Byron Pitts was named co-anchor of ABC News’ “Nightline” in 2014. He has covered national news stories and in-depth features for the network, reporting across the news division, including "Good Morning America," "World News Tonight with David Muir," “This Week” and “20/20.”

Pitts is a multiple Emmy award winning journalist and news veteran with over 20 years of experience known for his thoughtful storytelling, on-the-ground reporting and in-depth interviews. After less than 24 hours at ABC News, Pitts immediately joined the network’s live special coverage of the Boston marathon bombing investigation. Since then, Pitts has gone on to report live from Baltimore, Dallas and Baton Rouge, La., during each cities’ recent riots and protests. He also co-anchored a special edition of “Nightline” with Juju Chang from Los Angeles looking back on the city 25 years after the riots that broke out following the Rodney King verdict.

During the 2016 election, Pitts was a key part of the network’s coverage, from the Republican and Democratic National Conventions and the first presidential debates to seven hours of live election night coverage. In the 30 days leading up to the election, Pitts traveled around the country for “Inside the Final 30,” a daily docu-series produced by “Nightline,” to speak with voters as they were coming to their final decisions about who should be the nation’s next President. It took viewers behind the scenes on the campaign trail and focused on the issues that matter most to Americans as well as revisited key moments that shaped the direction of the race.

Prior to joining ABC News, Pitts spent 15 years at CBS News where he served as Chief National Correspondent for The CBS Evening News, filed regularly for 60 Minutes, and won an Emmy for his coverage of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He was named the National Association of Black Journalists Journalist of the Year in 2002. His 2009 memoir, “Step Out on Nothing: How Faith and Family Helped Me Conquer Life’s Challenges” chronicled his journey overcoming illiteracy and a stutter to become a journalist. In 2017, Pitts profiled six young adults that overcame hardship with hope in his book “Be the One.”

Pitts began his career at WNCT-TV in Greenville, N.C., where he covered local news and served as weekend sports anchor. He graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1982, where he studied journalism and speech communication. Pitts is a native of Baltimore and currently lives in New York City.

Mel Lindsey, CFA is the Founder and Managing Partner of Nile Capital Group, a private equity firm that specializes in acquiring GP stakes of performance-driven asset management firms. Mel serves on the boards of Nile’s portfolio holding companies including Welton Investment Partners LLC, Strategic Global Advisors LLC, Denali Advisors LLC, Convergence Investment Partners LLC, Kvasir Technologies, and Wilshire Lane Capital LLC.  Prior to founding Nile, Mel served on the Executive Management Committee of Julius Baer Investment Management, LLC (JBIM) as Managing Director of Global Distribution. During his tenure at JBIM (2002 – 2012), assets under management grew from $800 million to a peak of $78 billion, ultimately resulting in an IPO and listing on the NYSE in 2009. Prior to JBIM, he was Senior Managing Director and Portfolio Manager at Wells Capital Management. Mel was also a Vice President at Shearson Lehman Brothers.

Mel holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and received his MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management. He is a member of the Los Angeles Society of Financial Analysts. Mel serves on the Board of Trustees and the Investment Committee for the California Community Foundation, the UCLA Foundation Board, UCLA Anderson School of Management Board of Advisors and Saint John’s Health Center Foundation.

Chris Perry serves as President of Broadridge Financial Solutions (NYSE: BR). With over $4.5 billion in revenues and part of the S&P 500® Index, Broadridge is a global Fintech leader enabling corporate governance, powering capital markets, enabling client communications and helping wealth and asset management firms grow worldwide. He is focused on driving Broadridge's overall growth strategy, including overseeing Broadridge International as well as helping lead M&A activity. Chris continues to oversee all client and marketing activities globally and is responsible for delivering the company’s annual sales targets spanning all business units and product lines.

Chris joined Broadridge in 2014 as a member of the Executive Committee and, during his tenure, he has implemented both strategic and tactical programs aimed at achieving world-class service in customer support, account management, client training, lead generation and marketing. He has also been a driving force behind the transformation of the organization from a portfolio of companies to an enterprise
cloud-based services provider. Broadridge has enjoyed five years of consecutive record setting sales under Chris' leadership.

