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2022
2022
As the Managing Partner at Cifris Ventures since 2022, I leverage my skills as an advisor in innovation, business strategy, finance, and operational leadership to drive success in various industries, including technology, financial services, higher education, SaaS, transportation, and venture capital. Cifris Ventures LLC also invests in early stage and cash-flowing companies.
2020 - 2024
2020 - 2024
-Responsible for standing up a brand new resource for entrepreneurs and the venture ecosystem and the strategic direction of the company -In its first three years, the Long Beach Accelerator has graduated 6 cohorts/46 companies, which have collectively raised tens of $MM in investment, generated over $15M in revenue, and have fielded numerous acquisition offers. -Partnered with Sunstone Management, CSULB's Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and the City of Long Beach to provide access to $150K pre-seed capital + follow on funding, markets, industry partnerships, individualized programming, mentorships and other startup resources. -Developed advisory network of hundreds of investors, mentors, instructors, and corporate partners. -Led admissions (investment/due diligence) committee, successfully identifying excellent cohort and investment candidates, and led recruitment strategy and initiatives -Served as a key mentor and connector to network and resources for all cohorts and founders
2019 - 2021
2019 - 2021
ExtraVallis is a seed-stage global funding platform connecting investors anywhere to startups everywhere. Investors outside the Valley often lack the connections and access necessary to get into the deals most likely to result in the highest returns. But finding and engaging startups with high potential outside their region is extremely challenging. The ExtraVallis platform helps investors overcome the difficulty by curating startups around the globe, requiring them to maintain real time, verified, standardized data accessible by our investor subscribers.
2015 - 2020
2015 - 2020
Innovation Advisor for the UCI Institute for Innovation's mentoring program. From UCI's II website: The Institute launched the Orange County Entrepreneurial Advisory Network to provide the opportunity for novice entrepreneurs to meet one-on-one with successful business experts and entrepreneurs. The goals of the program are to: 1) maximize the chance of successful launches, 2) accelerate business growth, and 3) foster funding initiatives by providing insightful and actionable mentorship to participants. IA’s are an elite group of professionals selected based on their expertise in business formation and operations, their skills as advisors, and their desire to give back to the community. They are uncompensated and mentor UCI novice entrepreneurs on a voluntary basis.
2018 - 2019
2018 - 2019
Head of Financial Planning and Analysis for diversified personal transportation services firm with 19 U.S. locations in 10 states with multiple related entities. -Undertake extensive audit of organization and identify critical path opportunities and efficiencies -Facilitate short and long term strategic planning and budgeting in high growth environment -Lead M&A opportunities -Oversee bank reporting in compliance with the company's credit agreements and act as the primary contact with financial institutions -Develop valuation models for franchise, license, and affiliate programs and act as key member of business development/negotiating team -Direct finance and accounting staff of 8
2013 - 2018
2013 - 2018
• Achieved average 5-year annual revenue growth rate of 35% • Developed an investment mindset within the organization and appropriate financial processes and controls • Delivered build out of FoLAR’s 2 visitor centers, which see over 30,000 visitors annually • Drove 4-year average annual growth of over 200% in participation (to 10,000) and sponsorships for the Great LA River CleanUp, now the largest urban river clean up in the nation • Expanded supporter base by over 300% to 40,000 • Navigated a successful founder transition
2004 - 2012
2004 - 2012
Mobis Transportation Alternatives plans, designs, builds, and operates bike-transit centers and other multimodal infrastructure. We believe that personal options are an integral part of a healthy transportation system that includes such options as bikes, electric bikes, scooters, car and bike sharing, autos, and transit. Mobis is transforming the possibilities for alternative transportation systems by helping to create the infrastructure to support it. Bikestation embraces the vision of better transportation options and more sustainable mobility.
2001 - 2004
2001 - 2004
Summary of engagements: Identify strategic opportunities for clients. Build cost analysis and forecasting models across a spectrum of industries. Develop operational requirements and process and investment requirements for same. Conduct research and competitive analysis to assess markets in the U.S., Turkey, Mexico, China, and others. Help develop new products for these various markets and promote them internally and externally; manage product/project life cycle. Assist in domestic and international contract negotiations. New distributors established in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Represent company with various domestic and foreign government agencies. Management: supervise activities and manage projects, including committee development and leadership, delegation and tracking of tasks and deliverables. Market Analysis: Analyze and define the market for divisional product growth by market segment. Define current market, company market share, competitor market share, and available market by product/region. Establish benchmarks. Economics: Identify threats and opportunities in the external environment due to economic, industry, or political factors. Apprise Management of these conditions.
1998 - 2001
1998 - 2001
Design, test, and maintain complex sovereign market research model. International government relations. Qualitative and quantitative data analysis. Prepare marketing presentations for sovereign national banks, institutional and retail investors domestic and foreign, and industry conferences. Communicate to Portfolio Manager how economic and political events would likely affect exchange rates, treasury, financial market action, and TCW opportunities.