Barbara N. Lucas, Board Chair
Ms. Lucas is a founding partner in Luness Partners, a New York-based firm providing consulting and litigation support services to major U.S. and international financial services companies and institutional investors. In the course of her consulting career, she has advised numerous hedge funds, funds of funds, asset management companies, banks, broker-dealers, derivatives companies, public pension funds, and other market participants on a wide variety of risk management, governance, and compliance-related issues.
In addition to her consulting work, Ms. Lucas is a well-known securities and banking lawyer with more than 30 years of experience in law, business and government. Prior to joining CMRA, she was a partner and chairperson of the banking department at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft. Before joining Cadwalader, she was General Counsel to what was then known as Citicorp’s Investment Bank. She also served as Chief Counsel to the CFTC’s Division of Enforcement and Director of its Office of Policy Review, as well as Special Counsel to the SEC’s Division of Corporation Finance.
Ms. Lucas received her undergraduate degree in English from Cornell University and her J.D. from the Washington College of Law at American University.
Marlis Branaka, Vice Chair
An accomplished marketing and client service professional with more than 20 years experience, Ms. Branaka is a global leader in the field of finance having directed teams in the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Co-founder of a start-up business that grew from zero assets under management to $10 billion in less than five years, she is results-oriented and has an excellent track record in servicing clients. An exceptional mentor and coach, she has a proven success rate in building new businesses and securing customer loyalty.
Founding Partner and Managing Director of Global Marketing, Ms. Branaka directed sales, business development and client service functions and coordinating the activities of the company’s offices in Orinda, Tokyo, London and Singapore from 1985 – 2002. Before starting her own business, she worked as a marketing associate for Forstmann-Leff Associates, in New York City and held middle management positions in the life insurance industry.
Ms. Branaka holds a degree in biology from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and has sat on several boards and trusts including East Bay Agency for Children, Oakland, CA, of which she is currently president; AXA Rosenberg Series Trust (previously known as Barr Rosenberg Series Trust), Orinda, CA; World Team Sports; and the Association of Investment Management Sales Executives, Washington, DC.
Ivor Freeman, Treasurer
Born in London, England, and now living in New Hampshire, Mr. Freeman opened his own office as soon as he qualified as a chartered accountant. Currently, he specializes in handling international investments for a few select clients.
Mr. Freeman serves as treasurer for the board of Sustainable Harvest International, a non-profit organization that works in Central America to provide farming families with the training and tools to overcome poverty while restoring tropical forests. He has been involved in charitable endeavors since the age of 11 and encourages others to give of their time as well.
Marina Marrelli
Founder and Managing Partner of GlobeFlex Capital, L.P., Ms Marrelli serves as Chief Executive Officer and Director of Client Service and Marketing. GlobeFlex is a privately owned firm with $8 billion in assets under management and whose institutional clients include Orange County Employees, Kraft Global Foods, and the University of Texas.
Prior to founding GlobeFlex in 1994, Ms. Marrelli served as Vice President and Head of International Marketing for Nicholas Applegate Capital Management in San Diego. In this capacity she marketed investment management services to domestic and international investors and built and directed client service activities in Europe, South America, and Asia, including the launching and ongoing support of all offshore funds. From 1984 to 1986, she served as managing editor for a team of editors in the books and journals division of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, San Diego and Orlando.
A founding member of the WomensTrust Board of Directors, Ms. Marrelli sits on several other non-profit boards including Voices for Children, Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, and High Tech High Foundation. Previously she volunteered for the San Diego Museum of Art and Planned Parenthood of San Diego and Riverside Counties.
Ms. Marrelli holds a M.Sc. degree in literature from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland; a B.A. degree in philosophy and literature from the University of California, San Diego; and she has attended Dartmouth College and Loyola University of Rome.
James Wang
An investment associate with Bridgewater Associates in Hanover, NH, Mr. Wang's expertise lies in analyzing data for market assessment. He completed an internship as a research assistant with Pearl Research in San Francisco, CA, writing sections of a report on market trends and deployment strategy. Previously, he served as editor-in-chief for the Dartmouth Free Press in Hanover, which grew from a staff five to a staff of over thirty people. He also serves as lead consultant for SEEDS Microfinance Consulting Group.
An honors graduate of Dartmouth College in June 2010, Mr. Wang majored in philosophy and economics and was selected for an internship with the Tuck School of business as a Paganucci Fellow.
Julie Becker
Head of Intern Management, with the William J. Clinton Foundation, Ms. Becker has been with the Foundation since before the doors opened at the Harlem Office in 2001. She started as an on-site volunteer representing the Foundation during the last two weeks of construction and quickly became an integral part of the staff. Having held a variety of positions from New York Director of the Presidential Library Team, to leading a delegation to Capetown and Johannesburg, she has also served as Interim Director of scheduling, Human Resource Manager in NY, and Volunteer Director at the Clinton Global Initiative. She designed the Foundation’s Intern Program in late 2001 and has been managing it since then.
An accomplished business consultant and ombudsperson, Ms. Becker specializes in dispute resolution and mediation. As president of JBA Dispute Resolution, LLC, she designed and implemented dispute resolution programs in several franchisor corporations in the food industry.
Ms. Becker received her undergraduate degree from Harvard University and started a 26-year career working as a night manager for McDonald’s Corporation in 1974. She quickly ascended the corporate ladder until being named an officer and given charge of the greater New Jersey region, which had financial responsibility for over 300 restaurants and 90 franchises.
Gillian Christie
Ms. Christie is a Managing Director and Head of Information Technology Strategy for the Investment Bank at Credit Suisse. Having worked for JP Morgan Chase as a vice president and served as head of client services for SunGard’s alternative investments platform, she brings to the board 20 years of experience focusing on Strategy and IT Management in Capital Markets across all asset classes, front to back.
Educated in South Africa, she was engaged in non-profit activities in the areas of disadvantaged school children, rape crisis, and economic development of women. In 1989 she moved to London where she volunteered to teach women computer skills and trained unemployed women in life and office skills helping them to re-enter the employment market.
Ms. Christie has retained her interest in developing skills for women by being actively involved in the Women’s Bond Club and microfinancing. For the past 10 years she has offered scholarships to girls at the high school level and has a commitment to sponsor the education of two AIDS orphans for the next 12 years.
Bio coming soon for: Jeanie Barnett