Over the previous 14 years, Chris has held numerous management and commercial roles at Thomson Reuters (NYSE: TRI), and its predecessor, Thomson Financial. Earlier in his career, Chris worked in several FinTech companies and institutional trading and retail brokerage for Kemper Financial Services', Blunt Ellis & Lowie unit as well as correspondent firms of both Prudential and Pershing.

In January 2019, Chris was elected to the Board of Directors of the Financial Services Institute (FSI). Chris also serves as Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of New Jersey for over ten years and currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for NPower, an organization that provides underprivileged youths and military veterans with the opportunity to build tech skills and achieve their potential. In addition, he is a sponsor of the Women on Wall Street Association, a New York-based business leadership organization that helps accelerate careers of women in financial services Until October 2018, Chris served as Chairman of British American Business, a membership organization that enables transatlantic commerce, and continues to serve on their Executive Board.

Chris holds a B.S. in Finance and Economics from Northern Illinois University and an MBA in Marketing from Lewis University, where he serves on the Board of Trustees.

Bill Proudman pioneered workshops for white men in the mid-90s after repeatedly noticing that white male leaders disengaged from diversity efforts. His provocative work led to the founding of WMFDP, with the firm’s focus on guiding leaders to a place of deeper understanding and awareness, heightened cultural competence, and transformative and courageous leadership.

WMFDP is based in Portland, Oregon with almost 15 staff and 35 consultants. Some of the firm’s clients include BAE, S&P Global, Abbvie, Mass Mutual, Applied Materials, National Hockey League, Parexel, P&G, Engie and Amazon Web Services. For over 40 years, Bill has served as a consultant, coach and facilitator on issues of team effectiveness, cultural competence, diversity, inclusion and equity and leadership development.

Bill is also the co-author of a three-volume field guide on diversity partnerships. He is working toward the day when all people view a diverse and inclusive work environment as vital to maintaining a company’s competitive edge and is in everyone’s self-interest.

Allie Shafer is a Principal Client Relationship Executive for SS&C Retirement Solutions, as well as a board member and treasurer of the Trans Affirming Alliance (TAA), a non profit organization seeking to provide transgender individuals with legal, medical, and resource assistance.  Previously, Allie was a partner at Wealth Management Systems Inc. (WMSI), where she led both Relationship Management and Business Development for the technology & servicing platforms of the firm, which was sold to DST Systems in August 2015.  Allie has spent her entire 20+ year career in the retirement industry, and currently holds the Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF) designation, as well as the Series 7, 24, and 63 licenses from FINRA.

Carol W. Geremia is president of MFS Investment Management® (MFS®) and head of Global Distribution. She leads the firm’s worldwide client‐facing teams as well as product and marketing strategy. As a member of the firm’s Management Committee, she helps drive MFS’ long‐term corporate strategy. In these roles, Carol oversees the management of the company’s global institutional and retail businesses, which span US and non‐US markets. Her responsibilities include oversight of all teams managing relationships with large corporate and public retirement plans, sovereign wealth plans, global intermediaries, insurance companies, retirement platforms and other advisory practices that distribute the firm’s investment products.

Carol joined MFS in 1984 and served as co‐head of Global Distribution from 2011 through 2017. She has served as president of the firm’s institutional business since 2004. Prior to that, she was president of MFS Retirement Services, which serviced US plan sponsors and their participants. There, she spent 20 years devoting her expertise in fiduciary responsibility and stewardship to the retirement industry. Since joining MFS, Carol has held roles focused primarily on fiduciary responsibility, stewardship and sustainability, and she has actively engaged with clients at all levels to ensure that the firm builds products and services aligned with their needs.

Carol is a member of the City Year Seven Generations Board. She also serves as a member of the MFS Charitable Oversight Committee and as an Advisory Council member for Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Inc.

Lisa M. Jones is Head of the Americas, President and Chief Executive Officer of Amundi US, Inc., the U.S. Division of Amundi Asset Management. She is Trustee of the Pioneer Funds, and President and Chief Executive Officer of the Pioneer Funds. Lisa is also President of Amundi Distributor US, Inc. She is head of the US Executive Committee and US Management Committee, and a member of the Global Executive Committee.

