Education

Nichole Ake, CAMS

SVP, BBVA Compass
Chairman Education Committee, Houston

Nichole Ake is the SVP, SR Mgr BSA/AML for BBVA Compass.  She is the 2018 President of the BBVA Houston Volunteer Chapter. She is actively involved in BBVA’s LeaderLink initiative and a founding executive of Women in Leadership at BBVA. She has been recognized by BBVA’s Top Talent Program.

Previously, she was the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer of an investment adviser/broker dealer firm that focused on alternative investments, fund to funds, due diligence on hedge funds and traditional wealth management. She started her career at Lehman Brothers in Boston and eventually moved to Texas.

She has over 20 years of financial services experience in operations, trading and compliance with startup firms as well as large international firms.

She’s been a speaker, panelist and moderator at Thomson Reuters, HFBOA, DSTA, and STA on operational risk management, industry and regulatory focused initiatives. She holds a BS in Finance from Boston College, an MBA from Southern Methodist University and completed the three year Securities Industry Institute program through Wharton/SIFMA as well as other notable management certificates from University of Texas, University of Dallas and University of North Carolina executive programs.

Nichole is a past-President of the Dallas Security Traders Association (DSTA) and served as Co-Chair of the national Securities Traders Association (STA) Compliance Committee. She currently is the chair of the Houston TXWSW Education Committee and serves on the Board. She actively volunteers as a mentor for BBVA employees as well as Boston College students.

Amy Sbrusch

Tax Manager, Weinstein Spira

Amy Sbrusch is a highly skilled tax manager with a 19 year history of excellent service at quality companies. Specializing in real estate and family tax and estate practice, Amy thrives on helping her clients navigate complex taxation decisions as well as and plan for the future.

“Helping families understand their options and opportunities is very fulfilling,” says Amy. “I walk away each day knowing I helped others face big decisions and make educated choices.”

She also shares her experience with her colleagues at the firm and others who are interested in pursuing a career in accounting; Amy is involved in Weinstein Spira’s recruiting and coaching programs, where she offers direct answers to those who want to continue their education and improve their own performance.

Amy joined Weinstein Spira in 2008. She previously worked at Arthur Andersen, LLP, as well as Johnson Baur Carrillo, LLP. When she is not assisting others in charting their financial future, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, entertaining, cooking, and watching Houston sports teams.

Networking

Brittney Duffy

Senior Manager, Deloitte Tax LLP

Brittney Duffy is a Senior Manager in the Houston office of Deloitte Tax LLP with twelve years of experience within the financial services and structured finance sectors.  Her client base is composed primarily of asset managers, hedge funds, and private equity firms, while serving as a financial instrument specialist to many other industries. She has extensive experience with tax issues regarding financial products, and she regularly consults with issuers of and investors in debt instruments, derivatives, commodities, and other complex financial instruments.

She earned a Bachelors in Business Administration and a Masters of Accountancy from Baylor University. She is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Leana Garipova

Associate, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP

Leana Garipova is an attorney in the Global Energy and Transactions practice group of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP.  Ms. Garipova’s practice focuses on public and private securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance and general corporate and securities matters. Ms. Garipova earned her B.A. from Kazan Federal University in Russia.  Ms. Garipova earned her J.D. cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center. While in law school, Ms. Garipova served as managing editor of The Georgetown Law Journal.

Brett Ashley Longoria

Senior Portfolio Analyst at Avalon Advisors, LLC
Chairman Networking Committee, Houston

Brett Ashley Longoria is a Senior Portfolio Analyst at Avalon Advisors, LLC focusing on alternatives as well as family office services. She joined Avalon in December of 2011 as a Client Advisory Assistant and in 2012 became a Client Advisory Analyst. She graduated from Barnard College of Columbia University, with a B.A. in American Studies. Brett Ashley serves as the President of the Periwinkle Foundation Friends Board and is a volunteer for the Theta Charity Antiques Show and the Houston Alumnae of Kappa Alpha Theta.

Marisela Luviano

Senior Audit Manager, Melton & Melton, LLP

Marisela Luviano, CPA is a Senior Audit Manager with Melton & Melton, LLP, a local CPA firm, where she provides audit services to investment companies (including investment advisors, hedge funds, and broker-dealers) as well as other industries in the Houston area. Prior to joining Melton & Melton, LLP, Marisela began her career in Dallas in January 2007 with Rothstein Kass. She earned her CPA in Texas in February 2009. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants, the National Association of Professional Women, Texas Wall Street Women, and the Texas Hedge Fund Association. She has held various board positions in the ALPFA Houston Professional Chapter from October 2011 through October 2014. Marisela graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Houston—Downtown in December 2006 with a Bachelor of Business Administration with a major in Accounting and a minor in Finance.

Jesica Radenheimer

Associate and Portfolio Administrator, Avalon Advisors

Jesica G. Radenheimer is an Associate and Portfolio Administrator at Avalon Advisors. Prior to joining Avalon, Jesica worked a Financial Operation Trading Specialist at Chilton Capital Management and as a Financial Representative at Fidelity Investments. Jesica began her career as a Paraplanner at Ameriprise Financial. In her previous roles, Jesica analyzed client portfolios and prepared reports, assisted clients with financial goals and maintained various high net worth relationships and institutional platforms.

