HIGH WATER WOMEN
Young Women's Council Leadership
The Young Women’s Council (YWC) is a passionate group of women who volunteer their time and talents to support High Water Women’s social impact mission. The YWC assists in each of HWW’s programs and takes on strategic projects core to the growth and development of our organization.
High Water Women is a nimble, volunteer-centric organization so YWC members are encouraged to think big and lead initiatives that will have immediate impact for our organization. To expand our mission's impact, the YWC team hosts social, professional and service-oriented events for its members, and seeks to build lasting connections within the group and with the Board and staff of HWW.
If you are interested in learning more about the Young Women’s Council, please contact us at ywc@highwaterwomen.org
Megan Roberts
Young Women's Council, Co-Chair
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Megan Roberts
Associate, Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners; Co-Chair, Young Women's Council, High Water Women – Megan Roberts is an Associate at Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners, an infrastructure-focused private equity firm based in New York City. In this role, Megan is responsible for evaluating investment opportunities as well as monitoring the fund’s portfolio companies. Prior to joining Stonepeak, Megan was an analyst in the Mergers & Acquisitions Investment Banking Group at Citi where she advised clients on transactions across various industries including industrials, consumer & retail and media. Megan holds a Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, in Economics and French Cultural Studies from Wellesley. She is excited to join High Water Women’s Young Women’s Council and to contribute meaningfully to the organization’s mission.
Caroline Yevak
Young Women's Council, Co-Chair
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Caroline Yevak
Associate, Providence Equity Partners; Co-Chair, Young Women's Council, High Water Women – Caroline Yevak is an Associate at Providence Equity Partners, a TMT-focused private equity firm, and is based in the New York office. In this role, Caroline is responsible for evaluating new investment opportunities and monitoring the fund’s existing portfolio. Prior to joining Providence, Caroline was an Investment Banking Analyst in the Consumer & Retail group at J.P. Morgan, where she was responsible for advising clients on mergers & acquisitions, debt and equity transactions. Caroline earned her B.S. in Business Administration from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is excited to be part of High Water Women's Young Women's Council and to support the organization in achieving its mission.
Charlotte Belling
Young Women's Council
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Charlotte Belling
Associate, Jones Lang LaSalle; Young Women's Council, High Water Women – Charlotte Belling is an Associate within the Northeast Industrial real estate team at Jones Lang LaSalle, a commercial real estate services company based in Chicago. In this role, Charlotte specializes in agency and tenant representation, assisting her clients with a full scope of real estate services in the industrial sectors of New York and New Jersey. Prior to JLL, Charlotte worked as a Marketing Associate at Zeus Living, a real estate technology company based in San Francisco. She earned her B.A. in Art History from Yale University. Passionate about expanding access to impactful educational opportunities for women and youth, Charlotte is very excited to support High Water Women's growing mission as part of the Young Women's Council.
Emma BeMiller
Young Women's Council
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Emma BeMiller
Associate, L Catterton; Young Women's Council, High Water Women – Emma BeMiller is an Associate at L Catterton, a consumer-focused private equity fund based in Greenwich, CT. In this role, Emma is responsible for evaluating investment opportunities in the retail, restaurant, food & beverage and branded consumer product sectors as well as partnering with various portfolio companies to drive growth. Prior to L Catterton, Emma was an analyst in the Industrials M&A Group at Evercore where she advised clients on strategic alternatives as well as executed specific M&A transactions. Emma earned her B.S. in Commerce with concentrations in Finance and Accounting and a track in Global Commerce from the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia. She is excited to join High Water Women’s Young Women’s Council and contribute to programs that positively impact women and youth in the New York City.
Maria Bergenhem
Young Women's Council
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Maria Bergenhem
Managing Associate, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, Young Women's Council, High Water Women — Maria Bergenhem is a Managing Associate in the New York office of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, a global law firm. In this role, Maria counsels technology companies in various stages of development from incorporation through exit, including on venture financing investments, debt investments, general corporate governance matters, mergers and acquisitions and more. Maria also represents investors from various industries making both impact and traditional investments in companies around the world.
Maria holds a J.D. with a concentration in Business Law and Regulation from Cornell Law School and a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from New York University. She is excited to join High Water Women’s Young Women’s Council and to contribute meaningfully to the organization’s mission.
Lauren Davis
Young Women's Council
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Lauren Davis
Product Marketing Manager, Projector PSA; Young Women's Council, High Water Women – Lauren Davis is a Product Marketing Manager at Projector PSA, a B2B tech company that provides project management, accounting, and analytics software for professional services organizations. Lauren is based in New York City but is temporarily living in Colorado for the fall. In her role at Projector, Lauren leads go-to-market strategy, develops compelling product messaging/positioning, obtains insight around customer behavior, drives content marketing, and analyzes competitive landscape. Prior to joining Projector, Lauren held a few different roles, including Marketing and Partnerships Manager at Zeus Living, an Airbnb-backed real estate tech company; she also held account management roles at two different communications agencies while living in San Francisco from 2015-2018. Lauren attended The University of Texas at Austin (class of ’15) where she majored in Marketing and Corporate Communications. She is thrilled to join the Young Women’s Council and is looking forward to working alongside so many talented and driven women.
