associate on the Client Strategy team at Global Endowment Management (GEM). In this role, she provides administrative support to Matt Bank (Partner) and the Client Strategy team. Prior to joining GEM in 2022, Rebecca was a Senior Administrative Coordinator at Mercer. She received a B.A. in Sociology and Criminology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Dogan Perese is the Chief Operating Officer at Global Endowment Management (GEM). In this role, he works across GEM’s business units to oversee the daily operations of the firm. Dogan manages the execution of business plans and provides oversight of all systems, processes, workflows, and procedures. Prior to joining GEM in 2023, Dogan spent 14 years at Bridgewater Associates serving in various roles, including COO of Infrastructure Technology, COO of Client Services and Marketing and, most recently, Co-head of Investment Operations. He began his career as an associate at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP. Dogan also serves as a board member for the Museum of Contemporary Art in Westport, CT, and is the Co-Chair of the Heida Hermanns Piano Competition. He received a B.A. in Environmental Science and Public Policy from Harvard College and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Lindsay joined GEM in November 2011 and is a Director of Portfolio Reporting. She first served as Coordinator on the Public Investments Team, then as an Operations Associate and Performance Reporting Manager. Lindsay graduated cum laude from Providence College in 2011 and holds a B.S. in Marketing. She also holds the Certificate in Investment Performance Measurement (CIPM) accreditation in the field of investment performance analysis.

Hannah Rahill, CFA is an Associate Director, Client Strategy at Global Endowment Management (GEM). In this role, Hannah is responsible for client portfolio management and engagement, development of investment strategy, leading analytical projects for client institutions, and ensuring quality control for all client deliverables. Prior to joining GEM in 2023, Hannah worked as a Portfolio Management Associate for Stegner Investment Associates. Prior to that, she worked for RQSI, a systematic quantitative fund. Hannah began her career at JPMorgan. Hannah received a B.A. in Economics from Davidson College and is a CFA Charterholder.

Jay Ripley is the Head of Investments and Deputy Managing Partner at Global Endowment Management (GEM). In this role, he leads an integrated investment team covering public, private, and impact investing. Prior to joining GEM in 2014, he spent six years at Stone Point Capital, a leading private equity firm. He received a B.B.A. in Finance from the University of Georgia.

Ron Rubin is a Senior Fund Accountant at Global Endowment Management (GEM). In this role, he oversees portfolio activity and accounting. He also assists with monthly and quarterly processes and reconciliations, helps prepare investor deliverables, and completes audit requests. Prior to joining GEM in 2022, Ron was a Senior Accountant at Flores & Associates. Before that, he was a Senior Assurance Associate at Ernst & Young. Ron received a B.A. in both Psychology and Global Studies (highest distinction) as well as a Master of Accounting (salutatorian) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Andrew joined GEM’s compliance function in April 2017. Previously, he was an Internal Auditor in BB&T’s Securities division, and a Compliance Staff Auditor with Lincoln Financial Group. He also completed a two year Leadership Preparation Program at Lincoln Financial Group where he served as a Financial and Investment Analyst. Andrew graduated cum laude from Liberty University in 2007 with a B.S. in Kinesiology and Exercise Science, and received his J.D. from Liberty University School of Law in 2010.

Tommy joined GEM in October 2021 after serving as an Associate at Apex Group Ltd. He was previously a Private Equity Investment Accountant at SEI. Tommy graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Economics and Finance from Liberty University.

Mike Smith, CFA is a Partner and Chief Investment Officer at Global Endowment Management (GEM). In this role, Mike is responsible for developing the firm’s investment policy, as well as overseeing active asset allocation and risk management strategies. Prior to joining GEM in 2010, Mike served as the founding Chief Investment Officer at the University of Florida Investment Management Company. Prior to that, he was an Investment Manager at the Duke University Management Company (DUMAC). He joined DUMAC from Hewitt Investment Group, where he was the Director of Research. He currently serves on the board of the Gator Student Investment Fund. He received a B.S. in Finance from the University of Florida and is a CFA Charterholder.

Julianne joined GEM’s Client Strategy team as an Analyst in June 2021. Prior to GEM she was a Corporate Banking Analyst with J.P. Morgan. Julianne holds a B.B.A. in Finance and Applied Math from The University of Notre Dame; she graduated summa cum laude.

Allison joined GEM in May 2015. Previously, she was Account Manager at Pinnacle Fund Administration. Allison holds a B.A. in Business Administration from Queens University of Charlotte where she graduated in 2009.

Alicia joined GEM in March 2019. Previously, she was Office Manager at The Organic Maids, and Operations Manager and Chiropractic Assistant at Keith Clinic Chiropractic. She holds a B.A. in Business Management from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she graduated in 2015.

Keegan joined GEM in July 2019 after graduating magna cum laude from Clemson University with a B.S. in Financial Management.

Jen joined GEM in May 2009 as a Senior Fund Accountant after working as an Audit Staff at Deloitte &amp; Touche, LLP for 2 years. She became the Finance and Tax Manager in 2012 and the Director of Finance and Tax in 2016. She graduated from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.S. in Business Administration in 2006 and a Master of Accounting in 2007. She is a certified public accountant in North Carolina.

Charlie joined GEM in June 2017 and manages the firm’s IT systems and infrastructure. Previously, he worked as a Systems Engineer for Corporate Information Technologies and as a Network Solutions Architect for Rhino Networks. He is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (ISC2), GIAC Certified Incident Handler (SANS), and a member of the Charlotte ISSA chapter.

Molly joined GEM in September 2020 following a Tax Manager role at Deloitte Tax LLP. Molly holds a B.S. in Accounting from The University of South Carolina where she graduated magna cum laude, and a Masters of Accounting from The University of Virginia. She is a CPA.

Cole joined GEM in September 2021. Previously he was an Analyst and then an Analytic Consultant at Wells Fargo Advisors. He holds a B.S. in Finance from the University of South Carolina.

Katie Yau is an Associate, Graphic Production on the Communications team at Global Endowment Management (GEM). In her role, Katie is responsible for designing and assisting in the production of print and electronic marketing and communication materials. Prior to joining GEM in 2022, Katie was the Creative Designer at Akpesiri, leading their product designing and brand marketing initiatives. Prior to that, she was a Product Designer at Belk. Katie received a B.F.A. with honors in Apparel and Textile Design from Michigan State University.

Brandon joined GEM in September 2021, after five years as a Program Officer on the K-12 Education team at the Walton Family Foundation. There, he managed a portfolio of education investments across the US focused on engaging communities to create solutions that led to better education outcomes, advocating for policy that improved school systems, and developing the next wave of leaders for equitable education. Prior to that, he was a Senior Administrator and Director of Admission at Church Farm School. Brandon is a Trustee of Freedom School Partners, as well as the Chair and Treasurer of the SchermCo Foundation in Charlotte. Brandon holds a B.S. in Psychology from Davidson College and an Ed.M. from Harvard University.

Albert Zue is a Director on the Client Strategy team at Global Endowment Management (GEM). In this role, he is responsible for client portfolio management and engagement. He supports the development of clients’ investment strategy, leads analytical projects for client institutions, and ensures quality control for all client deliverables. Prior to joining GEM in 2023, Albert spent 15 years as an investor at JPMorgan serving the firm’s private bank and OCIO clients. Most recently, he served as the Banker and Team Lead for J.P. Morgan Private Bank’s Charlotte office. Albert also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra. He received a B.S. in Applied Economics & Management from Cornell University and is a CFA Charterholder.