2026 Endowment Leadership Series (Recordings)

Anna Addonisio, CPA, brings more than 25 years of leadership experience across higher education, nonprofit, and private-sector organizations, including 20 years within the State University of New York (SUNY) system, and helped found and launch a medical school. She currently serves as Vice President for Finance and Administration at St. Bonaventure University. Her work spans financial, academic, managerial, and operational leadership, with expertise in accounting operations, grant management, risk management, financial forecasting, and audit oversight. Known as a strategic business partner and transformative change leader, she emphasizes team empowerment, collaborative problem-solving, and shared vision. Addonisio is a certified public accountant in NYS and earned an MBA and a B.S. in Accounting from Binghamton University and has completed executive programs at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Wharton. She is also a Fellow with the American Council on Education.

Tim Baird began his career working in the human resources field with increased responsibility for financial matters. Upon graduation from Geneva, Baird worked in corporate headquarters of Tasty Baking Company (Tastykake) in Philadelphia along with a brief stint at WonderBread/Hostess Cakes as the Assistant HR Manager for the Philadelphia bakery. While working in the HR field, Baird earned a Master’s in Business Administration from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia in 2008. Baird returned to Geneva as the Director of Human Resources in 2005. In 2010, Baird assumed the role of Associate VP of Operations and HR for the College where he managed the personnel and benefits budgets and he lead capital spending for the College. In this and his current role, Baird leads the College’s efforts in the HR, facilities, vendor management, capital planning, construction management, and legal affairs functions. In August 2017, Baird assumed the additional responsibilities of the role of Vice President of Business and Finance. He focuses his efforts on the overall financial strategy, reporting and projections of the College. He provides executive leadership for the treasury and investments in collaboration with the Endowment Investment Committee of the Board.

Seasoned chief financial officer with over 40 years of experience serving large complex for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. Strong strategic financial management expertise using in-depth technical knowledge coupled with effective communication skills. 

Expertise includes: 

• In-depth understanding of strategic planning, financial modeling, risk assessment and tactical planning to achieve strategic goals.
• Trusted and valued team member recognizing the importance of balancing financial and non-financial initiatives inherent in higher education.
• Works closely and collaboratively with board committees and senior leadership to provide an understanding of financial measures, risks, and dependencies of the organization. • Clearly communicates financial impact of initiatives through all levels of the organization.
• Develops creative solutions for organizations being challenged to adapt to market pressures and financial realities.
• Takes a balanced approach to problem solving and recognizes the importance of teamwork to ensure optimal results. 

Proven ability to coordinate multiple stakeholders to align goals to achieve desired outcomes. Additional skills include non-profit tax compliance and reporting, insurance program administration, benefits program evaluation and construction project management.

Jeremy Heer is Managing Director, Investment Research and Engagement at the University of Illinois Foundation. In his role he advances learning, research, and engagement activities within the Investment Office, leading and supporting the Foundation’s thesis-driven and outbound sourcing efforts. Jeremy has previously held investment management roles at the University of Chicago, Singer Partners, UBS, and Morgan Stanley, as well as other financial industry roles at Morgan Stanley and Cargill. Jeremy earned an MBA from New York University and a BS from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is a CFA and CAIA charterholder and an active volunteer for both of these communities.

Jason Hornberger has served the University of Kansas since 2002 and currently holds the position of Vice Provost for Finance. He earned an MBA with an emphasis in finance from the University of Missouri–Kansas City and a Bachelor of Science in accounting and finance from Kansas State University. He is also a Certified Public Accountant (inactive). Hornberger’s previous roles at KU include Assistant Vice Provost for Business Services in the Office of Student Success and Assistant Director in the KU Budget Office. Prior to joining KU, he spent 15 years in the corporate sector, including a decade at Sprint Corporation. He has served as a peer reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission since 2018 and remains active in the Central Association of College & University Business Officers. Hornberger was also selected for the 2020–21 staff fellows program of the National Association of College & University Business Officers (NACUBO).

