WISIMCO Team
Leadership
WISIMCO’s leadership team is a group of dedicated professionals committed to maximizing the financial sustainability of the University of Wisconsin Foundation’s endowment. With a diverse range of expertise in asset management, financial analysis, and strategic planning, we work collaboratively to ensure the growth and stewardship of our resources, supporting the university’s mission for generations to come.
Michael Stohler
Chief Investment Officer
-
Michael became the WISIMCO’s Chief Investment Officer in 2021. Prior to that, he was a managing director of investments at Washington University in St. Louis, where he invested capital across all asset classes. Previously, Michael was a managing director and international head of portfolio construction for J.P. Morgan’s Wealth Management unit. Michael also served as the chief risk officer for the division’s alternative investments platform. He has a BA from St. Olaf College, an MBA from New York University, and a PhD in physics from Purdue University.
Sean Arp
Chief Operating Officer of Investments
-
Sean Arp serves as Chief Operating Officer of UWF Investments. Prior to joining UWF in 2022, Sean spent eight years at Washington University in St. Louis Investment Management Company (WUIMC) where he served as Chief Operating Officer overseeing investment operations, analytics, reporting, technology, personnel and strategic initiatives. Before WUIMC he was Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer at Temujin Fund Management and a Director at Thales Fund Management. Sean holds a bachelor’s degree in Literature, Science and the Arts from the University of Iowa.
Chris Moore
Deputy Chief Investment Officer
-
Chris joined WISIMCO in 2021 and serves as the Deputy Chief Investment Officer. Previously, he served as the Chief Investment Officer for Not-for-Profit at Mercer. Prior to Mercer, Chris had various roles in consulting and fixed income portfolio management. Chris holds an MBA from the John M. Olin School of Business at Washington University in St. Louis and a bachelor’s degree in biochemical engineering from University of Missouri. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designations.
Richard Shepley
Senior Managing Director of Investments
-
Richard joined WISIMCO 2015 and serves as a Senior Managing Director of Investments. Richard has over 20 years of investment experience as a portfolio manager and senior investment analyst at Oppenheimer Funds, Deutsche Asset Management, Scudder Investments and Newton Investment Management. Richard holds an MA in politics, philosophy and economics from Oxford University, is an associate of the institute of Chartered Accountants and is an associate for Investment Management and Research.
Katherine Wyble
Managing Director of Investments
-
Katherine joined WISIMCO in 2022 and serves as a Managing Director of Investments. Prior to this, Katherine most recently served as Director of Investments for Pomona College. Earlier in her career, she held positions at the University of Southern California and Boston University investment offices, and at Cambridge Associates. Katherine received an MBA from Harvard Business School, awarded with Distinction, and graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Scripps College.
Greg Elkins
Managing Director of Investments
-
Greg joined WISIMCO in 2019 and serves as Managing Director of Investments. Greg previously served as a senior investment manager for a health insurer and as an associate portfolio manager for Brown Advisory. He began his career in institutional investing with Cambridge Associates. Greg graduated with a BA from Washington & Lee University and earned his MBA with a concentration in finance from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. Greg holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.
Michele Bernius
Director of Investments
-
Michele joined WISIMCO in 2012 as an investment analyst and currently serves as a Director of Investments. Prior to her roles at WISIMCO, she was a Vice President at BlackRock in Boston, responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with institutional investors, including public and private pension plans, foundations and endowments. She has over a decade of experience in financial services and started her career in Tokyo, Japan working for Lehman Brothers. Michele graduated from Cornell University with a degree in economics and is a CFA charterholder, as well as a Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA).
Dana Serwe
Investment Office Chief of Staff
-
Dana joined the WISIMCO team in 2023 and serves as the Investment Office Chief of Staff. In this role, she acts as the principal support figure for the Chief Investment Officer (CIO) and the senior investment team. Prior to this role, Dana spent 15 years in the field of K-12 public education. Dana holds a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education, awarded with distinction, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Travis Ace
Director of Investment Operations
-
Travis joined WISIMCO in 2019 and serves as the Director of Investment Operations. Prior to WISIMCO, Travis held accounting and budgeting roles at the University of Wisconsin Foundation, as well as several nonprofit accounting and finance positions with a local senior living community. Travis holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater and a Bachelor of Science in Consumer Affairs from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Ana Maria Murphy
Director of Investment Operations
-
Ana Maria Murphy is a Director of Investment Operations at the University of Wisconsin Foundation (WISIMCO). She joined the team in 2011 and previously served as an Investment Operations Associate. Prior to joining UWF, she served as an Investment Analyst at Brinson Partners in Chicago, Illinois (now UBS), and at Ennis, Knupp and Associates, an investment consulting firm. Ana Maria holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Notre Dame and an MBA from the University of Chicago.
