Our team
Armaan Ali
Co-Founder & CEO
Much of who I am comes from my grandfather.
Years ago, he and his brother started a small biscuit company in Bangladesh, then turned it into one of the largest confectionery businesses in the country.
I grew up being around and looking up to him from a young age—his vision, passion, grit, hard work and dedication. He taught me the importance of thinking, acting and optimizing for long time horizons. Great things take time. Optimize for what you want your legacy to be.
At Stanford, I found myself surrounded by people who shared this same belief—and who had ambition pulsing through their veins in a way I’d never seen before. (Baris was one of these people, by the way.) The combination of drive, purpose and long-term thinking created an energy I loved.
That's the kind of energy Baris and I wanted to surround ourselves with when we started Human Capital. We love thinking about all the ways we can help engineers and founders—finding them the jobs they crave, investing in them as they get their companies off the ground, and developing new services that help them in new ways. We love bringing the right people and resources together.
Baris Akis
Co-Founder & President
Most people meet their first recruiter when they’re looking for their first internship. I grew up with a recruiter: my mom. She ran an executive search firm in Turkey and we hosted candidates over for dinner frequently. Before I’d graduated from high school, I was more indoctrinated than your average teenager to the concept of career development and personal growth goals. The thing is, I also enjoyed those conversations more than your average teenager. I loved being around ambitious, driven people, then watching my mom match their underlying motivations with high-impact opportunities.
It became clear to me that when you find people with potential to do great things, and you help them do those things at scale, you make an entire ecosystem better. Find the people with that fire in their belly, that inextinguishable flame, the ones you fundamentally believe will make net positive change. Remove the barriers getting in their way. Amplify their strengths. Get out of the way when you need to. Make systematic impact.
These are the people we’ve built Human Capital around. These engineer founders are our center of gravity.
I fundamentally believe that the future belongs to those who can build it, and I love that I get to spend my days with engineers and founders who are actually building it.
Ashwin Hira
Chief Business Officer
I do what it takes to make Human Capital tick. My role includes fundraising, investor communications, strategy, financial forecasts, and budgeting—among a handful of other things.
My past has prepared me to take on each of these challenges: forming solid business foundations at McKinsey, getting exposure to global investments at Mubadala, scaling a start-up at Hello, and most recently as part of the investment team at Softbank.
I grew up and was educated in India, where I received an Engineering Degree followed by a Master’s. My education led me to the US, where I went to business school at Wharton.
I love people and relationships. That includes long-term partnerships that I’ve cherished for years, and new connections that I make everyday. I’m an extrovert in the truest sense.
I am so fortunate to have a loving wife, two beautiful children, and the world’s best puppy, Dumpling.
Amir Hassanabadi
General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer
I'm a lawyer with engineering in my blood. My father, his head and heart deep in the engineering challenges of his times (think early microprocessors), took our family on a trek around the globe to chase his craft. That took us from Iran, to Canada and finally to California–where he improved the SFMTA. Anytime I’m zooming in the tunnels on Muni, I have my dad’s software engineering skills to thank.
So I have an earned respect for engineers, their lives, and the monumental impact they have on the world around them. And though I did not follow in my father’s footsteps as an engineer, my career in law at Fenwick & West, Google Ventures, and AngelList has afforded me the privilege to support engineers and the companies they build.
I love that Human Capital is focused on the people element of this business. People much like my father—engineers who are building something great and are changing the world for the better.
Brian Blond
Investment Partner
As an Investment Partner at Human Capital, my primary focus is investing and working with founders to build companies.
I’ve always been drawn to building and growing organizations through a sales-focused lens. After graduating from the University of Missouri. I started my career in sales at Oracle, before growing into a leadership role at BladeLogic. I was able to build upon the experience I gained from each of my previous roles into being a 3x CRO growing revenue 0-100M at Vitrue, Tealium, and ThoughtSpot. I loved the challenge of the pre-revenue startup, finding product-market fit, and scaling at hyper speed.
Before joining Human Capital, I was a Managing Director at Sutter Hill Ventures, primarily focusing on investing and incubating enterprise companies.
Debbie Griffin
Head of Finance
My accounting career started when I was 15 working at my father’s frozen yogurt shop. I learned quickbooks, took deposits to the bank, balanced the checkbook, interacted with customers and ate the inventory. With this momentum, I graduated with an accounting degree and never looked back.
I spent nine years in public accounting moving from Boston to Chicago and then back to Boston. It was through this experience, that I knew I wanted to move to a consulting role in order to really dig in and become part of making change for my customers vs. telling them what they did wrong. The consulting role was transformative for me as I began to feel part of an organization doing meaningful work. How I got into venture capital was strictly from relationship building and hard work.
Meanwhile, I met my husband John in Nantucket, MA an island off of Cape Cod just to realize he lived down the street from me in Boston. We now live in Boston with two girls, Hailey and Noelle, and occasionally our nephew.
My career has been shaped by all the relationships I have made and continue to nurture which is one of the many core values I share with Human Capital. At Human Capital, I oversee the finance organization. My everyday goal is to led with integrity, transparency and a smile on my face.
Jim Baaden
Chief Operating Officer
As Chief Operating Officer, I’m responsible for the firm’s suite of services that supports our engineers and portfolio companies. I’m also responsible for the teams at Human Capital that enable us to do our best work: People, Engineering and Operations.
I’ve spent my entire career in talent—from placing engineers at the earliest dotcom startups to leading the Global Talent Acquisition team at Uber. Roles with Salesforce and Korn/Ferry along the way gave me the foundation and tools to approach the talent function with a balance of operational excellence and business acumen.
I’m a people person, but not an extrovert. I’m fascinated by the intersection of our dreams, fears, ego and humility. I love experiencing new cultures and learning how people’s beliefs and customs have been shaped.
Matthew Colford
Investment Partner
Charles Kettering once said: “I like thinking about the future, because the future is where I’m going to be spending the rest of my life.” At Human Capital, I get to do just that by backing founders who are building the future we’re all going to live in—from the first time entrepreneur looking to take the plunge to the serial founders building their third or fourth company.
I started my career in venture capital at Andreessen Horowitz before transitioning into operating roles, joining Qasar Younis & Peter Ludwig as the 10th employee at Applied Intuition after a detour doing my JD/MBA at Stanford.
I credit my initial obsession with people building the future to my years at the State Department & White House, where I was first exposed to some of the most mission driven people in the world.
In addition to working with visionary founders every day, thinking about the world my two kids will live in keeps me focused on that future.
Adelia Curtis Duarte
Operating Partner, Talent & Head of Portfolio Operations
As someone who moved around a lot from an early age (I took my first international flight as a 3-month old!), I quickly learned the value of making connections with people, and over time recognized the importance of maintaining and nurturing those relationships. That trait would prove invaluable in the talent space and foster a career passion in recruiting.
I’ve spent the bulk of my career in high growth tech startups, seeing both the highs and lows of scale, market fit, and—perhaps most critically–hiring decisions. From starting out at Opower when it was a private, 30-person company, to helping Uber scale from 600 employees to 30,000, to leading Reddit’s recruiting team through the company’s fastest stage of hypergrowth—doubling the organization—I’ve had the opportunity to work with and build incredible teams.
My role at Human Capital is to partner with founders and leaders in building their own world class teams while also applying our learnings effectively across our portfolio to create maximum impact. I’m excited to lead a phenomenal team who brings this vision to life.
Outside of the office, you can find me exploring the east coast seasons with my husband, daughter, and schnoodle, or curled up with a good book.
Becca Gelb
Operating Partner, Talent
Solving business problems via people resonates with who I am and what I care about. It’s why I chose a job in executive search straight out of college, and it’s why I’ve remained in the talent world throughout my career.
As someone who’s energized by different environments and problem sets, I’ve loved being able to experience companies at various stages of their growth cycles, and across different roles within recruiting. Most recently, I led the Global Recruiting Team at Pinterest, and before that worked at Uber and AppNexus, where I oversaw various teams ranging from tech recruiting to sourcing to diversity recruiting. Over that time, I lived and worked in New York City, London, and San Francisco.
As an Operating Partner at Human Capital, I partner with founders and recruiting leaders to build and scale their organizations. I care deeply about what I do and am inspired by working with those who chase big dreams.
After years of being a nomad, I’m now settled in the East Bay and am so lucky to have a wonderful husband, two (very high-energy) boys and a goofy dog named Bernie.
Matt Stephenson
Operating Partner, Talent
Upon moving to the Bay Area, it was hard not to notice tech companies altering the skyline, and it sparked a desire to get involved in something transformative. Recruiting was my foot in the door, but I thought it would just be a stepping stone back into sales. Or at least that was the plan…
I instantly fell in love with the aspect of connecting people to opportunity, but there’s a part of it that has never sat well–I’ve always felt an aversion toward introducing myself as a recruiter. The negative connotations of spamming, missing calls, going dark, hard closes, and slimy negotiation tactics are not who I am.
Throughout my career in recruiting I’ve strived to deliver a higher quality experience to both candidates and companies alike. To me, this is essential for building long-term relationships and healthy organizations. You simply can’t be reckless in this space and expect to attract, grow, and retain the talent to build a game changing company. This journey started at Google where I grew to lead technical and non-technical sourcing teams, continued at Shift during their Series A, and eventually at Plaid–where I led technical recruiting and recruiting operations to help them grow from 400 to over 1,000 employees.
As an Operating Partner at Human Capital, I get to walk alongside founders and recruiting teams–helping them instill healthy hiring practices and an authentic approach to talent acquisition. My team helps build tailored strategies fit for the stage of a company’s growth to discover, engage, and convert the talent that will bring their vision to life.
Mike Moriarty
Operating Partner, Talent
I am my father’s son, someone who cares about others deeply and gives first. I knew out of college that I wanted to help people, like my Dad, but did not know in which career path I could do that best. I started my career in finance helping folks create a plan to achieve their financial goals. I learned a lot about running my own practice but also knew this field was not for me.
The recruiting life chose me, I did not choose it. I started at Google as a contract sourcer. I learned how to find, court, and close top engineering talent and ended up being converted to full-time. I rose the ranks at Google redefining the way sourcers and recruiters use data to own and tell their story to business leaders. My wife and I helped open the Austin, TX office for Google. My claim to fame is hiring 100 sourcers in 5 weeks! I then moved onto Dropbox building the sourcing and tech staffing function at Dropbox from the ground up. Most recently I was the Global Head of Recruitment at Dropbox, helping to lead a team of 130+ Dropboxers developing and innovating cutting-edge staffing practices and outcomes.
I love to build systems and high functioning recruiting teams. I am very excited to do this for our portfolio companies.
Sara Hutchinson
Operating Partner, Talent
My journey started as an academic counselor for freshman in the College of Engineering at Boston University. I was passionate about the programs and support models (both personal and academic) we provided to the students. My transition into recruiting felt natural as I was able to continue to evolve relationships and have impact on both candidate and business goals and advancement.
My introduction to tech started at Salesforce when the company was just 4,000 employees. Starting as a recruiter, I transitioned into management eventually leading the Infrastructure Engineering and Security hiring. These technical hires were critical to the product foundation as Salesforce scaled to 75,000 employees. I continued on to Grand Rounds to lead the Talent Acquisition team, which involved building out and scaling this mission-driven organization. Most recently, I led the Tableau Global Recruiting team through a critical time of growth and transition following their acquisition.
My role as an Operating Partner at Human Capital gives me the opportunity to partner with founders and their leaders to set up infrastructure and scale their teams. By understanding their most critical needs in the various stages of growth we can create a strategy for a path forward.
Outside of the office you can find me skiing, hiking, wine tasting and spending time with family and friends on the east coast.
Vince Volpe
Operating Partner, Talent
Variety is the spice of life, and this rings true for me as an Operating Partner with Human Capital. I lead a team of brilliant Talent Consultants to help founders and their companies scale. Whether it's going from 3 to 6 within an autonomous vehicle company, or 50 to 100 within a healthcare tech organization, my goal is to connect engineers with the companies where they can have meaningful impact—both on their personal careers and on the businesses they help build.
It’s still all about the people, and building lifelong relationships is paramount. We aim to inform engineers of emerging disruptors, updates on our portfolio companies, and arm them with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions about their careers and futures.
Prior to joining Human Capital, I spent 8 years at Google and Uber, building large scale sourcing and recruiting functions of over 40+ employees across the most cutting edge technologies on the market. Whether it was Self Driving Cars, E-Bikes and Scooters, or Flying Cars, or any other innovative idea, our team helped match exciting businesses to great technical talent.
I like to think of myself as a jack of all trades— and I rarely say no to something new. I’ve done extra curricular activities ranging from extreme sports like solo skydiving, to more patient work like growing and maintaining an herb garden. Professionally, I enjoy doing the analytical and systems focused work that makes teams more efficient and effective.
Abigail Walton
Sr. Associate, Talent
Before joining HC, I worked in agency recruitment, building software engineering teams for top venture-backed startups. Through this, I had the privilege of collaborating with ambitious founders, innovators, and engineers. This helped me find my deep appreciation for the tech and startup scene. Along the way, I also discovered my passion for being the bridge–the one who connects the dots between the right individuals and the right opportunities. I genuinely enjoy understanding what drives others and helping them reach their goals.
When the opportunity arose to join HC, it was the team's collective enthusiasm and shared passion for the vision that really stood out to me. As a Senior at Human Capital, I collaborate with my team to help connect startups with the talent that can drive their vision forward. It's an environment where everyone's driven towards excellence, and that's exactly what I wanted to be a part of.
Outside of work, I love exploring new ideas, staying updated with recent tech advances, and collaborating with like-minded people. Disruptive technology especially grabs my attention– I’m fascinated by the ways we can tackle old challenges in new, smarter ways.
Throughout my journey, a recurring theme and valuable lesson I've learned is to know and follow what excites you. This is why I'm drawn to work with founders and entrepreneurs. Their clear motivation and commitment to their work, despite challenges, inspires me. I thrive around that energy.
Alicia Glick
Sr. Principal, Talent
I partner with our portfolio companies to build out high-functioning engineering teams. I love collaborating with engineers–we think, communicate and solve problems differently, and I value that perspective.
Before Human Capital, I was at a recruiting startup that partners with venture firms to build out the companies they invested in. Now in venture myself, it’s all come full circle!
Outside of work, you can find me walking over 13,000 steps a day, listening to podcasts, and exploring my neighborhood in Brooklyn across the myriad of coffee shops, restaurants, and parks.
Amanda Scales
Sr. Principal, Talent Operations
As a hardcore introvert, it was a bit of a shock to everyone – including me – that I landed in a role that had me talking to strangers all day. But after college I quickly realized how much meaning I got out of the recruiting world. Putting nervous candidates at ease, listening attentively to their stories, and providing guidance along the way had me hooked from the start.
Since those early days, my career has been all about growing teams and building the infrastructure to do it at scale. This has ranged from startups of 1000 employees during hypergrowth, to the operational excellence needed by complex organizations of 30,000 employees — and every stage in between. I was fortunate enough to experience it all, including the highs and lows, over my eight years helping scale Uber.
Across my time in recruiting leadership and program management, I learned at an atomic level how process, tools, and behavior combine to make a recruiting engine run well, and ultimately produce a culture that exceptional people want to be a part of. I’m thrilled to partner with leaders on their own company-building journeys in my role on the Talent Operations team at Human Capital. I help them bring effective hiring infrastructure to life.
In my downtime, you can find me hiking or running on a Colorado trail, fly fishing with friends, playing classical piano, or working on my novel.
Andrew St. Germain
VP, Talent
Since I was young, I've been obsessed with pushing myself to be challenged. After completing my first year of university, I decided to pause my education and enlist in the US Army to join Special Operations. The mental, physical and spiritual pressures of this experience, force you to become comfortable in uncomfortable situations while also reinforcing the importance of teamwork and perseverance.
After returning from the military, I completed my degree and found myself in the world of Silicon Valley recruiting. I've had the fortunate experience to work for and lead teams at globally impactful companies at varying stages, ranging from hyper-growth at Palantir and Uber to the globalization of Reddit and the always evolving world of web3 at Mysten Labs. The levels of complexity, creativity and teamwork it takes to build these companies is what drives me.
Outside of work, you can find me exploring with my wife and daughter, finding great lines to ski or enjoying live music.
Arianna Bautista
Associate, Talent Operations
With over six years of customer service experience, I have a passion for connecting with others and creating a positive experience for clients. After graduating from San Francisco State University with a BA in Psychology, I took my first step into the tech world as a Recruiting Coordinator at a startup. While I truly enjoyed my role as an RC, I was offered the opportunity to work as a Jr. Recruiter at Verkada. As a Recruiter, I realized my passion lies in organization and coordination. At Human Capital, I’ll be going back to my roots as a Recruiting Coordinator, ensuring candidates have a great experience, and radiating positive energy throughout my team. I’m excited to partner with portfolio companies, and with passionate individuals who create a strong and collaborative environment.
In my free time, I love being outdoors and spending time with my two best guys - Morgan, my partner and Ollie, my cat. Born and raised in San Francisco, you can find me at an SF Giants game or at the Farmer’s Market on Embarcadero. I have recently found a new passion for gardening and harvesting my own produce. I love experimenting with new recipes using produce from my garden and sharing my food with friends and family.
Brenda Fisher
Sr. Associate, Talent
As a first-generation college graduate, I have always deeply valued learning and self-improvement. Teaching public speaking at the college level early in my career initially terrified me. However, it ultimately clarified my passion for closely partnering with individuals to help them achieve challenging goals. Now as a Senior Talent Associate, I get the opportunity to build relationships with tech founders/CEOs and help grow teams.
Previously, I worked with a variety of early stage tech startups as a recruiting consultant, where I gained exposure to differing contexts, products, and teams. I am excited to further expand my knowledge base Human Capital.
When I am not working, you can find me walking my dog Olive, catching up on my favorite tv shows and books, exploring Austin, or traveling somewhere new!
Cam Martin
VP, Talent
I was instilled with the values of working hard and treating people with respect at an early age. From K-12, I maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA–not because I was the smartest–but I chose to work hard to finance my own college education. I wanted to take that burden off my parents. One of my proudest accomplishments is attending Virginia Tech, where I played Football (go Hokies!) on a full scholarship.
My dream was to play in the NFL, but after a knee injury that dream was cut short. Along the way, I learned that I love coaching, building plans, and executing those plans successfully–hence, my recruiting career was born!
Eight years ago, my wife and I drove from Charlotte, NC to Austin, TX. Neither of us had ever been to Austin, let alone Texas. I worked for Google for almost four years and helped to build out the Code Jam, TopCoder, Front End, and Mobile Channels recruiting teams. Most recently, I helped build the sourcing function for DBX that took the company through IPO and beyond.
I’ve had the opportunity to work with some of the brightest people in recruiting and I’m excited to continue learning and growing with the industry’s best here at Human Capital.
Cameron Greener
Corporate Controller & Tax Lead
As part of the Finance team, I keep the machine oiled. Most of what I do is on the tax side, but I cover other functions as well.
I’ve been working in the alternative investments industry for 18 years. Before joining Human Capital I spent time at a small fund administrator, followed by working in the asset management group at a global investment bank, and then a global public accounting firm. So I’ve seen it all.
I love solving problems, getting to the right answer, and learning new things—and tax definitely involves all of that.
I am married with four kids ranging from pre-K to college, so I’m in every stage of parenthood all at the same time.
Carmen Saenz
Sr. Principal, Talent
As a Principal, I help founders build highly functioning teams. I love digging in to understand the innovative products and services developed by the incredible founders and their teams at our portfolio companies.
Previously, as the first recruiting hire at fintech startup Clear Street, I helped scale the company to over 250 people. I deeply value the connections I’ve made at Clear Street and throughout my career and look forward to expanding my network in my role at Human Capital.
In my spare time, I’m an amateur botanist and I enjoy keeping up with tech startup news.
Cess Berdiago
Executive Operations
Being one of the oldest of over 50 cousins has had a major impact on who I am today. I’m passionate about helping others, as I’ve always been there for my family, and I’m extremely focused on efficiency and organization–someone has to keep everything in order, right?
At Human Capital, I do everything I can to keep things running smoothly for our executive team. I enjoy streamlining processes and helping my executives’ lives run smoothly.
During my downtime, I love to read, cook, and keep active. You can usually catch me running a 5K or half-marathon, playing basketball or softball, and playing master chef in the kitchen.
Chloe Hansel
Market Research Associate
I’m a passionate and driven Bay Area native who thrives in connecting with others. As a life-long learner, I’m constantly seeking out ways to explore the world - be it through traveling, listening to podcasts, or meeting new people. After graduating from Berkeley, I found myself in cybersecurity sales where I enjoyed connecting with problem-solving individuals.
At Human Capital, I have the opportunity to work with our incubation team to help build exciting new next-generation enterprise companies. I’m energized to be working with such an amazing team of forward-thinkers.
Outside of work, you can find me running the Bay Area trails, cooking feasts for my friends, or taking care of my plant collection.
Daniel Kilimnik
Principal, Investment
I’ve always enjoyed thinking about history’s counterfactuals. What would our world look like if the industrial revolution had erupted 2,000 rather than 200 years ago?
The first steam engine was devised in 1st century CE Roman Egypt by a mathematician, Hero of Alexandria. Yet not until the 18th century did this technology, once rediscovered, find meaningful economic application. Had Hero only found the right contemporary collaborators, he could well have initiated the age of steam power in ancient Rome.
At Human Capital, I get to back a modern generation of Hero(e)s bringing new technologies and ideas to the world.
Before joining Human Capital, I invested in growth-stage startups at Invus Opportunities, a New York-based investment firm, and helped advise Fortune-500 companies at Mckinsey & Co. I also spent a fascinating year in Beijing studying as a Schwarzman Scholar.
David Kite
Director of Portfolio Operations
I’ve worked in a relatively broad range of environments over the course of my career, but two things remain consistent across my experiences: I gravitate toward the People space, and data is at the core of both my work and decision-making process.
After several years in management consulting, I found my way to Uber where I focused on recruiting analytics, data infrastructure, and broader people analytics. Most recently, I led a Workforce Strategy team at Facebook/Meta—where the size of the organization roughly tripled over just a few years—supporting recruiting, managing headcount and workforce planning, establishing recruiting and HR analytics, working on systems and automation, and implementing flexible and remote work strategies.
Outside of work, you can find me hanging out with my partner Wil, our two dogs, Helen and Hugo, picking up new hobbies (most recently, woodworking), or taking on projects around the house.
Drake Ong
VP, Talent
I believe that everything happens for a reason. I was fortunate enough to graduate during one of the toughest economic downturns of my generation. Hitting a brick wall right after college forced me to drop all expectations and pursue paths I didn’t know existed. As fate would have it, I was launched into an international career of executive search and talent acquisition over the next 12 years. Splitting my time between Southeast Asia, New York, and San Francisco, I found myself most comfortable working in multi-cultural and ambiguous environments within hyper-growth startups during their most dramatic inflection points. Today I continue to leverage my passion for connecting with people and finding the best way to help companies achieve their goals.
When I’m not in the office, you can find me competing in amateur golf tournaments or studying flight schedules, fare codes, and analyzing algorithms to maximize potential on frequent flier miles.
Emma Kirst
Sr. Associate, Investment
Entrepreneurship appealed to me from a very young age. I was always ready to do something tangible after quickly getting bored with theory. This interest solidified after a 4 week summer program at MIT in 10th grade, where we took entrepreneurship classes during the day and worked on our “startups” at night. It was one of the most fun experiences of my entire life, and that’s mostly due to the amazing people that I met.
I spent most of my high school and college career teaching other people about entrepreneurship and creating communities of friends who had similar interests. From starting an incubator in high school to leading several entrepreneurship organizations at Michigan, I enjoy creating avenues for others to discover entrepreneurship, hoping that it would have the same impact on their lives as it had on mine.
My role at Human Capital serves as the perfect continuation of that goal. I work with students to help them navigate their entrepreneurial journeys and figure out the tools they need to build something of their own.
Hannah Hickey
Executive Operations
My father, who is originally from Ireland, came to the US when he was 21. He, along with my mother and three older siblings, not only taught me to have a strong work ethic but also to be self-sufficient and independent. As an extrovert by nature, I have been able to build upon my skills and seek out roles where I can make meaningful connections and solve challenges.
My career started in events for a well-known media company. Unfortunately, with the arrival of the pandemic, live events were no longer happening. After a few months of unemployment and spending too much time binge watching shows, I fell into the world of recruiting and received an opportunity to be a recruiting coordinator at a large hedge fund. After being there, I was ready for my next opportunity and moved to Carta, whose mission is to create more owners. It was here where I learned the world of startups, venture capital, and many of the challenges that founders face in creating their company. Although it was a new world for me, it piqued my interest and curiosity in learning more. It was also at Carta where I grew my recruiting and sourcing skills and allowed me to pivot to another high-growth tech startup, Rippling.
My mix of recruiting and administrative experience has now led me here to Human Capital where I support Adelia, Operating Partner and Head of Portfolio Operations. I manage her day-to-day operations and make sure everything runs smoothly and efficiently.
Outside of the office, my hobbies include going to workout classes, taking walks on the West Side Highway, trying new restaurants, and traveling. I also love the beach, baking (chocolate chip cookies are my go to), and diving into a good book.
Hayley Hibbens
Sr. Recruiting Coordinator
Since graduating from Chico State with a degree in communications, I’ve worked in a variety of different environments — a concierge at The Ritz-Carlton, a reservationist in Bodega Bay, a leasing agent at an apartment complex in San Francisco, and most recently a recruiting coordinator at Robinhood. Looking back on these experiences, it is clear that each of my past roles shared a common goal - to create a positive and memorable experience for the client.
Here at Human Capital I have the opportunity to partner with portfolio companies to assist in streamlining their hiring processes. My goal is that each candidate walks away from the interview process feeling taken care of, regardless of the outcome.
Outside of work, you can find me roaming around the city of San Francisco - probably going to the park during the day and a concert at night! If I’m not in the city, I’m back in Petaluma with my family and adorable mini dachshund – Sunny.
Ivana Osuna
Executive Assistant
Raised in a small town in Northern California, I always knew I wanted to relocate to the Bay Area. Soon after I graduated with my B.S. in Human Development from the University of California, Davis, I made my way to the city and began a new career in executive support. I had some early exposure to venture capital and learned that I love being part of a team that supports entrepreneurship and innovation.
At Human Capital, I'm excited and inspired by the collaborative environment, compassionate teammates, and our creative, energetic founders. It’s satisfying to help things run smoothly, and I get to enjoy a diverse set of projects–often interesting and unpredictable ones. There is never a dull day, to say the least.
Outside of work, I enjoy binge watching my favorite tv shows, yoga, and self care. I love being outdoors–going on walks while listening to my favorite artists and podcasts.
Jane He
Sr. Accountant
My role at Human Capital is working with the finance team to keep the lights on. As a senior accountant, I focus on day-to-day tasks to ensure we provide our reports to our LPs in a timely manner.
Prior to joining Human Capital, I worked in both public accounting and as a fund administrator. My time in fund administration opened my eyes to the venture capital world and piqued my interest in understanding how VC worked from the inside.
In my free time, I love to decompress by putting in some headphones and finding a nearby hike, taking advantage of the remote work environment, or catching up with friends.
Jennifer Singer
Compliance Lead
Compliance—it's not for everyone, but it is for me!
I’ve spent more than a decade in the legal and compliance departments of small/medium size commercial real estate investment firms, large private equity firms, and with companies ranging in AUM from a few million to over a billion as a consultant. In that time I’ve learned a thing or two about how to build compliance programs, implement their infrastructure, and create a culture of compliance. I’m excited to bring that experience to Human Capital.
Kara MacDonald
Sr. Principal, Talent
Like most people in the industry, I fell into recruiting. As a child, I always gravitated towards interacting with people and acts of service. From operating the front counter at my father's hardware store to spending summers in college traveling to Ecuador to volunteer, I became energized through helping people.
My career started at LivingSocial, where I experienced firsthand the art of 'fail fast' and helped grow the company to over 5,000 people at its peak. It prepared me for the enormous growth that was taking place at Uber, where I spent over five years building out their operations teams from the ground up. Not only did I get to develop my skills there, but I also met some of the most amazing and intelligent people along the way.
I learned that the more I pushed myself outside of my comfort zone, the more I'd continue to learn and grow personally and professionally, and that was something that became a north star for me in anything I do.
At Human Capital, I'm working alongside our teams to help identify and attract some of the best talent in the market so we can continue to do what we do best—build relationships and unlock potential.
Karen Ly
Principal, Talent Operations
Throughout my life, I’ve always found fulfillment through connecting with people and helping others. It wasn’t a surprise that my first job out of college was as a College Advisor for a non-profit. This rewarding experience allowed me the chance to support students academically, through financial literacy, and socio-emotionally. After my fellowship ended, I was intrigued by recruiting, as it had many similarities to advising – constantly communicating, building relationships, and assessing individuals to match them with opportunities.
While my initial aspiration was to become a recruiter, I quickly discovered that my true passion lies in Operations. I loved wearing many hats for my team - from being their advocate, analyst, advisor, to even their part-time therapist and IT/Legal guru. Working in high-growth environments challenged me to be resourceful and scrappy, forcing me to learn and grow through ways of problems, people, and projects. I was fortunate to contribute to scaling Fastly through IPO and Brex from 800 to 1,300 globally.
Being in Talent Operations allows me to help others problem-solve to deliver even more value together – becoming the backbone of the recruiting team. What motivates me is seeing the impact of my work not just in depth but also in breadth. At Human Capital, I have the opportunity to partner and build with a variety of founders and stakeholders to enable, implement, and establish impactful processes for companies.
My perfect weekend consists of exploring plant and floral shops, biking along the Bay Trail, and discovering new hiking trails with my husband and two dogs, Jada and Kylo.
Kasra Khadem
Associate, Investment
Growing up in Manitoba, Canada, I was exposed from a young age to more “traditional” entrepreneurs. Agriculture conglomerates, medical device companies, and HVAC manufacturers were the foundation of Manitoba’s economy, and their founders would leave legacies on our community for generations to come.
At Human Capital, I partner with founders all working to leave their imprint on the world (albeit in a more modern, tech-enabled sense). I’m constantly excited by the opportunity to work with and learn from these contemporary visionaries to solve some of the world’s most crucial problems and leave a lasting legacy.
Prior to Human Capital, I worked in the investment banking group at PJT Partners, where I helped advise Fortune-500 companies across fintech, media, sports and financial services on corporate strategy and M&A execution.
Outside of work, you can find me exploring New York’s newest coffee shops, getting dunked on at local pickup basketball courts, or testing out my stand-up comedy material on entirely unamused audiences.
Katie Giles
People Operations Principal
I have always been a "people person" and deeply care about fostering a sense of community, especially where we spend so much of our lives - at work. After growing up in the bay area, I made a short move to the University of San Francisco where I studied psychology and upon graduating, worked at a venture capital firm for a few years leading their recruiting efforts internally and across their portfolio companies. I then moved to New York to complete my MA in industrial-organizational psychology at NYU. Then after several years of HR consulting, I joined Human Capital as a People Operations Principal to support a working community of high-performing, passionate talent operators and leaders. I love music, traveling, eating adventurously, and exploring the bay area with my husband and our 3 year-old rescue pup Basil.
Kyle Miller
Compliance Associate
I was always a curious kid - very talkative with a ton of questions. My father always told me I’d become a lawyer due to my non-stop interrogation and dinnertime debates. I enjoy breaking things down - figuring out how and why they tick. I was fortunate enough to start my career in southern California working for a major mutual fund company. Having grown up in the midwest, I was astonished by and quickly became obsessed with California’s natural landscapes. I began traveling each weekend to explore and photograph the state. My photography picked up steam and I decided to take a leap of faith in my mid 20’s - leaving my comfortable job to book a one way flight to Myanmar. My next few years were spent traveling the world fulltime as a freelance adventure photographer - pitching around my ‘bucket list’ and working for brands such as Adobe, Forbes, and Google.
Shortly before the pandemic, I came to the realization that photography suits me better as a creative outlet rather than something that pays my bills; I decided to head back to California to build a more sustainable career, home, and life. I joined a fast growing fintech startup and spent the next couple years helping to scale the operations and compliance teams. At Human Capital, I’m the wheels on the ground of the compliance program - helping support the legal and compliance team as I continue to expand my knowledge in the venture capital space.
Lauren Silberstein
Principal, Fund Strategy and Operations
At Human Capital I collaborate across the Executive, Legal, Operations, Finance, and Investment teams to manage our pools of capital and support our existing and prospective Limited Partner relationships.
I began college excited to study art history – I love the way an artwork serves as a window into a time, place, culture, and perspective. The study of art history taught me not to lose sight of the forest for the trees, but rather to evaluate the broader vision while still appreciating the most minute, intricate details of a work. I ultimately moved into finance with the realization that I could apply the same duality of perspective in the business world. In Private Credit fund & product strategy, I managed details and processes while also focusing on the big picture to build meaningful relationships with clients, find creative solutions, and drive long term strategic growth. I loved the cross functional nature of this seat, allowing me to wear many hats and touch on all aspects of the process including legal, operations, investment, sales, and more.
Ever since helping my father out with his early-stage biotech startup during my high school years, I have been drawn towards entrepreneurship and venture. When the opportunity to pursue Fund Strategy & Operations / Investor Relations arose at Human Capital, a venture fund with an unparalleled approach, I jumped at it.
I love challenging myself and going out of my comfort zone – it’s the best way to learn what I am truly capable of. Whether that’s taking on new projects, hiking new trails, or meeting new people, I’m excited to try new things and grow through those experiences. I also tend to play devil’s advocate and question everything – I find that understanding the “why” behind legacy systems and approaches often leads to new ideas and creative solutions.
Madison Alsmeyer
Sr. Associate, Talent
Growing up as a dancer, I learned early on that hard work, dedication, and passion can help you achieve anything you set your mind to. This experience instilled in me a strong work ethic, and an appreciation for teamwork and overcoming challenges. These qualities have seamlessly transitioned into my professional career, where my commitment to excellence has driven my success.
Before joining Human Capital, I worked at Tesla specializing in sourcing and hiring management, executive, and individual contributor talent across legal, human resources, environmental engineering, and finance teams. Prior to that, I worked at Apple, starting out in recruitment operations before transitioning into a technical sourcer role, where I hired talent into software engineering roles. Through these experiences, I discovered a passion for bridging the gap between talented individuals and the right opportunities. I thrive in fast-paced, dynamic environments and enjoy tackling challenging, innovative projects.
As a Senior Associate at Human Capital, I partner with my team to connect startups with talent. My role allows me to contribute to a founder's vision by helping build teams that shape the future of their company.
Outside of work, I enjoy exploring the beautiful nature in and around Austin, indulging in local cuisine, and staying updated on the latest technology trends. My personal interests include yoga, hiking, and exploring new places - while pursuing my goal of visiting every continent.
Maggie Duvall
VP, Talent
Faced with a tough job market, after college, I moved to South Korea for a job opportunity despite being unfamiliar with the language or culture. This experience taught me the value of taking risks and the importance of being able to form connections in new environments. These same lessons have proven to be invaluable throughout my startup recruiting career ever since. I specialize in building high performing teams at rapidly growing startups. I’ve been on leadership teams during critical moments of both expansion and contraction. These experiences have made me an effective advisor in a range of business environments. I’m driven by a desire to build best-in-class teams, and businesses that thrive, even in challenging times.
In my role at Human Capital, I'm embedded within startups to quickly assess their environment and partner with leadership to build a plan to solve their hiring needs.
Outside of work, you can find me spending time on Lake Michigan with my family, reading, and exploring new cultures through travel and New York City’s amazingly diverse dining options.
Mike Marmer
Fund Controller
I take things apart. When I was a kid I was fascinated by remote control cars and how they worked. After a while I actually put some back together. When I started in college my first major was in game design, but in 2008 the economic sky started falling and I wanted to know why. I finished undergrad with a double major in economics and finance with a minor in accounting.
After college I found myself in operations departments doing reporting for hedge funds, UCITs, and venture capital. I also took a short stop working for prosecuting attorneys where I calculated the impact of financial fraud on some of the largest pension funds in the world.
In every role I excelled at breaking down processes and leveraging the available tools to reduce manual intervention. This allows for faster and more accurate results. Bill Gates once said “I will always choose a lazy person to do a difficult job, because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it.” I prefer the term efficient, but potato potato.
I live with my wife Michelle and my dog Twiggy in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. I start and finish my work days by walking Twiggy through the park that runs through our town.
At Human Capital I work with the operations team to produce and support the quarterly reporting on the investments side. I find ways to improve operations processes by reducing manual intervention and potential risk exposure.
McElla Pappas
Director of Talent
From an early age, I’ve been energized by throwing myself into new environments, taking on challenges, and making connections. Whether it was moving from the East Coast to the West Coast for university, embarking on a year of work in England while backpacking through Europe, or traversing up and down the California Coast, my curiosity about people and cultures has been a driving force in my life.
This passion evolved into a career in recruiting, where I've spent the last 12 years establishing and growing recruiting agencies across the US, totaling four offices. Alongside this, I discovered a knack for identifying and developing talented recruiters in the early stages of their careers, leading teams of up to 60 recruiters.
After a decade of consulting across various industries and solving diverse business challenges from a talent lens, I found my niche at Human Capital as Director of Talent. Here, I am focused on expanding our talent ecosystem for HC and our portfolio companies while fostering the growth of our talent team.
Having lived the California Dream for years, I now proudly call Houston, Texas, my home, where I reside with my husband and our young son and daughter. On weekends, you'll often find me enjoying a game of beach volleyball or chasing after two little ones at the park!
Nicole McDonald
Executive Operations
As a San Francisco native, starting my education just 2 blocks away from Human Capital HQ, I was lucky to grow up in the heart of the City and witness the diversity it offers. It was that interest in people that led me to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at the University of Arizona. After graduation, my ties to the legal world (my immediate family members are in the legal field) led me to becoming a legal assistant and paralegal. I received my paralegal certification from UC Berkeley. I have worked for 10 years in firms of different sizes ranging from a sole practitioner to a large national firm with hundreds of attorneys.
After working and living in Colorado for the last 5 years, I was happy to return to the Bay Area and fortunate to have the opportunity to work at Human Capital where I support our General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer.
When not working, you can find me snowboarding in the mountains of Tahoe, water skiing on the California Delta or hiking with my two-year-old yellow lab, Cisco. I look forward to going places I’ve never been. My true passion is traveling throughout the US and other parts of the world.
Nikki Smith
Office Concierge
Prior to working at Human Capital, I was a Kindergarten teacher and an Event Planner Assistant. I quickly learned the art of organization & attention to small details, how to create a warm environment for my students, and problem solving on my toes. I loved the fast-paced environments and getting to support those around me.
In my current role at Human Capital, my goal is to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere just like I did in my classroom.
When I’m not in the office, you can find me exploring new restaurants or beaches with my sweet golden retriever, Arizona.
Phillip Mitsuoka
Principal, Talent
Born and raised in San Francisco, I’ve always been interested in the technological advancements and innovations taking place here. Finding my way to technical recruiting has allowed me to play a part in this amazing industry.
My career has been focused on building exceptional teams and helping people navigate towards the things that are most important to them. As a Principal at Human Capital, I’m fortunate to be supporting founders and engineers who are working to build the world of tomorrow.
Outside of work, I’m an avid Bay Area sports fan, reader, and a lover of the outdoors. From hiking the coastal redwoods to backpacking in the high Sierras, I have no shortage of adventures at my doorstep!
Sean McDonnell
Sr. Associate, Talent
My passion for the people industry, combined with a Masters in Human Resources, ignited my journey into recruitment. I began my career in technical recruiting, initially focusing on roles in software, full-stack, and data engineering. However, it was in the realms of machine learning, data science, and AI recruiting where I found my true calling. Joining Human Capital was an obvious choice for me.
As a Senior Associate at Human Capital, my days are dedicated to connecting talent with startups, fueling my drive for success through contributions to company growth.
Outside of work, I indulge in the best of Marin County, enjoying activities such as golf, hiking, and exploring local cuisine and wines, all while pursuing my goal of visiting every continent.
Serena Doubleday
Legal Operations Associate
I am driven by curiosity and adventure, and energized by the thrill of a new challenge. This was instilled in me at an early age, as my family moved between California, Chile, and France. Attending elementary school on three different continents gave me an openness to new perspectives, which I’ve carried with me into my career in the legal field. My career has evolved into a focus on legal operations, where I’ve developed a passion for creating streamlined processes and solving complex problems.
At Human Capital, I provide support for the legal, investor relations, and people teams, managing legal functions and programs. I’m thrilled to be part of a company that emphasizes the importance of people and recognizes that diverse perspectives and many voices in the room are what truly drive innovation and success.
Sharlene Lee
Executive Operations
I grew up at my parents’ restaurant surrounded by people gathered around all the time. Sometimes you’d catch me playing with my siblings spinning on a lazy susan, but for the most part helping my parents. I found myself learning a lot about hospitality and inviting environments- which is why I am so intrigued by community and design. I’m passionate about meeting people and learning about what they do so I can ultimate make their experience in a space more seamless.
At Human Capital, I create a comfortable culture and help manage the office space functionally for everyone so they can work at their best.
My interests are Design + Art projects and traveling.
Yasmeen Sayyah
Legal Counsel
When I was a kid my favorite place to be was somewhere outside reading a book - ideally leaned up against a tree with my best friend reading beside me. Books and people have always been my passions, and growing up alongside brave, brainy characters has shaped my philosophy of life. I like to think each of us is living out our own personal novel, and it’s up to us to write the best one we can. I look back on my life and see how each chapter - growing up in the Midwest, working as a middle school teacher in the deep South, coming out to California for law school - has influenced the emerging bigger picture.
My favorite thing about reading a good novel is getting swept up in the main character’s dreams, which is the same thing I love about being a venture capital attorney. I’m privileged to support our engineers as they work to realize their dreams and provide creative solutions for society’s most pressing problems. Even better, at HC I get to do that alongside colleagues who inspire me with their enthusiasm every day and remind me to enjoy the journey.