She graduated from the University of Houston with a B.B.A. in Finance and a Certificate of Corporate Entrepreneurship.

Victoria Ridgway

Head of Client Services, Champion Advisors LLC

Victoria Ridgway is the head of Client Services at Champion Advisors LLC. Since joining in early 2015, Victoria is responsible for all client communications and account administration. Prior to Champion, her career has included positions focused on development and community, from grant-writing for the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston to launching a multiespacio. Victoria attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Art History. Victoria is an active member in her community, enjoys a British murder mystery, and always makes her pie crust from scratch.

Philanthropy

Rushana Cypert

Investor Relations Associate, Quantum Energy Partners

Rushana is an Investor Relations Associate at Quantum Energy Partners where her primary responsibilities include fundraising, financial reporting, and internal operations.  She works closely with Quantum’s limited partners on due diligence, capital call and distribution communication, and fund financial reporting.

Prior to joining Quantum, Rushana was an associate at KPMG LLC’s Economic and Valuation Services Group in Houston, TX, where she performed valuation analyses for financial reporting, mergers and acquisitions, and tax planning for clients across the upstream, midstream, and downstream energy sectors.  Rushana holds a B.B.A. from the University of Houston in finance and accounting and an MBA from Rice University with concentrations in finance and energy.

Denise Davis

Vice President, PNC Financial Services Group

Denise is a Vice President in the Energy Group at PNC Bank. Denise joined PNC in 2012 and spent ~2 years in Pittsburgh HQ before moving down to join the Houston Energy team in April 2014. Denise is currently one of the relationship managers in the PNC energy group and manages a portfolio of oil & gas companies. From credit loan structuring to capital markets advisory, Denise works closely with her clients to deliver value added ideas, advice, and banking solutions to meet their respective needs and goals. Additionally, Denise is responsible for new credit and non-credit ancillary business generation and maintains active market coverage of prospective clients.

Denise earned her BSBA from the University of Pittsburgh, with a major in Finance, and also holds both Series 63 and 79 licenses. Denise is also actively involved in Big Brothers Big Sisters and has mentored her Little Brother for over 2 years since their match in June 2015.

Elisa Fierro

Financial Advisor, Manske Wealth Management

Elisa Fierro is a Financial Advisor at Manske Wealth Management, where she offers individual portfolio design for institutions and individuals.  She helps her clients meet their financial goals by diligently working to minimize taxes, increase net worth over time, and provide a secure retirement.  She leads the firm’s efforts in Asset Valuation by working closely with Divorce Attorneys and providing the proper valuation and actual division of assets in sophisticated divorces.  She’s glad to help the attorney’s office with this key component of the divorce transaction.  She is also one of the few investment advisors in Houston that focuses on the specialized compliance requirements for the upper echelons of professional consulting.  Elisa holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biological and Physical Sciences from the University of Houston-Downtown and is very active with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo where she serves on the Wine Sales Committee.

Jahaira Lazo

Private Banker, BBVA Compass Wealth Management

Jahaira Lazo is a Private Banker in the BBVA Compass Wealth Management Group in Houston, TX.  She maintains a portfolio of high net worth clients, offering strategic advice and financial planning solutions.  In total, Jahaira has over 12 years of experience in banking where 5 have been with JPMorgan Chase and 7 with BBVA Compass.  She received a Bachelor in Business Administration in Finance from the University of Houston.

Kathryn Shurin

Attorney, Haynes and Boone, LLP

Chair Philanthropy Committee, Houston

Kathryn “Katy” Shurin is a member of Haynes and Boone’s Energy, Power and Natural Resources Practice Group in the Houston office. She is active in Haynes and Boone’s energy, commodities, power and renewables, energy finance, and oil and gas practices. Katy represents financial institutions and commodities and energy companies in a wide array of complex transactions, including secured and unsecured hedging and off-take arrangements, structured transactions, transactions for the purchase and sale of energy-related commodities, prepaid transactions, supply arrangements, working capital and letter of credit facilities, and other lending transactions, with a particular focus on the power, natural gas, wind, solar, renewable energy credit, and upstream oil and gas industries.

Katy’s experience includes structuring, analyzing and negotiating bespoke agreements as well as standardized energy commodity master agreements, including the ISDA and related annexes, EEI, WSPP and NAESB. Katy works with clients on determining the appropriate contract structure and credit support arrangements to help her clients achieve their business objectives. As part of this representation, Katy also drafts and negotiates supporting documentation, such as collateral and intercreditor agreements.

Katy is active in the Houston community. She is a member of the board of directors of Main Street Theater in Houston, where she is also the chair of the governance committee of the board of directors. Katy is also a member of the board of directors of the Washington and Lee University Alumni Association in Houston, and she is a member of the Middlebury College Alumni Admission