About the Conference
State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli proudly stewards the Common Retirement Fund’s legacy of partnering with new and diverse managers.
The Fund’s Emerging Manager program has long provided meaningful capital to promising young investment firms, including a significant number that are minority-and women-owned. The fresh strategies and insights gained from these relationships have benefited the Fund’s portfolio which serves the more than 1.2 million members, retirees and beneficiaries of the New York State & Local Retirement System.
At our 19th Annual Emerging Manager & MWBE Conference, we will share how the program is empowering the next generation and reflect on its historical successes. Attendees will have opportunities to network and gain important insights and perspective into the Fund’s asset class portfolios and their objectives.
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Introduction
Sylvester McClearn
Director of Emerging
Manager Program
Introduction
Clayton Jue
President & CEO
Leading Edge Investment Advisors
Keynote Address
Thomas P. DiNapoli
New York State Comptroller
Guest Speaker
Hemant Taneja
CEO
General Catalyst
Founders Panel Discussion
The Fund aims to identify and partner with successful firms. On this panel, moderated by our CIO Anastasia Titarchuk, women founders will share their experiences, challenges and achievements associated with building a resilient investment management firm.
Moderator
Anastasia Titarchuk
Chief Investment Officer &
Deputy Comptroller
Private Equity
Ursula Burns
Co-Founder
Integrum Partners
Opportunistic/Absolute Return Strategies
Ewa Kozicz
Co-Founder
Anthelion Capital
Public Equities
Pooja Malik
Founding Partner
Chief Investment Officer
Nipun Capital
Real Assets
Sarah Wright
Founder & Managing Partner
Hull Street Energy
Legal Breakout Session
In Focus: The Fundamentals of Fund Agreements
Negotiating the legal documents with your investors is an essential launch to the GP/LP relationship. CRF’s General Counsel will facilitate a mock negotiation, a series of dynamic conversations between seasoned private fund lawyers representing GP and LP clients that will focus on key terms for institutional investors.
Emerging Manager Program Team
The Emerging Manager team builds relationships with industry partners and new, small and minority-and women-owned firms so that the Common Retirement Fund can benefit from their investment expertise.
Sylvester McClearn
Director of Emerging
Manager Program
Deborah A. Vélez Medenica
Senior Investment Officer
Ricardo De Albuqerque
Senior Investment Officer
Susana Callender
Investment Operations Officer
Plan Your Trip
Lodging
Group Rate
Renaissance Albany
144 State Street
$239/Night
if booked by 1/15
Please book early—limited group rate rooms available.
Albany Capital Center
55 Eagle St, Albany, NY 12207
Our venue for the 2026 Emerging Manager & MWBE Conference—located in the heart of downtown Albany, the Albany Capital Center is within walking distance of restaurants, hotels, shops, and more!
Transportation
Albany-Rensselaer Amtrak Train Station
525 East St, Rensselaer, NY 12144
Albany International Airport
737 Albany Shaker Rd, Albany, NY 12211
Parking
Albany Capital Center Garage
7 Wendell St, Albany, NY 12207
MVP Arena Garage
1 Market St, Albany, NY 12207
Additional Downtown Parking
For conference inquiries, email [email protected].