Melissa is the Controller and Assistant Vice President of Finance at Whittier College, where she oversees accounting operations and leads the finance team. Her responsibilities include internal controls, audit and tax compliance, financial reporting, and strengthening the policies and systems that support the College’s long-term financial health. She sits on the College’s Cabinet and leads Audit Committee meetings, partnering closely with senior leadership and the Board on financial oversight and management. She brings 18 years of experience from the entertainment industry, including leadership roles at Universal Studios Hollywood and NBCUniversal, where she managed financial reporting and enterprise financial systems. After nearly two decades in corporate finance, Melissa transitioned to higher education to pursue mission-driven work with a direct impact on students and institutions. She remains actively involved with Whittier’s Business Administration Department and regularly speaks with accounting students about career pathways and professional growth. In 2025, she was selected to participate in NACUBO’s Emerging Leaders Program. A Whittier College alumna, Class of 2004, Melissa earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and later completed a Master’s in Professional Accounting from Syracuse University. A proud legacy graduate, she has deep ties to the Whittier community. Her mother is a member of the Class of 1978, and her husband, Brandon, is also a 2004 alumnus. Outside of her role at the College, Melissa is active in school and alumni communities and enjoys mentoring students and early-career professionals.

Mark Slayton, CPA, began his career in audit, tax, and business advisory services, spending 14 years with several Rochester, NY firms. During that time, he first connected with SUNY Oswego and the Oswego University Foundation, serving as the Foundation’s audit engagement manager in 1999. In 2000, Mark joined the Oswego University Foundation as Director of Finance, overseeing finances for an organization with under $4 million in assets and a $3 million endowment. Over the past 25 years, his role has grown with the Foundation’s success. Today, he serves as Assistant Vice President for University Advancement Finance and Operations, providing strategic financial oversight and asset management for more than $90 million in assets and an $85 million endowment. Mark works closely with the Foundation’s Board of Directors and its Audit, Finance, and Investment Committees. He also partners with the university’s major gifts team to structure philanthropic commitments that align donor goals with SUNY Oswego’s priorities.

Erin is a member of Wofford College’s Board of Trustees, where she serves as chair of the investment committee, a position she has held for the past five years. During her tenure as chair, she has overseen significant evolution in the endowment’s scale and governance structure, driven by the growth and transformational needs of the college. In addition to her role on the investment committee, Erin also is a member of the operations, audit, and philanthropy and engagement committees. Erin’s professional background includes over 30 years of experience in financial services, most recently in executive leadership positions in strategy, business transformation and enablement for Truist’s Wholesale and Corporate and Investment Banking divisions. Erin holds an International MBA from the University of South Carolina's Moore School of Business and is a magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Wofford, with BA in Business Economics and French. In addition to her role on Wofford’s Board of Trustees, she has served on multiple corporate boards including SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. and Truist Securities, Inc., as well as the National Advisory Board for the non-profit Youth About Business. She and her husband are avid world travelers, having visited 50 countries to date, including diverse locales such as Cambodia, Colombia, Egypt, Russia, Croatia, India, Vietnam and Rwanda. When she is not exploring the world, Erin also enjoys playing amateur detective through genealogy research and spending time in South Carolina’s beautiful natural areas.

Karen Whitney currently serves as Executive Vice President of Student Success Services & Administration (SSS&A) and Chief Financial Officer at National University. In this role, she leads a broad portfolio that includes finance, accounting, treasury, student operations, information technology, and strategic initiatives supporting the student experience. Karen’s career reflects steady advancement in financial leadership. She has held CFO/COO roles at the former National Education Partners/Northcentral University, where she drove financial strategy and operational excellence. Before stepping into CFO positions, she built deep expertise in financial planning and analysis as Senior Vice President at the University of Phoenix and Vice President at Apollo Group. Her foundation began in the real estate and hospitality sectors, where she served in leadership roles at CB Richard Ellis, Trammell Crow Company, and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. She started her career as an auditor with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Karen earned her Master’s in Business Administration from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia and graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Business Administration from Trinity University. She is a licensed Certified Public Accountant.