Shelby Duncan
Young Women's Council
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Shelby Duncan
Experienced Manager, Grant Thornton's Transformation Advisory; Young Women's Council, High Water Women – Shelby Duncan is an Experienced Manager in Grant Thornton's Transformation Advisory practice. In her role, Shelby is responsible for designing and delivering client solutions which illustrate the benefits realization story through financial metrics resulting from technological and operational change. Prior to joining Grant Thornton, Shelby was a part of Bank of the West's Management Track Program. Shelby has earned her B.A. in Economics and International Relations from Mills College and will complete her MBA at the NYU Stern School of Business this May. Shelby looks forward to supporting the Young Women's Council in support of increasing financial literacy and impact investing.
Hannah Fischman
Young Women's Council
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Hannah Fischman
Senior Associate, AllianceBernstein; Young Women's Council, High Water Women – Hannah Fischman is a Senior Associate in the New York office of AllianceBernstein, a global investment management firm. In this role, Hannah partners with senior financial advisors to manage their client relationships and create specialized investment planning strategies. Outside of her role, Hannah most recently worked with Cristo Rey charter school on their corporate partnership with AllianceBernstein, where she managed the academic internship program. Hannah holds a Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, from Barnard College in New York City. She is excited to join High Water Women to contribute to, and help drive the organization's mission.
Melanie Fornes
Young Women's Council
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Melanie Fornes
Business Development Associate, Arabesque Asset Management; Young Women's Council, High Water Women – Melanie Fornes is a Business Development Associate at Arabesque Asset Management in Boston, MA. With prior experience in carbon finance and environmental policy making, Melanie is passionate about sustainability and change making in the financial industry. In her role, she focuses on incorporating ESG practices within the firm’s development and growth in the United States. Melanie holds two bachelor of arts degrees in Environmental Studies and Economics from the University of California (UCSC), and holds a M.Sc. in Environmental Economics and Climate Change from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). She is excited to join High Water Women to help drive the organization’s mission and programming.
Alex Higbee
Young Women's Council
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Alex Higbee
Associate, Private Bank Digital Marketing, JP Morgan Private Bank; Young Women's Council, High Water Women – Alex Higbee is an Associate on the Private Bank Digital Marketing team at J.P. Morgan. The Private Bank is part of J.P. Morgan Chase and specifically helps individuals, families, foundations, and endowments grow and manage their wealth through personalized, comprehensive financial solutions. Alex is responsible for helping bankers acquire new clients and deepen existing client relationships through digital content and experiences. Prior to joining J.P. Morgan, Alex was an Assistant Vice President at Morgan Stanley and worked on investment product marketing in wealth management. She started her career at Cambridge Associates in investment operations. Alex holds a Bachelor of Science in Management from Bucknell University and is currently completing her MBA at Columbia University, as part of their Executive Program. She is a Series 7 license holder and in her free time she teaches yoga and sails recreationally as well as competitively. She is excited to join High Water Women’s Young Women’s Council and to contribute meaningfully to the organization’s mission.
Isabel Hummel
Young Women's Council
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Isabel Hummel
Associate Director, Mackay Shields LLC; Young Women's Council, High Water Women – Isabel Hummel is an Associate Director on the high yield team at Mackay Shields LLC, a fixed income focused asset management firm based in New York City. In this role, Isabel is responsible for evaluating investment opportunities and monitoring portfolio companies within the healthcare, homebuilding, building products and automotive industry of the high yield corporate bond market. Isabel grew up in Munich, Germany and earned her B.A. in Economics from Yale University. She is passionate about the organization’s mission and is excited to be able to support it as a member of the Young Women’s Council.
Taylor Kessock
Young Women's Council
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Taylor Kessock
Account Director, Aon; Young Women's Council, High Water Women – Taylor Kessock is an Account Director at Aon, a global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement and health solutions. In this role, Taylor is responsible for client management and coordination; implementing innovative insurance and risk management programs; and bringing the best of Aon’s vast array of insurance, risk management, financial and related resources to our clients. Prior to this role, Taylor was an M&A consulting performing risk due diligence for mergers and acquisition transactions with a focus on private equity and large corporate clients. Taylor earned her B.S. in Business Administration with an International Business and Risk Management and Insurance double major from the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. She is excited to continue her role with High Water Women’s Young Women’s Council and to help drive the organization’s mission.