She has over 30 years of experience in global financial services developing and building asset management businesses. In 2016 and 2020, Lisa received the Top Women in Asset Management Award from Money Management Executive.

Prior to joining Amundi US, Lisa was Global Head of Distribution at Morgan Stanley Investment Management (MSIM) and President of MSIM Distribution Inc. In this role, she oversaw all MSIM distribution channels globally, including retail and institutional. Prior to that, Lisa was Head of the Global Institutional Division at Eaton Vance Management. She also spent more than 16 years at MFS Investment Management in leadership roles across both retail and institutional divisions. She began her career at E.F. Hutton & Co. in New York.

Lisa is a member of the Board of Governors of the Investment Company Institute, a member of the MIT Sloan Finance Group Advisory Board at MIT Sloan School of Management and a member of the Board of Directors of Clearwater Analytics. Lisa has served on other boards such as the Foreign Policy Association in New York, the Advisory Board of the Institutional Investor Institute and the Board of Fellows at Trinity College in Hartford, CT. She is also a former trustee at the Pingree School Board of Trustees in South Hamilton, MA. She has a B.A. in Economics from Trinity College.

Ritu Bhasin, LL.B., MBA is the CEO and Founder of bhasin consulting inc. (bci) and an award-winning speaker, author and internationally recognized expert in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), authentic leadership, anti-racism and personal empowerment for people from equity-seeking communities.

Since 2010, Ritu has worked with hundreds of top organizations and senior leadership teams around the world, and as a professional speaker, she has presented to hundreds of thousands of people globally. Ritu is also a certified cultural competence coach and a certified neuro-strategies coach who has personally coached over a thousand people, and very shortly she will complete a trauma professional certification program. As a passionate advocate for authenticity, inclusion and empowerment, Ritu has won numerous awards for her work, including SUCCESS Magazine’s Women of Influence Award, The Women’s Center Leadership Award, the South Asian Bar Association (SABA) Diversity Award and the City of Toronto’s William P. Hubbard Award for Race Relations. She regularly appears on national television and radio in the U.S. and Canada as an expert on leadership, inclusion, personal empowerment, authenticity and antiracism.

Ritu’s Amazon-bestselling book, The Authenticity Principle, was released in the fall of 2017. She is also the co-author of the ground-breaking research study, Sponsor Effect: Canada, with the Center for Talent Innovation (now Coqual), which examines the experiences that People of Color, Indigenous peoples, and women have with advocacy and sponsorship in the workplace. She is currently writing her second book, which is slated to be released in 2023.

Before founding bci, Ritu spent ten years in the legal profession, first as a civil litigator and then as the director of legal talent for the preeminent Canadian law firm, Stikeman Elliott LLP.

Ritu, who is also a yoga and mindfulness teacher and practitioner, lives in Toronto, Canada, but travels all over the world to eat, swim, hike, dance and work.

Chandra Sanders is a champion on a mission to create economic opportunities for moms and women of color. As VP for RISE, the inaugural initiative from The Mom Project’s not-for-profit arm, MomProject.org, her goal is to empower moms and women of color through transformative upskilling programs. Sanders is a former high school Spanish teacher turned Fortune 100 Senior Tech Consultant (Google, Pfizer, Anthem) who remains committed to creating economic opportunities for women by empowering them to live their most authentic lives while maximizing their power, influence and earning potential.

Jamila Abston Mayfield is a Partner in the EY Financial Services Business Consulting practice where she provides risk, compliance, and regulatory consulting services to key wealth and asset management, private equity, hedge fund, and banking and capital markets clients. She is also the EY Financial Inclusion Leader, and she and her team assist financial services firms in developing strategies, products, and services that create access, equity, and inclusion opportunities for underserved communities.  Jamila rejoined EY from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), where she served as the Assistant Regional Director for the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations. In this role, Jamila served as an expert advisor for the SEC Examinations program, specializing in compliance program effectiveness, risk analytics, enterprise risk management, and cybersecurity for the asset management industry. She led and participated in hundreds of SEC Examinations and Enforcement investigations of investment advisers, investment companies, broker-dealers, transfer agents, alternative funds, and other industry participants.

