MFA Ops: Human Capital & Talent Infrastructure 2025 - Agenda
November 6, 2025
Conference
New York, NY
Register
9:00 am - 9:45 am
Arrivals, registration & networking
9:45 am - 10:00 am
Opening remarks
Speaker
Speaker To Be Announced
10:00 am - 10:30 am
The evolution of HR: Where human capital meets operational strategy
Explore how HR is transforming from a support function to a strategic partner, aligning talent with business operations to drive performance across the organization.
Speakers
Sarah Fass
,
Chief People Officer
,
Two Sigma
Sarah Fass is the Chief People Officer at Two Sigma, responsible for steering the company’s people strategy. She develops and implements programs focused on fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning across all aspects of the employee experience. She has over 25 years of experience, including 15 years shaping talent initiatives in diverse industries and nearly a decade as an employment attorney. Before joining Two Sigma, Sarah served as Chief Human Resources Officer at Bridgewater Associates, overseeing the firm’s HR and real estate functions to drive comprehensive people strategies.
Ariel Speicher
,
Chief Human Resources Officer
,
Hudson Bay Capital
Tara Schiff
,
Managing Director and Chief Administrative Officer
,
Davidson Kempner Capital Management
Tara Schiff is a Managing Director and Chief Administrative Officer at Davidson Kempner. She joined the Firm in 2008 and is based in the New York office.
Before joining Davidson Kempner, Ms. Schiff was a Director of Human Resources at SAC Capital Advisors. Ms. Schiff received an M.Ed. in Organizational Psychology and an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Columbia University and a B.S. from McGill University.
Moderated by
Moderator TBA
10:30 am - 11:00 am
Winning the war for talent and scaling your business with purpose
Strategies for attracting top talent while aligning hiring with long-term business growth.
Speakers
Joanna Albright
,
Co-Chief Operating Officer
,
Coatue Management LLC
Joanna Albright is Co-COO at Coatue. Prior to joining Coatue in 2010, Joanna held positions as Vice President at Glocap Search and Morgan Stanley. Joanna graduated with a B.A. from Brown University.
Mark Russo
,
General Counsel
,
ZAIS Group, LLC
Mr. Russo serves as General Counsel and a Managing Director at ZAIS Group, LLC. Mr. Russo was appointed General Counsel in April 2017. Before joining ZAIS in February of 2007, Mr. Russo was an attorney at Thacher Proffitt & Wood LLP in the Structured Finance Practice Group from 2004 to 2007. He received a B.S. with distinction from The Pennsylvania State University and a J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law.
Sarah Salta
,
Global Head of Talent Acquisition
,
Man Group
Sarah Salta is Global Head of Talent Acquisition at Man Group, leading the firm’s global talent strategy across all levels and geographies. She manages a team of talent acquisition professionals focusing on four key pillars: candidate-centric experiences, consultative partnerships, cost-effective hiring practices and technology-enabled solutions. Sarah partners with senior leadership to align talent acquisition strategies with organizational goals while championing a culture of high performance.
Sarah joined Man Group in 2021 and prior to her current role, she served as Head of Recruitment, US & APAC. She brings extensive experience in financial services, having held senior talent acquisition roles at Brookfield Asset Management, Cambridge Associates, and John Hancock. Sarah began her career in retail banking through a leadership development program, leveraging her financial services sales background to successfully transition into talent acquisition.
Sarah holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Economics with a minor in Political Science from State University of New York Cortland.
Moderated by
Moderator TBA
11:00 am - 11:30 am
Tech and AI in action: Real-life use cases transforming HR
As AI and emerging technologies are reshaping how we work, learn how firms are leveraging tech to streamline HR operations, enhance leadership development and support decision-making.
Speakers
Mark McNamara
,
Head of People Systems and Operations
,
Balyasny Asset Management L.P.
