Board of Advisors
CHRISTOPHER COX
Former SEC Chairman
Chris Cox serves on the fiduciary and advisory boards of privately held companies in the health care, real estate, regulatory compliance, and technology industries, including RevOZ Capital. In 2020 he concluded 21 years in private legal practice, retiring as president of Morgan Lewis Consulting LLC and as a partner in the international law firm of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. During a 23-year Washington career, he was a White House counsel to President Ronald Reagan, chairman of the US Securities and Exchange Commission, chairman of the Homeland Security Committee in the US House of Representatives, and the fifth-ranking elected leader in the House. Prior to his Washington service he was a member of the faculty at Harvard Business School and a partner in the international law firm of Latham & Watkins.
WILLIAM CVENGROS
Former CEO of PIMCO Advisors and Trustee of Janus Henderson Funds
Cvengros is the former CEO of PIMCO Advisors, parent company to one of the largest investment management companies in the country (PIMCO). Prior to PIMCO Advisors, Cvengros was the vice chairman of Pacific Life Insurance Company. Following the acquisition of PIMCO by Allianz AG, Cvengros became the chairman of PacketVideo Corporation and chairman of National Retirement Partners. Currently he serves as trustee of Janus Henderson Funds.
STEPHANIE RAWLINGS-BLAKE
Former Baltimore Mayor and Secretary of the Democratic National Committee
Rawlings-Blake served as Baltimore’s 49th mayor from 2010 to 2016. During her tenure, she passed significant legislation surrounding Baltimore financial planning and reform and helped make the city more immigrant friendly. She also served as president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) and secretary of the Democratic National Committee following the reelection of President Obama. She currently serves on the USCM Board of Trustees and is the founder of SRB & Associates, which provides consulting and advocacy services to cities, businesses and elected officials.
JAMES DOTI
President Emeritus of Chapman University
Dr. Doti has been a member of the faculty of Chapman University since 1974, serving as president from 1971-1996. In 1978, he founded the A. Gary Anderson Center for Economic Research to provide data, facilities and support that encourage faculty and students to engage in and disseminate high-quality research. He is a frequent contributor to academic journals, The Wall Street Journal, Orange County Register and The Chronicle of Higher Education.
SHAY HAWKINS
President and CEO at Opportunity Funds Association
Hawkins is the co-founder and president of the Opportunity Funds Association, an advocacy, education and communications organization established to enable Opportunity Fund managers and investors in Opportunity Funds to participate in public policy, share best practices and communicate the industry’s contributions to distressed rural and urban communities across the country. He also has served as staff director for the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources and Infrastructure and as senior tax and economic policy advisor to Senator Tim Scott (R-SC).
JEROME A. FINK
Co-founder and Managing Partner of The Bascom Group, LLC
Fink is a co-founder and managing partner of The Bascom Group, LLC, which has completed over $15B in multifamily and commercial value-added transactions since 1996, including more than 300 multifamily properties and 80,000 units. Bascom has ranked among the top 50 multifamily owners in the U.S. Fink currently serves on the board for the Young Presidents Organization California Coast and California Coast Gold chapters.
KUNAL MERCHANT
President and Co-Founder of CalOZ and Managing Director of Lotus Advisory
Merchant is the president and co-founder of CalOZ, California’s leading trade organization dedicated to accelerating the success of high-quality Opportunity Zone investments in California. He also is the managing director of Lotus Advisory, providing strategic advisory, project management, public affairs and communications support to a portfolio of clients in sports, technology, real estate, politics and philanthropy. Recently, he worked with members of the RevOZ Capital team on the Downtown Sacramento Revitalization project with the Sacramento Kings. Previously, he served as vice president of strategic initiatives for the Sacramento Kings, executive director of Think BIG Sacramento, and chief of staff to Sacramento Mayor, Kevin Johnson. Merchant sits on the board of the Green Sports Alliance.
CHRISTA COLE
Managing Counsel of Nestlé USA, Inc.
Cole, a member of the global Nestlé Legal IP team, is head of legal brand enforcement, protection and licensing for Nestlé USA, Inc., where she oversees the management of a trademark portfolio with annual revenue of $10B+. In 2017, Cole developed and led the Nestlé Gender Balance Network to increase inclusivity and support of women at every stage in their career. Prior to joining Nestlé, Cole was general counsel to California Tan, Inc. and practiced criminal defense in Orange County, California.
GUY JOHNSON
Founder of Johnson Capital Residential Investments
Johnson is the founder of Johnson Capital, a national commercial real estate finance company that originates millions in annual finance transactions. He has over three decades of commercial real estate, financial service, asset management and private equity investing experience. Johnson also has successfully sold several different Johnson Capital operating entities to various NYSE public companies including Prudential Insurance, CBRE and Walker & Dunlop.