Ana Murias
Young Women's Council
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Ana Murias
Analyst, Corporate M&A, J.P. Morgan; Young Women's Council, High Water Women – Ana Murias is an Analyst on the Corporate M&A team at J.P. Morgan, and is based in the New York office. In this role, Ana is responsible for evaluating new acquisition opportunities and performing financial analyses to support firm-wide strategic initiatives. Ana holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the College of William & Mary. She is excited to join High Water Women’s Young Women’s Council and to help drive the organization’s mission.
Therese Nkeng
Young Women's Council
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Therese Nkeng
Senior Consultant, Ernst & Young LLP; Young Women's Council, High Water Women – Therese Nkeng is a New York based Senior Consultant at Ernst & Young LLP (EY) Performance Improvement practice within Banking and Capital Markets. Therese's experience spans globally and cross-industry with a heightened focus on operational redesign, strategic planning, and program management. Whether in healthcare or large financial institutions she leverages data driven solutions that encompass and promotes the users experience.
Abbi Ondocsin
Young Women's Council
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Abbi Ondocsin
Senior Analyst, Women of the World Endowment; Young Women's Council, High Water Women – Abbi is a Senior Analyst at the Women of the World Endowment (WoWE), a new endowment investing at the intersection of gender and today’s most pressing social and environmental issues. WoWE is focused on driving impact at scale to materially improve the lives of women and girls and the communities they empower via an institutional-quality endowment structure that delivers market-rate risk-adjusted returns. Abbi's role focuses on the build-out of a values-based public market portfolio and research on the intersection of Gender Lens Investing and ESG investing. Previously, Abbi was an Investment Analyst for Vanderbilt University's endowment, performing due diligence across asset classes in public markets. Abbi holds a Bachelor's in Business Administration with a double major in Finance and Economics from The University of Alabama.
Sophia Posada-Parker
Young Women's Council
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Sophia Posada-Parker
Project Associate, Office of the CFAO at UNICEF USA; Young Women's Council, High Water Women – Sophia Posada-Parker is an educator, policy wonk and activist who spends her time engaging with her local community. She currently works on the team of the CFAO at UNICEF USA. She formerly produced political risk research for Signum Global Advisors, an advisory firm at the cross of policy and markets. Sophia also conducted a Global Politics Teaching and Research Fellowship at the ISF Academy in Hong Kong. During her free time, she dives in local politics, and teaches civic courses to high school students. Passionate about education, social change, and women's rights, Sophia is excited to help in growing High Water Women's mission.
Shannon Rooney
Young Women's Council
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Shannon Rooney
Senior Associate, Capital One Bank; Young Women's Council, High Water Women – Shannon Rooney is a Senior Associate at Capital One Bank, working in the Capital Markets Analytics group. Shannon acts as an internal consultant for finance leadership on topics related to Treasury and Balance Sheet Management, based on research and analysis on other financial institutions and the competitive landscape. Prior to her current role, she was in Capital One's two year financial rotational program, rotating throughout different areas of the company. Shannon earned her B.S. in Business with a concentration in Finance and a minor in International Business from Virginia Tech. She started volunteering at HWW as a member of the Impact Committee and is excited to expand her involvement to the Young Women's Council.
Caroline Shipley
Young Women's Council
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Caroline Shipley
Associate, Malk Partners; Young Women's Council, High Water Women – Caroline is an Associate at Malk Partners, a firm that advises private market investors on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) management and impact investing. Caroline is based out of the New York office and is responsible for conducting ESG due diligence reviews on portfolio companies. Prior to joining Malk, Caroline earned her B.A. in Government and Legal Studies and in Environmental Studies from Bowdoin College, where she competed for the Cross Country and Track teams. In her free time, she loves to run, hike, and explore the outdoors. She is excited to join the Young Women’s Council and collaborate with her peers to contribute meaningfully to the organization’s mission.
Simran Singh
Young Women's Council
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Simran Singh
Global Graduate Program Analyst, Allianz Global Investors; Young Women's Council, High Water Women – Simran (Simi) Singh is a Global Graduate Program Analyst in the New York office of Allianz Global Investors, one of the world's leading active investment managers. In this role, Simi has primarily supported the U.S. Infrastructure Debt and Renewables Infrastructure Equity investing teams. Additionally, she has conducted strategic analysis to support new product development and distribution decisions in the illiquid alternatives space. Simi earned her B.S. in Business Administration, cum laude, from the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California with additional coursework in international relations and policy. She is passionate about High Water Women's mission and is excited to contribute to the organization.
