K4NORTHWEST - Key Persons
Passionate about startups and their journey. Interested in the Deal Flow lifecycle and collaborative learning environment. Portfolio Manager at Keiretsu Capital and Due Diligence Coordinator at Keiretsu Forum Northwest & Rockies. Experience as an Analyst and initiated a couple of startups. My background is in Engineering and MBA.
Job Titles:
- Social Media Marketing Manager at Keiretsu Forum
As Social Media Marketing Manager at Keiretsu Forum, Amanda manages the social media channels for the Northwest & Rockies region. She is a detail-oriented marketing and communications specialist with over 6 years of experience in content writing, social media management, customer service, project management and event planning. She has demonstrated her ability to work with external entities across the organization to complete projects on time while focusing on developing relationships and fostering collaboration.
Ana Turton assists with Membership Services and assists Brianna McDonald. She supports all Members with on boarding, introductions and assist with any questions about your membership.
Brianna McDonald has been an active leader and angel investor with Keiretsu Forum since its launch in Seattle in 2005 and supporting its growth to become the largest and most active group globally. She has proven specifically adept at screening companies for angel investment, coaching companies on presentation and investor relations, sales strategy execution, relationship management, and leading due diligence teams. Brianna has established a reputation for achievement in all phases of the Keiretsu process: risk management, market anticipation and response, regional/national business development, organizational development, angel investing, and overall enterprise management.
She brings an impressive record of leadership in both the private and public arenas. She has proven herself the consummate professional through her ability to build and develop diverse, productive and loyal teams through consensus building and mutual respect. She has shared this focus on team building with members and clients so that whatever their role is in Keiretsu they feel valued and important.
Brianna believes that business leaders should also be community leaders. As such she sits on a variety of public and nonprofit boards, is a dedicated charity fundraiser, and a mentor to business and entrepreneurial educational programs including the University of Washington and Seattle University. Brianna and her husband live in Seattle, Washington and with their three young children.
Being curious by nature I have always been intrigued by the science and art of marketing and sales. With over 6 years of experience in digital marketing and sales, I am still learning the art of content marketing and the science behind what drives people to buy. My curiosity has made me dabble with multiple domains such as content marketing, performance marketing, email marketing, key account management, business development, and sales. Over the last few years being observant, which again is a byproduct of my curiosity, has helped drive the analytical side of me towards product marketing and drive performance marketing. In the past in my agency life, I've managed multiple accounts from real estate, beauty, lifestyle, restaurants & tourism. While I have also worked on tech product brands to define brand communication and grow the user base by 5x.
Job Titles:
- Director of Events and Member Engagement
Job Titles:
- Chapter President - Portland / Oregon
Don Megrath has over 25 years of experience in board, finance and operational roles in a variety of industries and disciplines. He is also co-founder of VectorPoint Ventures were he currently brings his extensive experience in early stage and growth stage investing, portfolio company management, entrepreneurship and finance to bear. In his career he has served in several operational and leadership functions, including business development, finance, information technology, strategic planning and implementation, investment banking, and corporate development. He has founded or co-founded several ventures and has held key management positions in several small and middle market companies, including serving as VP Finance, CFO, COO and board director positions in both private and public companies. Don is a member of the Keiretsu Forum Angel Investment Group, previously serving for five years as the President of the Portland, Oregon Chapter. He is also a member of Financial Executives International.
Before his most recent endeavors, he served over 5 years as a Senior Associate with an investment manager where he also served as an officer or director in certain portfolio companies and where he was actively involved in structuring and closing over $100 million in total financing in over 50 transactions, including preferred equity, senior debt, and mezzanine debt financing in middle market private and public companies in a variety of industries. Before that, Mr. Megrath served 8 years in the CFO and Vice President Operations roles at Integrated Information Systems, Inc., which was publicly traded at the time, and STEP Technology, Inc. Prior to serving at STEP, Don began his career in business to business marketing prior to earning his MBA degree.
