Head of Finance
CEO
Program Manager
Head of Recruiting
Head of LP Program
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Events Associate
Network
Program Manager
Network Manager
Social Media Manager
Head of Brand and Communications
IT Senior Associate
Chloe joined the Kauffman Fellows team in August 2024 and manages the newsletter and social media for the network, spotlighting venture-backed investments, community milestones, and leadership insights. She plays a key role in amplifying the network’s impact and strengthening connections through strategic storytelling. She brings journalism and digital storytelling experience, having reported for The Seattle Times Affiliate Newspapers and helped businesses grow through podcasting. She earned a BA in Media Communications from San Francisco State University and studied at the Danish School of Media and Journalism. Chloe is also building Melo, an AI-powered tool for video podcast search and recommendations. In her free time, she enjoys surfing and spending time with her husband.
Emily joined the Kauffman Fellows team in December 2024 after three years of collaborating with the organization as a Project Manager at RockIt Events. During that time, she supported key Kauffman events—like Summits, Modules, and Treks—through speaker coordination, content planning, and behind-the-scenes support. Now as Network Manager, Emily works closely with the Head of Network to foster meaningful connections across the Kauffman community, both in person and online. With her creative flair, genuine enthusiasm, and passion for building relationships, she’s excited to be part of the team helping Kauffman Fellows thrive.
Madeleine Light is the Pathways Program Manager at Kauffman Fellows, where she leads the design and management of the Pathways Program. She works alongside the program team to create personalized learning experiences for Fellows, providing tailored learning sessions that align with the Fellows' growth and development goals. Her role ensures that Fellows have access to the resources and support they need as they progress through the two-year program. Before joining Kauffman Fellows, Madeleine was a Program Manager for Techstars, where she helped develop accelerator programs and supported high-growth startups. At the CU Boulder Deming Center for Entrepreneurship, she worked with student founders, helping them start and grow their businesses—from idea formation to scaling and raising capital.
Catherine comes to us with over a decade of experience in event management with a passion for creating memorable experiences and building meaningful connections within communities. She has worked at a variety of companies from boutique event firms to experiential event agencies, to Walt Disney World producing executive and press events, conferences, SXSW activations, community events, and weddings. Her most recent role was at the Kendra Scott Women's Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute (KS WELI) at the University of Texas at Austin, where she played a crucial role in scaling KS WELI from a virtual-only institute in 2020 to a thriving on-campus community.
Dani is all about entrepreneurship. She spent over a decade supporting entrepreneurs at Endeavor, where she was a key architect of the network experience for over 2,000 high-impact entrepreneurs from multiple industries and scaled the organization to more than 30 markets. After more than ten years at Endeavor, Dani jumped into entrepreneurship herself, co-founding and leading Elephant in a Box, a material science company specializing in honeycomb-inspired structures for furniture and beyond. Throughout her extensive career, Daniela has recognized the pivotal role of robust networks in driving sustainable global change. Now, as the VP of Network at Kauffman, she brings her entrepreneurial experience, strategic thinking, and a sincere dedication to fostering meaningful connections in the entrepreneurial landscape.
Fernando is the CEO of Kauffman Fellows, the leading education and community platform for venture capitalists shaping the future of the industry. ​He is a co-founder and General Partner at Matterscale Ventures, a venture capital firm launched by former Endeavor colleagues, investing in early-stage Latin startups. ​He is also a co-founder of Columbia University's eLab, a fellowship for global entrepreneurs in edtech/workforce. ​Since 2019, he is an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, SIPA, teaching the course Scaling Up in Hard Places: How Entrepreneurs Grow Outside of Silicon Valley. ​Prior to this, as president of Endeavor, he helped the organization expand to 30+ countries, launch Endeavor Catalyst, Endeavor Insight, Open, Outliers, and revamp the experience for entrepreneurs, mentors, and the global team.​He is the co-founder of Collective Academy, a top higher-ed school in Mexico, and an advisor to EByC. He lives in New York with his family.
Bailey is the Program Manager at Kauffman Fellows. She manages the logistics and delivery of the core Kauffman Fellows two-year leadership program. This program includes venture capitalists who are shaping the future of the industry. She delivers impeccable customer service, leadership, administration, logistics, exceptional communication, and organization to her team and the Fellows. Prior, she worked at Meta, colleges in Ireland, and other educational programs. She has a master's degree in Psychology from Trinity College Dublin; she is a friendly, loyal, and ambitious individual who loves working with people, building relationships, and helping others reach their goals.
Katlyn Mease joined Kauffman Fellows in October 2016 and manages the recruiting and class selection process. Katlyn serves as the main point of contact for candidates as they move through the selection process from their initial application, through the interview process, to their ultimate transition to Fellow. She is uniquely adept at bringing organization to incredibly complex projects, and ensures our candidates and Fellows have seamless and exceptional experiences in their interactions with the organization.
Lisa started with Kauffman Fellows in 2008, one day a week, handling accounting, audit, and tax. Ten years later, she is the VP of Finance and Administration, still making sure all the numbers tick and tie. Previously, Lisa spent 15 years as a finance and accounting consultant for small companies, assisting several through successful acquisitions.
Kirsten joined Kauffman Fellows in September 2011 and plays a key role in driving cross functional initiatives including organizational strategy, business development, and team development. She leads all organizational partnerships and also partners closely with the Director of Content and Communications driving forward the overall brand, marketing, and communications strategy for the organization. 
 Prior to her current role, she worked as the Director of Learning Design, owning all of the content, programming and curriculum for the two-year program and drove the engagement strategies for the overall network. In previous careers, she gained eleven years of experience as part of an executive coaching and management consulting firm supporting start-ups and venture capital firms. 
 Raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Kirsten moved her family to Bainbridge Island, Washington in 2014. She has a beautiful daughter, a passion for traveling, loves fitness (especially weight lifting), and enjoys great conversations over an amazing meal.
Jeff Harbach is an entrepreneur, an investor, and a mentor to both. As President and CEO of Kauffman Fellows, Jeff leads a diverse team in delivering a world-class experience for each investor participating in the Kauffman Fellows program. A graduate of the Kauffman Fellows program (Class 16), Jeff brings a unique perspective and passion to the organization while providing leading-edge content around venture capital formation and creating business networking opportunities to help Fellows maximize their personal and professional development. Jeff has been an entrepreneur and investor since 2002 and has served as the Executive Director of the Central Texas Angel Network, based out of Austin, Texas. He has led multiple startups and is also an angel investor with the Vegas Valley Angels. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and Information Systems from Brigham Young University and an MBA from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin, where he served as the Director of the Venture Fellows program and the Co-Founder of Texas Venture Labs. Through the Kauffman Fellows Fund, Jeff has invested in Zoom, Carta, finAccel, Flash, Groww, and Icon.
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