Additional Speakers To Be Announced
Moderated by
Moderator TBA
11:30 am - 12:00 pm
Managing a global workforce: Cross-border hiring, mobility and employment law
Navigate the complexities of global talent mobility from non-compete developments to operational execution.
Speakers
Shawn Butte
,
Senior Employment Counsel
,
The Voleon Group
Throughout his career, Shawn has served as a strategic adviser to corporations and emerging companies in a variety of industries, including technology, financial services, life sciences, hospitality, and e-commerce. His experience includes cross-border employment matters, internal investigations and state and federal court litigation involving restrictive covenants, employee raiding and misappropriation of trade secrets. As a counselor, Shawn has advised on employment and equity matters in connection with corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. Shawn is also a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US) and has experience helping companies navigate domestic and international privacy issues.
Shawn is currently Senior Employment Counsel at The Voleon Group, a multibillion-dollar hedge fund that applies machine learning techniques to real-world problems in finance. Previously, Shawn was the Head of Legal at Wish, a global e-commerce platform.
Prior to going in-house, Shawn was an employment law associate in the New York offices of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP and BakerHostetler LLP.
Martin L. Schmelkin
,
Partner
,
McDermott Will & Schulte LLP
Marty is a Partner in the Employment Law practice with McDermott Will & Schulte in New York City. He has over 30 years of experience in employment law, representing clients in all aspects of the employment lifecycle, including counseling on recruitment, hiring, employment agreements, compensation, promotions, leaves, disciplinary action, terminations and separation agreements.
Marty has experience conducting workplace investigations on harassment and discrimination, litigating, arbitrating and mediating disputes, advising on restrictive covenants including garden leaves, noncompete and nonsolicitation agreements, coordinating the implementation of employment policies and programs across multiple global jurisdictions, and leading workplace training programs.
Marty has a wealth of experience with diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, practices and programs, including conducting risk assessments to mitigate employment law risk. He also counsels employers on regulatory filings, pay equity analyses and diversity demographic disclosures.
Marty brings a unique perspective to his clients, informed by his work for 15 years in the legal department of a global financial institution, where he was a managing director and associate general counsel in the employment law group in New York City and Hong Kong. He has a particular in-depth experience with financial services firms, including investment banks, hedge funds, private equity firms, and asset managers.
Marty received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University in Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR), and his law degree from the New York University School of Law. He is a Faculty Affiliate at Columbia University where he teaches a course on “Foundations of Labor & Employment Law” in the Human Capital Management masters program.
Additional Speaker TBA
Moderated by
Joseph Schwartz
,
Vice President and Senior Counsel, Regulatory Affairs
,
MFA
Joseph Schwartz is MFA’s Vice President & Senior Counsel, Regulatory Affairs.
In his position, Joseph advocates on and shapes legislative, regulatory, and administrative policies affecting the alternative investment industry, including, principally, U.S. federal, state and local and non-U.S. tax policy.
Prior to joining MFA, Joseph was a Senior Associate in the Tax practice of a “Big 4” public accounting firm, where he advised clients on tax planning, compliance, and controversy, including multistate taxation.
Joseph received his B.A. from The University of Texas at Austin and his J.D. and LL.M. in Taxation, magna cum laude, from The University of Alabama School of Law. Joseph is a member of the Georgia and D.C. bars.
12:00 pm - 1:15 pm
Networking lunch
1:15 pm - 2:00 pm
Breakout Sessions:
Select one
Track A: Recruitment, Retention & People Analytics
Rethinking strategies to recruit, retain and grow your most valuable assets
Examine how firms are redefining talent pipelines—identifying the right candidates, developing leaders from specialized roles, and retaining top talent through development opportunities, benefits, and career growth pathways.
Rethinking strategies to recruit, retain and grow your most valuable assets
Speakers
Radhika Arora
,
Head of Talent Acquisition
,
AlphaQuest
Radhika Arora currently serves as Head of Talent Acquisition at AlphaQuest where she leads the firm’s end-to-end talent strategy encompassing recruitment, compensation, performance management, workforce planning, and employee relations, supporting the firm’s mission as a research-driven alternative investment firm trading across 100+ global markets.