Before earning his university degrees Mr. Megrath invested in his education at Oregon State University (undergraduate) and Portland State University (graduate), and for each area of study finished university work at George Fox University, where he obtained his BA degree and an MBA. Don lives in the Portland, Oregon area with his wife and their two sons and regularly finds time for adventures in the Pacific Northwest outdoors with his family and friends.
With a bachelor's degree in Business Management Studies (BMS) and over five years of work experience in Dubai (UAE), I am glad to join the Keiretsu Team assisting Events. I hold an arsenal of experience in the field of Events, Admin & Procurement
For the past fourteen (14) years I have garnered high-level experience working directly with many of the worlds leading entrepreneurs, chief executives, family-business operators and global strategic partners to host internationally acclaimed programs for Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO).
Job Titles:
- Ambassador
- Business Executive
Jolene Anderson is a seasoned business executive working with a global client list seeking to invest in commercial real estate and providing business facilitation for emerging companies, both public and private. Ms. Anderson has facilitated the sales and financing of hotels, resorts, and multifamily properties in WA, OR, ID, CA, FL, and HI since 1989. Her extensive network of business executives and mentors includes key players in industry and commerce. She has advised companies as a business strategist and facilitated expansion into US markets, including advising product companies who desired to expand their product line into the US and Canada and was a principal in a global spa/health education company and corporate travel company. Recent assignments include consulting for a public company, located in Boise, ID, focusing on science, technology, engineering and math for K-12 students (STEM) education, where she served as the Director of Investor and Community Relations. She has also advised companies in the Seattle biotech community and serves on the boards of non profits focusing on healthy communities and education. Ms. Anderson served as a volunteer at the Chris Elliott Fund for Brain Cancer Research, Washington Women for Employment and Education, Table Captain for the Annual YWCA Fundraiser, volunteer for Children's Orthopedic Hospital and is past President of the Kiwanis Club of Seattle, and Soroptimist International Seattle Metro. She has produced a radio show on healthy families and was the editor of an online magazine. She is a problem solver committed to providing consulting for companies through introducing strategic partnerships and mentorship.
Job Titles:
- Entrepreneur & Due Diligence Director
Juan Arango has managed business process improvement, led sales teams, advised companies on strategy, and has a Master of Science degree in Finance and an MBA. In 2011 he cofounded a gamified education company, a wearable technology company, and has been preparing early stage startups for angel investing and due diligence processes since then. Juan coordinates 10-15 startup due diligence processes at any one time to guarantee their risks are properly assessed, and makes sure Keiretsu members invest fully aware of the challenges their companies face. Bringing together quality deals and smart money, Juan's interests include motorcycles and building financial models for startups.
Currently working as a Deal-Flow Coordinator, contributing to the exciting advances at Keiretsu Forum. I have been exposed to roles involving maintaining Investor Relations and Market Research. A strong communicator and coordinator with the ability to manage and bring highly visible projects to completion and interpret and manipulate data to produce useful information.
Kamalika Debnath is a dynamic B.Com graduate in Finance with 4 years of experience as an Administrative Assistant, she possesses a strong track record in providing efficient administrative support. Kamalika's expertise lies in managing operations, coordinating schedules, and ensuring smooth communication within high-performing teams.
Job Titles:
- HR Business Partner
- HR Business Partner at Keiretsu Forum
Khyati is a skilled HR Business Partner at Keiretsu Forum. She holds an MBA in HR and possesses a strong background in human resources and a deep understanding of business dynamics. Khyati's key areas of work are talent acquisition, employee engagement, performance management, organizational development, and HR policy development.
She is known for her ability to build strong relationships, foster collaboration, and provide trusted advice and support to colleagues at all levels.
Job Titles:
- Director of Operations
- Member of Our Team
Lenin is a valuable member of our team handling Operation/Events for Keiretsu forum NW and also an Executive Assistant for Nathan McDonald.
Lenin holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and has continuously pursued professional development opportunities to stay at the forefront of industry trends and best practices. His unwavering commitment to excellence, coupled with his strategic vision and operational expertise, has made him a trusted leader in the field of operations management.