Garrett Gardner
Director of Investment Operations
-
Garrett joined the WISIMCO team in 2022 as an Investment Operations Associate and currently serves as a Director of Investment Operations. His previous experience includes Financial Manager for the University of Wisconsin and a Legislative Auditor for the Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau. Garrett earned his bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Management Information Systems from Winona State University and is a certified public accountant (CPA).
Investment Committee
WISIMCO is tremendously fortunate to benefit from the insight, experience, and dedication of members of the UWF Investment Committee, whose support for the UW is exceptional.
The Investment Committee has the authority and responsibility for oversight and stewardship of the endowment investment portfolio (EIP). The committee is responsible for setting investment objectives, approving strategic asset allocation, and recommending the EIP’s spending policy for approval.
Thomas Stevens
Investment Committee Chair
-
Tom is the chair of global equity firm Los Angeles Capital Management, which he founded in 2002. Previously, he led asset management solutions for large institutional investment organizations at Wilshire Asset Management (a division of Wilshire Associates) from 1986 until 2002, was senior managing director and principal at Wilshire Associates from 1980 until 1986, and was a research analyst and later a portfolio manager at National Bank of Detroit from 1976 until 1980.
Tom is the chair and member of the Los Angeles Capital Global Funds Board of Directors, first vice president of the Proxy Parent Foundation Board of Directors, and member of the Special Olympics Southern California Board of Directors.
Education
1972; BA; Sociology; UW-Madison1975; BBA; Business Diversified; UW-Madison
1976; MBA; Finance, Investment & Banking; UW-Madison
Louis Holland, Jr.
Investment Committee Member
-
Lou has spent thirty-seven years in the asset management and investment business, primarily in management, sales, marketing, and strategy roles. He worked at Oppenheimer Capital/Quest for Value, the John Hancock Funds and Nuveen Investments. At Oppenheimer, Hancock and Nuveen, Lou focused on separately managed accounts, mutual funds, closed end mutual funds, ETF’s, ETN’s, and retirement accounts across all asset classes. Lou’s roles included leadership positions as Managing Director running all sales and service, including e-commerce and marketing, SVP Organization Management, National Sales Management, Division Sales Management, and Sales and Wealth Management.
Today he serves as President and CFO of his own family office, CUMOTA LLC. The family office has stakes in privately held companies and real estate properties, where Lou is often on the board. In addition, he currently sits on the board of The E-Valuator Risk Managed Strategy Funds (Current Chair), TNE Management, LLC, Schmaltz Restaurant Group, LLC, and Adam’s Street Partner's, LLC. He currently serves on the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association Board, the UW Letters and Science Board of Visitors (Current Chair). Previously Lou served the board of Holland Capital Management, LLC, the Forum for Investor Advice (merged into the Managed Money institute), the UW School of Medicine and Public Health’s Initiative to End Alzheimer’s Board of Visitors (Past Chair), the National Alzheimer Association Board, and the National Kidney Foundation Board of Illinois.
Education
1986; BA; Economics; UW-Madison
Erik Iverson
Investment Committee Advisory Member
-
Erik is Chief Executive Officer of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF). Since assuming the role of CEO in 2016, Iverson has provided strategic oversight of programs designed to accelerate research translation and technology development across the UW–Madison ecosystem. These include the WARF Accelerator, which advances promising university innovations; WARF Therapeutics, focused on the development of pharmaceutical candidates; and WARF Ventures, a venture capital platform that invests in university entrepreneurs while fostering partnerships with early-stage and follow-on investors. He also oversees WARF’s multi-billion-dollar, diversified investment portfolio, ensuring strong stewardship in support of the foundation’s mission.
Before joining WARF, Iverson served in senior leadership roles at the Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI), as an attorney at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and at the law firm of Perkins Coie, where his work spanned innovation, intellectual property, and global health.