Prior to AlphaQuest, Radhika held multiple leadership roles at Schonfeld where she built and scaled high-performing teams across various technology initiatives. Radhika began her career at Open Systems, a leading recruiting agency, where she focused on partnering with various buy side firms helping them find and attract the best talent.
Radhika earned a Bachelor of Science in Communications from Cornell University.
Barbara Bernstein
,
Chief Human Resources Officer
,
Magnetar Capital LLC
Barbara Bernstein manages human resources, office services, and philanthropy at Magnetar, a multi-strategy and multi-product alternative investment manager with approximately $19B assets under management as of January 1, 2025. She is a member of both the Management and Operations Committees and serves as secretary to the Magnetar Foundation. Since joining in 2008, Barbara is responsible for supporting and advising the firm on all aspects of people, culture and organizational change. She oversees talent acquisition and retention, inclusion, professional development, and compensation and benefits.
Throughout her time with Magnetar, Barbara has focused on creating a firm-wide culture where employees feel empowered to grow both personally and professionally. Today, approximately 60 pe percent of Magnetar employees have been with the firm for over five years, Barbara has initiated several educational and culture-centric projects at the firm, including a robust summer college internship program that has educated and inspired more than 400 students to explore careers in the industry. She also played an instrumental role in establishing and implementing Magnetar University, an internal initiative with dedicated programming to provide professional
development opportunities to employees.
Barbara has been central in establishing the Magnetar Foundation’s philanthropic mission to enhance financial literacy among high school students through quality tools and resources. This includes the development of the finEDge curriculum, which has reached over 30,000 students across 13 U.S. states since its creation in 2016. Before her tenure at Magnetar, Barbara held senior human resources positions at JPMorgan Chase and its predecessor, Bank One. She holds a BA in International Relations from Syracuse University.
Liz Maughan
,
Director of Talent and HR
,
Whale Rock Capital Management LLC
Liz Maughan is the Director of Talent & HR at Whale Rock Capital Management, a Boston-based asset manager investing globally in public and private technology companies. In her role, Liz leads the firm’s strategic and operational human capital initiatives, including talent acquisition, development, engagement, and retention. She brings over a decade of experience in human resources and professional development within the asset management industry. Prior to joining Whale Rock, Liz served as Director of Human Resources at Taconic Capital Advisors, a global event-driven hedge fund. She previously held the role of Senior HR Associate at TriNet Ambrose, and began her career at EF Education First, an international education company. Liz earned a BA in Human Services from Villanova University in 2010
Moderated by
Arpita Mazumdar
,
Head of HR and Workplace Strategy Consulting
,
Goldman Sachs
Arpita (Arpi) Mazumdar leads HR Consulting for the U.S. Prime Services Consulting Team in the Global Markets and Banking Division at Goldman Sachs. In her role, she guides fund managers through the process of starting a hedge fund, and provides on-going strategic guidance and support across the HR discipline, focusing on large-scale global change initiatives, people management and communication strategies.
Prior to assuming her current position in March 2020, Arpi held various roles within Goldman Sachs including that of chief operating officer for U.S. Regional Sales within the Franchise Strategy Group in Global Markets from 2017 to 2020, chief of staff to the Global COO of the Global Markets Division from 2015 to 2017, Americas Franchise Manager for Fixed Income Sales from 2010 to 2015 and Compensation Specialist within the Equity Compensation team in HCM from 2004 to 2010. She joined Goldman Sachs in 2004.
Arpi received her BS in Business Administration from the University of Albany – SUNY and is a 2014 Council of Urban Professionals (CUP) Fellow and Executive member. She is also a member of Chief, the new and well coveted private network focused on connecting and supporting women leaders. She is very engaged in women’s rights and is currently a sponsor for “Women for Women International,” a nonprofit humanitarian organization that provides practical and moral support to women survivors of war.