Valerie Yuen
Young Women's Council
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Valerie Yuen
Senior Associate, Business Development, IHS Markit, Young Women's Council, High Water Women — Senior Associate, IHS Markit, Young Women’s Council, High Water Women – Valerie Yuen is a Senior Associate on the Business Development team at IHS Markit, a leader in critical information, analytics and solutions for major industries and markets. She specializes in fixed income cash products and was previously a CLO product specialist on the Securitized Products desk. At IHS Markit, she is involved with the NYC Women’s Forum and serves as a junior board member for Opening Act and Covenant House. Valerie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Government from Smith. She is excited to join High Water Women’s Young Women’s Council to further the organization’s mission.
Julianne Zech
Young Women's Council
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Julianne Zech
Analyst, Aladdin Product Group, BlackRock; Young Women's Council, High Water Women – Julianne Zech is an Analyst in the Aladdin Product Group at BlackRock. In this position, Julianne is responsible for building and delivering Aladdin to clients. Aladdin is BlackRock’s end-to-end operating system for investment professionals to see their whole portfolio, understand risk exposure, and act with precision. Julianne graduated Magna Cum Laude from Georgetown University with a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science and Mathematics. She looks forward to joining the YWC and supporting High Water Women initiatives.
HIGH WATER WOMEN
Former Members of the YWC
Corina Leu
Young Women's Council
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Corina Leu
Manager, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Young Women's Council, High Water Women — Corina Leu is a Manager of Foundation Relations at Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), an organization committed to ensuring access to quality health care, education, and information for all individuals and families worldwide.
Prior to joining PPFA, Corina held various fundraising roles at the Center for Reproductive Rights and the Bill of Rights Committee. Corina is an active volunteer in her community, having volunteered with High Water Women’s annual backpack drive since 2016. Since 2014, she has also served on the board of Global Action Project, a NYC-based organization that develops the capacities and skills of youth most affected by injustice to create powerful media, cultural expression, and social change. Corina holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Mount Holyoke College. She is excited to join High Water Women’s Young Women’s Council!
Audrey Richardson
Young Women's Council
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Audrey Richardson
Senior Consultant, Ernst & Young LLP, Young Women's Council, High Water Women — Audrey Richardson is a New York based Senior Consultant in Ernst & Young LLP’s (EY) Tax Technology and Transformation practice. Audrey’s professional experience focuses on developing automated solutions and tax tools for large financial institutions. Audrey also works extensively to develop EY’s managed services and new service offerings; including defining strategy, developing sales material, and delivering sales pitches to large investment banks.
Audrey started her career in KPMG’s Information Reporting and Withholding Tax Practice and earned a B.S. in accounting from the University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business. As a frequent financial literacy volunteer for High Water Women, Audrey is excited to continue to contribute to the organization as a member of High Water Women’s Young Women’s Council.
Catherine Wright
Young Women's Council
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Catherine Wright
Analyst, Gartland and Mellina Group, Young Women's Council, High Water Women — Catherine Wright is an analyst in the Financial Services Strategy & Solutions practice at Gartland and Mellina Group (GMG), a boutique management consulting firm that specializes in the financial services industry. In her role, she supports a team that both strategically advises and executes projects to achieve the client’s target operating model. Prior to GMG, Catherine was an Associate Financial Analyst on the Business Planning team at Moody’s Corporation where she assisted in managing the global business workflow for Moody’s sovereign line of business and operations in Canada and Latin America. Catherine earned her B.S. in Finance with a concentration in Marketing from Lehigh University. Outside of work, Catherine is a member of the Women’s Bond Club of New York and a councilwoman on the Young Women’s Council of High Water Women. Given her strong belief in the mission, Catherine is thrilled to support the Board of Directors of High Water Women with its operations and fundraising.
Aimee Xu
Young Women's Council
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Aimee Xu
Associate, Goode Partners, Young Women's Council, High Water Women — Aimee Xu is an associate at Goode Partners, a consumer-focused private equity fund based in New York City. In this role, Aimee is responsible for evaluating investment opportunities in the retail, restaurant and branded consumer product sectors and monitoring the fund’s restaurant portfolio companies. Prior to Goode, Aimee was an analyst in the Consumer & Retail Investment Banking Group at J.P. Morgan where she advised clients on mergers and acquisition and raised debt and equity funding. Aimee earned her B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in finance from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill. She is excited to join High Water Women’s Young Women’s Council and to contribute meaningfully to the organization’s mission.
Jacklyn Young
Young Women's Council
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Jacklyn Young
Audit Manager, KPMG, Young Women's Council, High Water Women — Jacklyn Young is an audit manager at KPMG in the financial services division. She specializes in the private equity and alternative investment management space. At KPMG, she is a National Instructor for firm-wide trainings and is also involved in recruiting. Jacklyn earned her B.S. in Accounting from Creighton University. She is excited to be part of High Water Women’s Young Women’s Council and aid the organization in pursuing its mission.