Jason Edwards joined Adavico in 2018 as the chief operating officer and is instrumental in advancing Adavico’s software and client accounting services divisions. A seasoned veteran of endowments, sub-accounting systems, and pooled fund administration, he focuses on creating company-wide best practices and enhancing product and service offerings. Before Adavico, Jason served as vice president of finance and administration at North Carolina Wesleyan University. He has also served in executive roles within an investment services administration firm and owned and managed a transfer agent providing services to over 100 consolidated investment pools. Jason holds a B.S. in Accounting from North Carolina Wesleyan University. Furthermore, his experiential learning of UPMIFA and FASB compliance standards offers valuable expertise for endowment administration.

Rebecca Farnsworth, CFA, is a senior investment consultant in Mercer’s Not-for-Profit Investments Practice. She is responsible for the investment and oversight of institutional, endowment, and foundation clients, advising on topics including investment objectives, strategic asset allocation, spending policy, investment manager selection, risk strategy, and investment performance.  Before joining Mercer, Rebecca was a senior investment consultant within Vanguard Institutional Advisory Services®. Previously, she was an institutional portfolio manager at The Haverford Trust Company, where she served on the Global Strategy Committee and managed institutional and nonprofit client portfolios and advised on asset allocation, portfolio construction, and investment policy development. Prior, she served as client service officer and partner at Mondrian Investment Partners (U.S.), Inc. Rebecca earned a B.S. in business administration from the University of Pittsburgh. She is a CFA® charterholder, a member of the CFA Institute, and a member of the CFA Society of Philadelphia. Rebecca serves as a member of the Board of Directors and Investment Committee for the Montgomery County Foundation, Inc., an accredited community foundation that manages and distributes charitable funds, primarily to meet needs of residents in Montgomery County, PA.   Rebecca also serves on the Board of Directors for The Pathway School, a nonprofit special education school serving students with Autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disabilities, serious emotional disturbances, and other neurological impairments. 

Nick is a Director and co-leads our Institutional Portfolio Management Group. Nick develops and implements customized investment solutions for complex institutions, including endowments, foundations, pension plans and insurance portfolios. He works closely with staff and boards to ensure that their portfolios are aligned with their distinct goals and risk parameters in addition to reflecting our best investment thinking. Nick has deep expertise in asset allocation, investment policy and portfolio construction, manager selection and risk management. Nick has spent over 20 years at Hirtle Callaghan, previously working as an Analyst and in Institutional Client Development and is also a member of the investment policy committee. Nick began his career at Aberdeen Asset Management. Nick received his B.S. in Accounting and M.B.A. with a concentration in finance from the University of Delaware while also participating as a member of the football team. Nick is a CFA charterholder and a member of The CFA Society of Philadelphia.

John Griffith is a director at Hirtle Callaghan and serves as the firm’s endowment specialist. He has over 28 years of nonprofit experience. Griffith leads the firm’s holistic planning process for institutions, working closely with investment committees to design customized investment programs that are fully aligned with their goals and risk tolerance. He also works directly with endowments on specific, client-driven projects. These projects help committees tackle key strategic issues, including spending policy, liquidity policy, debt ratios and covenants, capital campaigns, operating reserves and governance. From 2003 until 2014, he was the chief financial officer and treasurer of Bryn Mawr College before joining Hirtle Callaghan. Prior to Bryn Mawr, Griffith spent 15 years in various financial roles at the University of New Hampshire. Griffith started his career at Coopers & Lybrand. 

Griffith earned a master's in finance from Bentley University and a bachelor's in business administration from the University of New Hampshire.

Texas Hemmaplardh is responsible for Mercer’s US Endowment & Foundation Investment Practice, providing a spectrum of research, advice, and solutions to over 900 mission-driven non-profits. Based in New York City, Texas leverages his experience to empower Mercer’s endowment and foundation practice to deliver outcomes-driven and values-aligned investments to Mercer’s US and global client base. Texas joined Mercer in 2018 through its acquisition of Pavilion Advisory Group where he had become a Managing Director working with endowment clients. He joined Jeffrey Slocum & Associates in 1997, holding research and investment consulting roles prior to its combination with Pavilion in 2016. Texas holds a BA in Economics from Yale University and an MBA (with honors) from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. He is a CFA® charterholder, and a member of CFA Society New York. Texas is a founding board member of the Goodwill Easter Seals Minnesota Foundation.