Track B: Leadership and Culture
Elevating human capital and leadership in alternative asset management
Discuss strategies for leadership development, succession planning, and change management as critical levers for long-term organizational success.
Elevating human capital and leadership in alternative asset management
Speakers
Katie Maier
,
Managing Director, Human Capital
,
AB Carval
Ms. Katie Maier is a managing director of human capital at AB CarVal where she is responsible for leading regional human capital and talent strategies, the executive administrative function, and is a key member of the global compensation team.
Ms. Maier serves as Co-Chair of the Global Diversity Champions Council and holds positions on the Human Capital and Compensation Committee as well as the AB CarVal Foundation. Prior to joining AB CarVal in 2007, Ms. Maier worked in a human resources role within the aerospace industry. Ms. Maier holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Master of Arts in Human Resources and Industrial Relations, from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management.
Additional Speakers To Be Announced
Moderated by
Moderator TBA
2:00 pm - 2:15 pm
Transition to next breakout
2:15 pm - 3:00 pm
Breakout Sessions:
Select one
Track A: Recruitment, Retention and People Analytics
People data & analytics: Supercharging decisions with actionable insights
Explore how firms are leveraging people analytics to inform strategic decisions and improve workforce outcomes.
People data & analytics: Supercharging decisions with actionable insights
Speakers
Brandon Kaufman
,
Head of Compensation, Benefits and HRIS
,
Elliott Investment Management
Additional Speakers To Be Announced
Moderated by
Moderator TBA
Track B: Leadership and Culture
Enhancing the employee experience and cultural transformation
Explore strategies to elevate the employee experience and drive meaningful cultural transformation across your organization. Learn practical approaches to foster engagement, inclusion, and a thriving workplace culture.
Enhancing the employee experience and cultural transformation
Speakers
Lily Sun Burkhart
,
Global Head of Employee Engagement and Experience
,
Davidson Kempner Capital Management
Lily is the Global Head of Employee Engagement & Experience at Davidson Kempner Capital Management (DKCM) responsible for Performance and Talent Management, Learning & Development, Culture and Philanthropy efforts at the Firm. Prior to joining DKCM, Lily held a variety of roles at JPMorgan Chase including Head of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Executive Talent Management for the Asset and Wealth Management business. Other roles at JPMC include Human Resources Business Advisor for Wealth Management Solutions Operations, Head of Learning & Development for the Asset and Wealth Management Technology, Operations & Finance divisions, and roles across the Human Resources and Technology divisions within the Investment Bank. Lily began her career as a Senior Consultant for Accenture. She received her Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Michigan.
Gail Burlant
,
Chief Human Resources Officer
,
Oak Hill Advisors
Gail Burlant has responsibility for all aspects of human resources with a focus on talent management and development, including recruiting, evaluation and compensation practices, training and organizational structure, and diversity and inclusion initiatives. She currently serves as a member of OHA’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council and as Chair of the Advisory Board for Girls Who Invest. Ms. Burlant joined OHA after serving for four years as Chief Human Resources Officer at Commonfund. Previously, she was General Counsel of HDG Mansur Capital Group, where she established and oversaw the legal and human resources functions. Early in her career, Ms. Burlant was Associate General Counsel and Head of Human Resources at HSBC Securities in New York. She earned a J.D. from the George Washington University Law School and a B.S./B.A. from Boston College.
Moderated by
Moderator TBA
3:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Transition to main stage
3:30 pm - 4:00 pm
Paying for performance: Evolving compensation strategies in financial services
Learn about emerging trends in incentive design, pay transparency, and total rewards strategies.
Speaker
Shelley Eisenhandler
,
President and Founder
,
Eisenhandler & Co.
4:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Keynote interview: The future of human capital operations in alternatives
Gain insights into the latest workforce trends tailored to the fast-paced, high-performance nature of alternative investments.Speakers
Speakers TBA
Moderated by
Moderator TBA