Education
1991; BA; Gustavus Adolphus
1994; JD; University of North Dakota
1995; LL.M; New York University
Ted Kellner
Investment Committee Member
-
A Chartered Financial Analyst with 47 years of investment experience, Ted is a retired founder and portfolio manager with Fiduciary Management Inc., an investment management firm established in 1980. The firm currently manages approximately $25 billion in assets, in pension and profit-sharing trusts, Taft-Hartley and public funds, endowments, and personal trusts throughout the United States. Ted also founded and serves as Executive Chairman and Treasurer of Fiduciary Real Estate Development, Inc., also in Milwaukee, which owns and manages over $750 million in multi-family residential units. Ted and his wife, Mary, reside in Mequon, Wisconsin and have three adult children and five grandchildren.
He served as Vice President and Research Analyst for Brittingham, Inc. of Wilmington, Delaware, from 1969-1973; and as Vice President of Milwaukee-based Nicholas Company, Inc., from 1973-1980.
Education
1969; BBA; Finance, Investment & Banking; UW-Madison
Michael Knetter
Investment Committee Advisory Member
-
Mike joined the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association as president and chief executive officer in 2010 and now serves as a senior advisor on the WISIMCO team. Prior to joining WFAA, Mike spent eight years as dean of the Wisconsin School of Business. Preceding his time at UW, he was an associate dean and professor of international economics in the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. He also served as senior staff economist for the Council of Economic Advisers for former presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
Paul Leff
Investment Committee Advisory Member
-
Paul currently leads his family office opportunity fund, Warbasse67. Leff co-founded the New York City-based Perry Capital in 1988 and served as its Chief Investment Officer until his retirement in 2014.
Leff received a bachelor’s degree in finance and economics and a master’s degree in finance from UW-Madison. Leff is a founding member of the Wisconsin Naming Partners and served 12 years as a board member of the University of Wisconsin Foundation including as Vice Chair of its Investment Committee.
Education
1984; BS; Finance and Economics; UW-Madison
1984; MS; Finance, UW-Madison
David Nicholas
Investment Committee Member
-
Dave joined Nicholas Company as an investment analyst in 1986. He serves in a leadership position for the company as CEO and President, while primarily focusing his efforts day- to-day on investments as a Portfolio Manager and the Chief Investment Officer. Dave has developed his philosophy and skills over the past thirty years under the guidance of the long-held investment philosophy and process developed by Albert O. Nicholas, the founder of Nicholas Company. This opportunity has allowed Dave to gain a deep experience and knowledge analyzing companies and the equity markets.
Dave’s approach is aligned with the Nicholas core investment philosophy and process, while adjusting it to meet the characteristics of various capitalization growth companies. Core elements to the philosophy include identifying companies with secular growth capabilities, consistent earnings growth, strong balance sheets and solid management teams. Dave also shares a preference for non-consensus strategies when market opportunities arise.
Dave is the lead portfolio manager of Nicholas Fund, Nicholas II and Nicholas Limited Edition, while serving as co-manager for Nicholas Equity Income Fund. As Chief Investment Officer he guides the firm’s investment process and the investment team on a day-to-day basis.
Dave is a member of the UW-Milwaukee’s Business School Advisory Board. He has earned the right to use the CFA designation and is a member of the CFA Society Milwaukee.
Education
1983; BBA; Finance; UW-Madison
1986; MS; Finance and investments; UW-Milwaukee
John Oros
Investment Committee Member
-
John is an operating partner at J.C. Flowers & Co., a private equity firm with offices in New York and London. From 2006 to 2018, he served as managing director of the firm and was a member of their Management Committee. He is also chair and CEO of Financial Guaranty Advisors, LLC, a Delaware registered business. Before joining J.C. Flowers, he held a number of executive positions at Enstar Group Limited, including the role of executive chair from 2000 – 2010. Prior to that, John was an investment banker in the Financial Institutions Group of Goldman Sachs for almost 20 years, where he became a general partner in 1986. In addition, he was appointed chair of the Federal Savings and Loan Council in 1987, where he served for two years.
John serves as a director of Island Finance, Jefferson Capital, iLendingDIRECT, and National Guardian Life Insurance Company. He is also a member of the Children's Aid and Family Services of New Jersey Investment Committee. He previously served as a director at Cabot Credit Management, Encore Capital Group, Fairstone Financial, and OneWest Bank. He served as a lieutenant in the United States Army and Army Reserves from 1968-1974. He and his wife are the governing trustees of the John and Anne Oros Foundation.
