ELS24: RI, ESG, and Diversity: Defining Goals and Designing Strategies
Recorded On: 03/21/2024
College and university investment offices have been responding to stakeholders’ social concerns for decades. Responsible investing (RI) involved responding to calls to divest from South Africa because of apartheid in the 1960s–1980s and now includes considering concerns about climate change and racial equity issues in terms of management and fund ownership. For example, data has shown that a lack of diversity in the asset management field, and a lack of diversity among college and university asset managers specifically, is an ongoing and persistent issue that some colleges and universities have begun to address. Others have made major new strategic investment decisions to stop investing in fossil fuels. Further, there is increasing interest from regulators and others to increase reporting on hard-to-define environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing. During this session, explore strategies for investing with impact and with fiduciary duty.
Learning Objectives
After this session, you will be able to—
- Learn how to define investing with impact
- Discover how colleges and universities are seeking high-impact solutions that deliver competitive returns and pursue ESG goals
- Understand diverse asset management myths and opportunities
Recording
This session will be recorded. Registrants will receive an email when the recording is available.
Sponsor
This session in the 2024 Endowment Leadership Series is supported by:
CPE Available: 1.5 Credits in Finance
Each individual must register and attend separately to earn credit.
NACUBO is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website www.nasbaregistry.org
Event Information
- Level: Intermediate
- Prerequisites: Minimum 1-2 years of experience as a professional in higher education or a related private industry.
- Advanced Preparation: None
- Delivery Mode: Group internet based
- Field of Study: Finance
- Length: 75 minutes
How to Earn CPE Credit
CPE credit is awarded per session. You can only earn credit for attending a session live. CPE credit cannot be earned for watching the recordings.
To earn CPE credit, you will complete the following tasks under the Content tab, after the session has ended:
- Pass the CPE codeword quiz. Write down the codewords posted in the Zoom chat at random times throughout the session and complete the quiz at the end of the session.
- Submit the CPE check-out code displayed at the end of the session.
- Download your CPE certificate.
You have until 5 pm Eastern Time on March 22 to complete these three steps or report technology issues with this site to online@nacubo.org.
For more detailed instructions, review the CPE Instructions page.
Sam Hodas
Managing Director, Responsible Investing
Nuveen
Sam Hodas serves as managing director, head of enterprise ESG strategy, at Nuveen, TIAA’s asset management arm. There he is responsible for ESG client and product go-to market strategy across US markets. In addition, Hodas helps lead governance, coordination, and strategy for operational ESG activities across both TIAA and Nuveen.
Prior to joining Nuveen, Hodas was a senior director on TIAA’s federal government relations team where he was responsible for outreach, policy, and advocacy on matters relating to Nuveen and TIAA Bank with policymakers in Washington, DC. Hodas’s early years in DC were spent toiling in the halls of Congress, working as a staffer to three different lawmakers. Working at TIAA and Nuveen holds special meaning for Hodas as the son and grandson of retired educators and TIAA participants.
Hodas earned his bachelor’s of arts degree in history and economics from Franklin and Marshall College. He currently lives in Washington, DC with his wife, two sons, and a very jazzy cat. When not at work, you can often find Hodas on the golf course.
Roberta Lobo
Director, Responsible Investing
Nuveen
Roberta Lobo is a director in the responsible investing team at Nuveen. As part of her ESG integration work, Lobo is supporting teams across public and private asset classes to incorporate material ESG factors into investment decision making processes via proprietary frameworks, ratings, and data. Her prior ESG strategy work includes leading TIAA ESG engagement programs, supporting client engagement efforts, and executing sustainable business goals.
Previously, Lobo spent six years at Bank of America Securities in public finance investment banking focused on structuring green and social bond transactions for municipal issuers in the affordable housing, student loan, public power, and state revolving fund sectors.
Lobo has a BA in economics and political science from the University of Chicago and holds Series 7, 52, and 63 licenses.
Sue Menditto (Moderator)
Senior Director, Accounting Policy
NACUBO
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.
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LockedTIAA was founded in 1918 to help teachers retire with confidence. That mission grew to include those in healthcare and more, creating reliable income for their futures while they work to make a difference today. Our commitment to be the change—for our clients, associates and communities—has never wavered and it’s what motivates us to deliver lifetime income for all with investments that build a better world.
Key Contacts
- Nicolette Dixon, Senior Director | Strategic Client Engagement, TIAA, ndixon@tiaa.org