Mr. House has more than 30 years of investment experience. His responsibilities include strategic and long-range consulting services with a focus on construction and implementation of custom multi-asset investment portfolios for institutional clients. Mr. House joined The J.K. Meek Group at Graystone Consulting, recognized as one of Barron's 2025 Top 100 Institutional Consulting Teams, in 2019 from Brown Advisory where he was an Endowments and Foundations Portfolio Manager. Prior to Brown Advisory, Mr. House was at Santa Barbara Asset Management and Rittenhouse Asset Management, subsidies of Nuveen Investments, where he served on the Investment Committee and generated domestic and international stock recommendations. Mr. House has contributed to the success of three Morningstar Five-Star mutual funds. Mr. House earned his Bachelor of Arts in History from Southern Methodist University and his Master of Business Administration degree from The Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. He is a member of the Investment Management Committee of the Friends School of Baltimore and the Board of Trustees and Finance Committee of the Chesapeake Bay Trust. In addition, he is a member of the National Business Officers Association (NBOA), the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), and the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE).

Laura has spent more than 25 years helping universities, academic medical centers, and nonprofit organizations strengthen their financial operations and make strategic use of resources. As a leader of Hurons Finance and Operations consulting team, she works with complex institutions to clarify financial practices, improve reporting, and create systems and processes that support long‑term success. Laura’s work focuses on strategic funds management, structuring financial data to support decision-making, and operational improvements enhanced by automation. She helps institutions strengthen foundational financial practices, align resources with priorities, and build structures that make information easier to use and trust. She is known for driving clarity, simplifying complex processes, and helping organizations adopt sustained solutions. Before joining Huron, Laura held senior financial leadership roles in higher education and nonprofit organizations, and earlier served in finance and accounting positions within publicly traded companies. She is a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Research Administrator.

Tim joined Prime Buchholz in 2021 and has 21 years of industry experience including as an investment officer. In his current role, he advises clients on all aspects of their investment programs. He serves as Co-Chair of the Firm’s Educational Practice Group, Co-Chair of the Firm’s OCIO Practice Group, and a member of the Firm’s Flexible Capital and Private Equity Asset Class Committees. Prior to joining Prime Buchholz, Tim was the chief investment officer and assistant treasurer for the College of the Holy Cross where he was responsible for the management of the College’s endowment and other long-term investments. He served as member of the College’s defined benefit plan and 403(b) plan committees and supported the board of trustees’ finance and audit committees. Tim is a member of the investment committee for the Diocese of Worcester. He earned his M.B.A. and Masters in Accounting from Northeastern University and B.A. from the College of the Holy Cross. Tim is a member of the CFA Institute/CFA Society Boston.

William Jarvis is managing director and philanthropic executive at Bank of America Private Bank, where he heads strategic-thought leadership for institutional and private nonprofit organizations. An authority on investment policy and governance for endowed nonprofit organizations, Jarvis brings 41 years of experience to this role. Jarvis is the managing editor of the Bank of America Study of Philanthropy and the author of numerous white papers on investment policy and endowment governance.

Prior to joining Bank of America in 2017, Jarvis served as the executive director of the Commonfund Institute. In 2021, Jarvis was honored with NACUBO’s Rodney H. Adams Endowment Management Award for outstanding individual contributions to professional development activities in the area of college and university endowment and investment management.

Jarvis holds a B.A. in English literature from Yale University, a J.D. from the Northwestern University School of Law, and an M.B.A. from the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management. Jarvis does not provide legal advice in his role at Bank of America.