Education
1971; BBA; Marketing; UW-Madison
Stephen Petersen
Investment Committee Advisory Member
-
Steve is the managing partner and a wealth advisor at Prio Wealth (formerly Seaward Management LP), where he’s worked since 2013. He was an executive in residence at Babson College from 2013 until 2016. Previously, Steve worked in numerous roles at Fidelity Investments from 1980 until 2012, including as senior vice president of investments and earlier as an equity analyst and portfolio manager.
Steve is the co-chair of the Catholic Schools Foundation Executive Council and member of the Four Springs Capital Trust Board of Trustees. He is a former member of the Allele Fund Advisory Board and the CFA Society of Boston Board of Directors.
Education
1979; BBA; Finance, Investment & Banking; UW-Madison
1980; MS; Finance, Investment & Banking; UW-Madison
Todd Pulvino
Investment Committee Member
-
Todd is co-founder and principal at the investment firm CNH Partners, an affiliate of AQR Capital. He co-founded CNH’s arbitrage investment business and has served as a lead manager of arbitrage strategies since 2001. He previously served as a tenured Associate Finance Professor at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and as a visiting professor at Harvard Business School. He began his career as a project engineer at The Aerospace Corporation. He was also a consultant at two fund-of-fund firms, Collins Associates and Grosvenor Capital Management.
While at Northwestern, Todd received two Journal of Finance Smith Breeden prizes for his research and the L.G. Lavengood Outstanding Professor of the Year Award in 1999.
Education
1984; BS; Mechanical Engineering; UW-Madison
1986; MS; Mechanical Engineering; California Institute of Technology
1994; AM; Business Economics; Harvard University
1996; PHD; Business Economics; Harvard University
Mike Shannon
Investment Committee Member
-
Mike is a private investor and former chairman, co-founder and chief executive officer of KSL Capital Partners, a private equity firm specializing in hospitality and leisure investments. During Mr. Shannon’s tenure as chairman and CEO, KSL grew to become one the largest private equity firms specializing in hospitality and consumer leisure investments.
Before co-founding KSL Capital Partners and its predecessor KSL Recreation in 1992, Mr. Shannon served as chairman and CEO of Vail Associates, the owner and operator of Vail and Beaver Creek Resorts from 1986 to 1992.
Mr. Shannon currently serves on the board as vice chair of Northwestern University and is the immediate past chair of the University of Wisconsin Foundation and the immediate past chair of Eisenhower Health. He is the former board chair of Vail Health and was instrumental in establishing its affiliate Eagle Valley Behavioral Health and its research unit Behavioral Health Innovation Center, aimed at improving accessibility to quality mental health services in Eagle County. Mr. Shannon also serves as finance chair of the Steadman Philippon Research Foundation and is a board member of the Papal Foundation. He is a former director of ING Americas, Conseco, Club Corp, Startek, TCA Cable and Safeway. He is a member of the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans.
Mr. Shannon earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin Madison and a Master’s in Management from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
Education
1980; BBA; Finance, Investment & Banking; UW-Madison
1980; BBA; Marketing; UW-Madison
1983; MM; Accounting; Northwestern University
Brad Tank
Investment Committee Member
-
Brad, Managing Director, joined Neuberger Berman in 2002 and served as Chief Investment Officer and Global Head of Fixed Income until 2023. In 2024, he held the roles of Global Head of Fixed Income and Co-Chief Investment Officer. Currently, Brad serves as a Senior Advisor in Fixed Income. Up until 2025, he was an active member of several key committees at Neuberger Berman, including the Partnership, Investment Risk, Asset Allocation Committees, and Fixed Income’s Investment Strategy Committee. From inception in 2008 through 2014, Brad was also Chief Investment Officer of Neuberger Berman’s Multi-Asset Class Investment business.
From 1990 to 2002, Brad was director of fixed income for Strong Capital Management in Wisconsin. He was also a member of the Office of the CEO and headed institutional and intermediary distribution. In 1997, Brad was named “Runner Up” for Morningstar Mutual Fund Manager of the Year. From 1982 to 1990, he was a vice president at Salomon Brothers in the government, mortgage and financial institutions areas. Brad earned a BBA and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin
Education
BBA; UW-Madison
MBA; UW-Madison