Prior to the SEC, Jamila was a Manager in the EY Fraud Investigations and Dispute Services practice where she led restatements, investigations, and litigation support matters for healthcare, manufacturing, government, and technology clients.  Jamila is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), and Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF). She has a BA in Accounting from Florida A&M University, a MS in Accountancy from the University of Virginia, and an MBA in Asset Management from Yale University.  She was recently appointed to the SEC Investor Advisory Committee – a group that advises the Commission on regulatory priorities, trading strategies, fee structures, the effectiveness of disclosure, and other initiatives to protect investor interests.

Jamila is on the leadership team of the EY Black Professional Network and the EY Anti-Racism Task Force focusing on the recruitment, retention, and advancement of minorities.  She is a Lifetime Member of the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) and an active member of the American Institute for Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Association for Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE). Jamila also serves on the Yale School of Management’s Council for Anti-Racism and Equity (CARE) and is on the Board of Directors of Sanctuary for Families, New York’s leading service provider for domestic violence survivors.  Jamila has received numerous accolades, including the Crain’s Notable Women in Accounting and Consulting Award, the Yale Alumni Association Leadership Award, and the SEC Community Service Award, among others.

John Desmond is the Head of Investment Operations Outsourcing Service and Delivery for North America at Northern Trust. In this role, John oversees provision of middle office services to sophisticated investment management firms worldwide and plays a key role on the Global Fund Services leadership team at Northern Trust. He keenly understands the challenges faced by investment managers, and brings this experience to bear as he guides the continued growth and maturity of the Investment Operations Outsourcing business.

John joined Northern Trust in early 2014, bringing more than 25 years of financial services leadership experience spanning the investment management, mutual fund, securities and outsourcing industries. He most recently served as COO and Head of Operations and Technology at Harris Associates. In this role, he implemented the operating model necessary to support the firm’s rapid expansion plans while instituting a culture of continuous business process improvement achieving the ultimate goals of increased client service quality, productivity and scalability.

Prior to that, John served as the Director of Investment Operations at Nuveen Investments, responsible for managing the investment management and affiliated broker/dealer group middle and back operations. Previously, he has held similar roles at Deutsche Asset Management, Scudder Investments and Putnam Investments.

Sharyn Jones joined the firm in December 2021 leading our Global Talent function, which consists of both talent acquisition and talent development. She is focused on strengthening our talent profile internally and externally through hiring and developing industry-leading opportunities for learning and professional growth.

Sharyn joins us from MassMutual, where she led the talent development, learning & development, and change management teams. Prior to joining MassMutual, Sharyn was in a dual role as U.S. Head of talent management and global integration selection lead at Bayer Corporation. She led a team responsible for talent management processes, learning, change and organizational development, talent acquisition as well as diversity, equity & inclusion. Prior to joining Bayer, Sharyn supported talent management, organizational development and staffing at Novartis Pharmaceutical Corporation; and she held several positions at Bank of America in executive / leadership development, talent planning, enterprise learning and organizational effectiveness.

Earlier in her career, she worked as a psychotherapist at The Yale University Child Study Center (Connecticut), where she also consulted with the New Haven school district and was a diversity trainer.

Sharyn earned a bachelor’s (of arts with a minor in Spanish) and master’s (Psychiatric Social Work) degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an additional master’s in Organizational Development, as well as her doctorate in Education/Leadership Studies from Bowling Green State University. She also held a post graduate clinical fellowship at Yale University.

Sharyn grew up across the US in her early years, as part of a military family. She considers herself a hodophile and her passport is well used. She is a die-hard Pittsburgh Steelers football fan, looks forward to any activity involving family/friends and is currently learning more about her family lineage.

Tom has been Head of Global Talent Acquisition for Invesco since the 2019 merger with OppenheimerFunds, where he had served in that role since 2012.

Previously, Tom had a long career at Merrill Lynch in institutional fixed income sales and as a senior manager. From 2005 to 2009, he was Merrill’s Global Head of Talent Sourcing and Recruiting. 

Tom is a graduate of the University of Virginia and currently serves on the Alumni Advisory board for the McIntire School of Commerce at UVA.  He is Chairman Emeritus of Lime Connect, a non-profit organization whose mission is to rebrand disability through achievement and seeks to broaden career opportunities for students and professionals with disabilities.