In his role as Director of Operations, John is dedicated to driving continuous improvement, optimizing operational efficiency, and achieving outstanding results for the organization. With his strong leadership skills and keen business acumen, he is poised to make a significant impact and contribute to the long-term success of any organization he serves.
Job Titles:
- Chapter President - Bellevue / Eastside
- President for Keiretsu Forum Northwest
Loren Lyon currently serves as the Bellevue/Eastside Chapter President for Keiretsu Forum Northwest. Loren is a serial entrepreneur who in addition to his role at Keiretsu is currently CEO at the local DME early stage company, Magic Wheels. He brings a strong skill set in managing start up technology companies.
He was CEO at SelfCHARGE Inc. from 1996 until 2006. The company was consistently listed as one of the fastest growing in the NW and he was named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the NW in Manufacturing in 2005. Mr. Lyon orchestrated a sale of the company in 2006 and left the company in early 2007. He was CEO at several other high tech companies in the Northwest and has been a senior manager at companies such as Celerex, Data I/O, Applied Microsystems, Kistler Morse.
Loren has a passion for technology and entrepreneurship that aligns well with Keiretsu. One of the greatest strengths of our country is our creativity and entrepreneurial nature. Putting good deals together with good knowledgeable investors is one of the most powerful things that can be done to bring our economy back to good health.
Mr. Lyon earned a BS in Operations Management from NYU at Albany, NY.
Job Titles:
- Chapter President - Vancouver / British Columbia
Michael Volker is an entrepreneur active in the development of new high technology ventures. A University of Waterloo Engineering grad, Mike started his own company (Volker-Craig Ltd) in 1973. He sold this company in 1981 and then decided to work with entrepreneurs in building new companies. He is presently the director of Simon Fraser University's Innovation Office. His latest two projects are: Greenangel Energy Corp, [GAE.V] a public company that invests in green technologies and WUTIF - the Western Universities Technology Innovation Fund - an "angel" fund for start-ups. To further encourage tech entrepreneurship, Mike runs the Vancouver Angel Network, VANTEC and he's also quite active with New Ventures BC - an annual business competition. Mike was also chairman of the Vancouver Enterprise Forum for several years.
Nathan McDonald is a Managing Partner and CEO of Keiretsu Capital and currently manages over $24M in across four funds with over 200 investors and 165 investments to date. Keiretsu Forum is a worldwide investment community of capital, resources and deal flow with over 50 chapters on 3 continents comprised of accredited private equity angel investors, venture capitalists and corporate/institutional investors. Keiretsu Forum members invest in high-quality, diverse investment opportunities. Keiretsu Forum and Keiretsu Capital (the exclusive worldwide fund partner of Keiretsu Forum) are ranked as the most active venture investors in the USA according to PitchBook.
Nathan brings a unique entrepreneurial business and organizational development background developed during seventeen years of hands-on, active leadership and operational experience. Nathan co-founded and currently oversees as Chairman the Northwest Region of the Keiretsu Forum global angel investment group. He wrote the business plan and designed the organizational structure, which led to the initial license agreement with global Keiretsu Forum. He recruited the team, implemented policies and procedures, and designed and coordinated hundreds of multifaceted events. As part of his overall regional growth strategy, he created and implemented controlled expansion activities in Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue, Boise ID, Portland OR and Vancouver, B.C. Nathan's leadership and personal networking skills combined to quickly build the region into the fastest-growing angel investment group in the nation, adding over 800 investor members and facilitating over $400 million in funding for more than 500 companies. Nathan received a BA degree from the University of Washington, Foster Business School in Business Administration & Finance with an emphasis in entrepreneurial leadership and venture finance and currently serves as President of the Buerk Center Entrepreneur Alumni Committee.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Entrepreneur Director
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Social Media Manager
Thealzel Lee is an entrepreneur, angel investor and business strategy adviser to companies with a focus on strategy development and operational alignment. Thealzel is a senior partner with management consulting firm Rocket Builders, co-manages the monthly Vancouver Angel Technology Network (VANTEC) and the Keiretsu Forum Northwest Region-Vancouver Chapter for her fellow angel investors. She is co-founder of Nelsa Investment (VCC) Inc.