Mr. Meek joined Morgan Stanley in 2006 after spending 16 years at Legg Mason Wood Walker, Inc. Mr. Meek is a Graystone Institutional Consulting Director and leads a group of professionals that has been recognized by Barron's as one of the Top 100 Institutional Consulting Teams (2021-2025) in the country and by Forbes as one of the Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams (2023-2025). Mr. Meek is recognized as one of the nation’s top financial advisors by both Barron’s Top 1,200 Financial Advisors (2018-2025) and Forbes’ Best-in-State Wealth Advisors (2018-2026). Mr. Meek earned the Certified Investment Management Analyst® (CIMA®) designation awarded by the Investments & Wealth Institute (formerly IMCA), in conjunction with the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Management from the University of Maryland and his MBA from the University of Baltimore. Mr. Meek is a Board member of Baltimore SquashWise, a non-profit that partners with Baltimore youth and families to advance equity in squash, education, and personal development opportunities. As a Financial Advisor to the non-profit community, he has authored several investment articles for regional and national publications and has been heard on AM talk radio as the co-host of “Investment Insights” and on Fox Morning News as a guest Financial Analyst. He is a member of the National Business Officers Association (NBOA), the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), and the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE).

Steve joined Prime Buchholz in 2024 and has more than 27 years of industry experience. In his role as Director of Consulting, he is responsible for the ongoing growth and development of our investment advisory practice and professional team. Prior to joining Prime Buchholz, Steve was Chief Executive Officer of the Institutional Limited Partners Association, a global consortium of over 600 institutional investors dedicated to advancing the interests of Limited Partners and their beneficiaries in the private markets. Earlier in his career, Steve spent nearly 20 years with Cambridge Associates, where he served as investment advisor for a number of endowments, foundations, family offices and government pools, launched and led the firm’s Asia Pacific practice, and concluded his tenure as Chief Operating Officer and a member of the Board of Directors. Steve earned his B.S. with concentration in finance from Boston College, where he was a graduate of the Carroll School of Management Honors Program.

Edward Ng, CFA, Managing Director, is Head of the Americas Endowments, Foundation, and Healthcare team within Multi-Asset Strategies and Solutions. The Multi-Asset Strategies & Solutions (MASS) team is the investment group at the heart of BlackRock's portfolio construction, asset allocation, and active management ecosystem. MASS draws on the full toolkit of BlackRock’s index, factor, and alpha-seeking investment capabilities to deliver precise investment outcomes and cutting-edge alpha insights. MASS constructs active asset allocation strategies and whole portfolio solutions across a wide spectrum of commingled funds, separate accounts, model portfolios, and outsourcing solutions in the wealth and institutional channels. Before being involved in the creation of the multi-asset solutions business in 2007, Mr. Ng was with the Financial Institutions Group, responsible for asset allocation strategy and client service with the firm's insurance and other taxable clients. Prior to joining BlackRock in 2001, Mr. Ng was a Vice President at Merrill Lynch Investment Managers building the firm's institutional insurance asset management business. From 1995 to 1999, Mr. Ng was investment consultant with Wilshire Associates responsible for asset allocation, portfolio construction, and manager selection activities. He began his investment career as a quantitative equity research analyst with Barings Asset Management and previously was an engineer with Hughes Aircraft Company. Mr. Ng earned a BS degree in mechanical engineering from the University of California at San Diego and an MBA degree in finance and MS degree in engineering from Boston University.

Ned Rosenman, Managing Director, is head of client engagement for BlackRock's endowments and foundations custom solutions team. He is responsible for business development, strategic advice, and relationship management across multi-asset and multi-alternatives partnerships for US-based nonprofit investors. Prior to his current role, Ned spent ten years in BlackRock's portfolio management and alternatives businesses, most recently as part of the Multi-Asset Strategies and Solutions (MASS) group. Ned led the team's advisory mandates with endowments and foundations, responsible for asset allocation, portfolio construction, factor-based investing, manager research, and risk analysis. He began his career in BlackRock's Proprietary Alpha Strategies Group, where he served as the lead product strategist for BlackRock's commodities business and supported the development of new long/short equity and fixed income offerings. Ned earned a bachelor's degree in English literature from Princeton University. He serves on the Board of Trustees and Investment Committee of the Eaglebrook School endowment in Deerfield, Massachusetts and the Investment Committee of the New-York Historical Society & Museum.

