Lawrence Watkins is a nationally recognized speaker, entrepreneur, and economic development strategist committed to building generational wealth in Black communities. He currently serves as Managing Director at Malcolm Garvey, where he partners with foundations to help deploy philanthropic capital that fosters a thriving Black economy. Lawrence is also the co-founder of The Black Business School,…
Renee McCalla-Taylor is an accomplished private equity investor and operator with more than 15 years of leadership experience in healthcare, manufacturing, and business services. As Co-Founder and Managing Partner of 4C Capital, she leads investment strategy, origination, and portfolio value creation across the lower middle market. Her track record includes thirteen completed transactions, four platform…
Senior Associate at Farol Asset Management, LP
Former investment banker and consultant now focused on building a successful independent sponsor firm acquiring and growing mid-market businesses.
Chelsea Celistan is a Principal at Avante Capital Partners. Based in New York, Chelsea is responsible for identifying, underwriting, executing and managing investment opportunities. Chelsea joined Avante in 2024. Chelsea has over 11 years of middle-market investing experience. Prior to Avante, Chelsea worked as a Vice President at Providence Equity Partners, where she focused on…
Jason Pompey is an entrepreneurial business development professional pursuing a career in the independent sponsor ecosystem. He has hands-on experience sourcing deals, building founder relationships, and driving outreach strategies through his background in sales, real estate investment, and capital sourcing. Jason developed his interest in the independent sponsor model after studying leaders such as Bakari…
Brandon has a background in finance and focuses on guiding clients through the complex intersection of tax law, business strategy, and public policy. After earning his LL.M. in Taxation from Georgetown Law, he began his career in Big 4 public accounting, advising multinational clients on cross-border structuring and international tax compliance. Brandon later served as…