• The most dramatic shift/shock to their asset class as a result of COVID
• Long-term implications of the pandemic along with identifying the biggest risks and opportunities
• Changes in asset allocation, investment strategy and the investment decision making process
• The role of technology in decision making and how communication with clients is evolving
• How the industry is changing, specifically private versus public markets and managers versus allocators
• The increasing role of diversity and social initiatives and how clients are shaping the ESG landscape
• Managing work-life balance and expectations in a world of remote employees 

Moderator: Katharine Wyatt, CFA - Chief Investment Officer, Loyola University Chicago

Fee*:  
Members - FREE  
Nonmembers - $20
(member pricing underwritten by CFA Society Chicago)




CFA Institute Qualified Activity: Eligible for 1 credit hour

Registration: Online  
Zoom login information will be provided in the reminder email closer to the event. Registration closes at 5:00 PM on April 26, 2021.

Agenda: 
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM CDT: Program 
5:00 PM - 5:30 PM CDT: Post-Event Networking
Please log in a few minutes early to test your video and internet connections.

*Distribution of presentation slides is at the discretion of the speaker and may not be available for this event

Speakers:

Catherine Beard, CFA, is a senior vice president and member of the firm’s Alternatives Consulting team. Based in Callan’s Chicago office, Catherine provides consulting and research across alternatives, with a particular focus on private credit and diversifying strategies. She is a member of the Callan Inclusion Committee.

Beard joined Callan in November 2019, bringing more than 20 years of experience in the alternative investment space, including investment research and portfolio management roles at banks, hedge funds, consultants, and asset management firms. Most recently, she was a principal and director of research at Blueprint Capital, a women- and diverse-owned asset management firm. Highlights of her experience also include senior manager of the private credit portfolio at the UAW Retiree Medical Benefits Trust, alternative credit sector head at Mercer Investment Consulting, and buy-side credit analyst on the Northern Trust High Yield team and UBS O’Connor’s multi-strategy hedge fund.

Beard holds an MBA from the Kelley Graduate School of Business, an Advanced French Degree from the L’University Catholique De L’Ouest, and a BA in political science from the University of Kentucky. She is also a holder of the right to use the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation.


Trish Halper, CFA, has over twenty years’ experience in investments. Currently she is deputy chief investment officer at Wespath Benefits and Investments. She provides management and oversight to Wespath's impact investment program as well as strategic advice to the CIO and the investment team on the execution of Wespath's sustainable investment program and overall investment strategy.

Before joining Wespath, Halper worked for over 20 years in various investment-focused roles at Chicago Equity Partners, most recently serving as partner and chief investment officer Halper was named one of Crain’s Notable Women in Finance in 2019. She holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation, and is a member of CFA Institute, CFA Society Chicago, the Economic Club of Chicago and The Chicago Network. Additionally, she is a senior advisor to Ativo Capital Management, is on the Board of Trustees for La Rabida Children's Hospital and is a Board of Trustee on the national board of Easterseals. Halper previously served on the CFA Society Chicago's Board of Directors. She holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Loyola University Chicago and a master's degree in financial mathematics from the University of Chicago. 


Ronit Walny, CFA, is the head of Fixed Income Product Management for AllianceBernstein’s institutional business globally and retail business outside the US. Prior to joining the firm in 2019, she worked in various roles focused on building, managing and growing impactful investment solutions across the investment-management industry.

As a product manager, Walny held roles at PIMCO and MacroMarkets. She also has over a decade of portfolio-management, trading and market-making experience, spanning the fixed-income, commodity and currency markets at firms including Neuberger Berman, Kellogg Capital and Northern Trust. Walny began her career in finance in 1994 in the eurodollar and bond option trading pits. She holds a BBA in finance from Loyola University Chicago and is a CFA charterholder. 



Marie Winters, CFA, CAIA is a senior vice president for Northern Trust Asset Management, leading a research team supporting high yield and investment grade corporate bond portfolios. She also oversees sustainable investing initiatives for Northern’s Fixed Income group globally. Previously, Winters began her career at JPMorgan Chase where she served as a leader and participant in new departments and initiatives for high yield securities, distressed investing, and M&A due diligence.

Winters is a former chair and executive officer of CFA Society Chicago. She also currently serves as president of Chicago Finance Exchange, a professional organization for senior women in finance. Marie earned her MBA in finance and economics at Washington University and her BA in mathematics at Knox College.

Moderator:

Katharine Wyatt, CFA, is the chief investment officer at Loyola University Chicago.  Wyatt has over 18 years of experience in the investment industry and is a well-rounded asset allocator with experience managing large institutional portfolios and investing across public and private asset classes.  At Loyola, Wyatt leads the University’s investment office, where she is responsible for investment policy and management of over $1 billion in invested assets, including endowment, operating reserves and a defined benefit pension plan.

Prior to joining Loyola, Wyatt was director of investments for Abbott Laboratories retirement plans which include over $18 billion in Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution assets. At Abbott, she was responsible for oversight of investments, including selection, due diligence and monitoring of external managers and instrumental in building the alternative investments program. Wyatt started her investing career as a research analyst at a multi-family investment office covering hedge fund, private equity and private real asset investments. She holds both an MS and a BA in finance, investment and banking from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and was part of the Applied Security Analysis Program during her graduate studies. She is a CFA charterholder, and as a member of CFA Society Chicago has participated in the CFA Institute Practice Analysis. She is a member of the Private Equity Women’s Investor Network, and has been a member and guest speaker for Women Investment Professionals.

*Special Notes Regarding Fees
This event is complimentary for members only. Credit card required to guarantee all nonmember reservations. Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover and Diners Club are accepted. Registration online is required and closes at 5:00 PM on April 26, 2021. Cancellations for refunds accepted until 5:00 PM, April 22, 2021.

Passport Program
Members of any CFA society may attend at the CFA Society Chicago member rate. Please call the CFA Society Chicago office at 312-251-1301 to register. If you are only a member of CFA Institute, you do not qualify for the Society member rate.

CFA Institute CE Qualified Activity:
This program qualifies for credit under the guidelines for the CFA Institute Professional Development Program.