Cori Trautvetter is a Partner and serves as Mercer’s U.S. Endowment and Foundation Commercial Leader and is part of the Endowment and Foundation Leadership Team. She is located in the St. Louis office and is also a member of the firm’s Endowment & Foundation and Values-Aligned Strategic Research Teams. Prior to its acquisition by Mercer in 2018, Cori was a Managing Director at Pavilion Advisory Group Inc. where she provided strategic investment advice to endowments, foundations, defined contribution plans, defined benefits plans, healthcare organizations and Taft-Hartley funds along with heading up the firm’s Endowment and Foundation Practice. Cori joined Pavilion Advisory Group Inc. in 2000. Prior to joining Pavilion Advisory Group Inc., Cori served for five years as an Associate Banker at Illini Bank in Springfield, IL. At Illini Bank, her responsibilities included managing consumer loans for numerous clients.

Cori is a member of the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA®) Association. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Eastern Illinois University. She currently serves on the Eastern Illinois University’s School of Business Advisory Board. Cori is also a Board Member for Youth In Need, a nonprofit child and family services agency and is an Investment Committee Member for the Daughters of Charity – Province of St. Louise. 

Tim Yates heads Commonfund OCIO and is responsible for managing all aspects of Commonfund OCIO's business, which focuses exclusively on non-profit institutions. In this role, he leads a team of professionals that advise, implement, and monitor custom investment solutions for institutions with total assets under management of more than $15 billion. Yates is a member of the Commonfund OCIO Executive Group and serves on both the Commonfund Asset Allocation and Operating Committees.

Yates joined Commonfund as an associate in the CF Private Equity Associate Program. In 2003, he was a founding member of Commonfund's OCIO platform, where he was responsible for the design, tailoring, and implementation of total portfolio solutions. Additionally, he held several roles with CF Private Equity including having responsibility for custom accounts and serving as a senior member of the firm’s emerging markets private equity portfolio leadership team with a focus on Latin America.

Before joining Commonfund, Yates was an instructor of Spanish and Italian at Fordham Preparatory School in the Bronx, NY. He holds an MBA in finance with a designation in international business from Fordham University and a BA in modern languages from Trinity College. Yates is a member of the investment committee for St. Paul’s Church in Fairfield, CT, the Advisory Board of Girls Who Invest, a member of the Trinity College Board of Fellows, and the Board of Directors of Caroline House—a non-profit in Bridgeport, CT, focused on enabling women and children to reach the fullness of their potential through education in English language and life skills.

Sue Menditto is NACUBO’s expert on financial accounting and reporting, managerial analysis, and financial viability. She is charged with fulfilling higher education advocacy needs with the GASB, FASB, AICPA, and Department of Education. She was appointed to the IPEDS Finance Survey Workgroup in August 2023 as one of its financial reporting experts. She has also represented higher education on the Governmental Accounting Standards Advisory Council (2006–2012), AICPA’s Revenue Recognition Task Force (2016–2017), and the Department of Education’s financial responsibility subcommittee (2017–2018).

Menditto informs the association’s research efforts on accounting issues, endowment management, and tuition discounting; writes member communications: news, advisories, accounting tutorials, and articles; and supports members’ professional development needs by providing subject matter guidance. She has also co-authored chapters of publications addressing accounting, public health, and analytics and regularly speaks on accounting and financial management topics at conferences.

Menditto began her career in public accounting, was a CFO and Controller for a not-for-profit organization, and a vice president for Bank of America where she specialized in change management and accounting policy. She holds degrees in psychology and accounting and is a certified public accountant.  

Kenneth E. Redd is senior director, research and policy analysis for NACUBO. At NACUBO, Redd directs the annual NACUBO-TIAA Study of Endowments, the NACUBO Tuition Discounting Study, and other studies on higher education finance issues.

In addition to his work at NACUBO, Redd also serves on the board of trustees for the Meadville Lombard School of Theology in Chicago, IL, and is a member of the board of directors for the Unitarian Universalist Common Endowment Fund (UUCEF) and the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE).

Redd has a master’s degree in public affairs from the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota.