Espresso Chats

Join hosts George Suttles, Executive Director, and Amanda Novello, Associate Director, in this episode of Espresso Chats, a series by the Commonfund Institute serving up strong, short shots of governance and leadership insight. In this episode, Meredith Benton, Principal and Founder of Whistle Stop Capital, discusses how foundations, university endowments, and other long-term institutional investo...

AI is everywhere — but what does it actually mean for investors? In this kickoff episode of our AI mini-series, Commonfund Institute's Amanda Novello, Senior Policy and Research Analyst, sits down with Luke Rossiter, Managing Director on CF Private Equity's venture capital team, to break down where we really are in the AI cycle, what separates a genuine investment opportunity from the hype, and ho...

In this episode, Brian Flahaven, VP of Strategic Partnerships at CASE, discusses the fundraising and philanthropic landscape facing schools, colleges, and universities today. The conversation covers key trends in giving — including the persistent "dollars up, donors down" phenomenon — and examines how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act introduces both new incentives and new limitations for charitable...

In this episode, Jeff Shields, President and CEO of NBOA, discusses highlights from the recently released Commonfund Benchmarks Study® of Independent Schools, including two consecutive years of double-digit investment returns for independent school endowments - a rare occurrence not seen in 15 years. The discussion explores the growing divide between larger and smaller independent schools in terms...

In this episode, Liz Clark, VP of Policy and Research at NACUBO, discusses findings from the recently released NACUBO-Commonfund Study of Endowments, including major themes such as spending. The conversation dovetails into broader challenges in higher education today and emphasizes that successful institutions are those that stay focused on their core educational mission.

In this episode of Espresso Chats, Dan Connell from CF Private Equity’s Real Assets and Sustainability team discusses how the investment landscape for real assets and sustainability has evolved over the past year. He addresses how policy changes, demand growth, and cost-effectiveness have driven the economic advantages of utility-scale solar and natural gas, and how institutional investors can use...

The Espresso Chats team reflects on the first season, key themes from conversations with leaders in the nonprofit institutional investing space, and the hope and inspiration they are drawing from the show.

In this episode of Espresso Chats, Rev. Dr. Shannon Polk from Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation and Dr. Jocelynne Rainey from Brooklyn Org discuss how their organizations' are driving economic mobility, advancing racial equity, and leveraging impact investing to address urgent challenges in their communities. The leaders share strategies for supporting nonprofits in the face of growing needs and...

In this episode of Espresso Chats, Monika Kalra Varma, President and CEO of BoardSource, discusses the critical importance of good governance in the nonprofit sector. BoardSource, with over thirty years of experience, provides essential support and innovative frameworks like Purpose Driven Board Leadership (PDBL) to help organizations align their governance with their core purpose. The conversatio...

In this episode of Espresso Chats, Mark Hoeing from CF Private Equity shares valuable insights on governance and leadership within the realm of private equity. He discusses the firm's investment strategies, including buyouts and growth equity, while highlighting their focus on early-stage venture capital in sectors like healthcare technology and AI. As the market transitions post-2021, both larger...

In this episode of Espresso Chats, Joanna Jackson, president and CEO of Weingart Foundation, discusses the foundation's commitment to racial, social, and economic justice in Southern California. With over $800 million invested in mission-aligned impact, the foundation is using all tools it has available to respond to the unprecedented challenges facing their communities and partners today. Joanna...

In this episode of Espresso Chats, hosts George Suttles and Amanda Novello speak with Hallie Label and Tyeshia Smith from Expect Equity, an initiative focused on supporting underrepresented public equity managers. They discuss the critical need for an expansive approach to talent in investment management, highlighting that only 1% of assets are managed by women and people of color, despite their e...

Join hosts George Suttles, Executive Director, and Amanda Novello, Sr. Policy and Research Analyst, in the inaugural episode of "Espresso Chats," a series by the Commonfund Institute. This episode delves into the current challenges facing higher education, featuring insights from Tim Yates, President and CEO of Commonfund OCIO, on the impact of policy changes on institutional investors. Discover t...