Scottsdale, AZ Cutter Connect 2026

Cindy Castellano is the CEO of Cutter Associates and has over 30 years of experience in the investment management industry. She formerly led Cutter Associates’ Client-Facing and Wealth practices, advising asset and wealth management firms on their sales and distribution, marketing, product development, consultant relations, client service, and client reporting. Cindy has conducted system searches for CRM, marketing automation, portals, pitchbooks/client presentation, content management, client reporting, client onboarding, and RFP systems. Prior to joining Cutter, Cindy served as Vice President and Head of Operations for a division of Guggenheim Investments, where she led mutual fund accounting and administration; institutional accounting, billing, and client reporting; SMA operations, performance reporting (GIPS); and fixed income performance, attribution, and risk reporting. As Vice President and Head of Equities, Cindy led the firm’s investment team and supervised equity trading activities.

Cindy also spent 10 years as a Senior Portfolio Manager and Research Analyst, managing over USD 500 million in AUM for mutual funds and VITs using social awareness (ESG), large cap growth, and mid-cap growth investment strategies. She developed the investment process, directed research analysts’ day-to-day efforts, and created the firm’s social criteria and proxy voting guidelines. Cindy, a Chartered Financial Analyst, holds a bachelor’s of business administration from Washburn University. 

Angela Centeno has more than 25 years of experience in financial services. Prior to joining Cutter in 2015, Angela worked for The Northern Trust Company in multiple roles including sourcing and procuring enterprise market data, investment operations outsourcing, and vendor and custodian relationships. She previously held senior positions in operations management, project management, data management, and solutions implementation. Angela earned a bachelor of science in accounting and a bachelor of science in business administration from the University of Kansas, as well as an MBA in finance from DePaul University. She is a registered CPA.

Recent research assignments and publications include the following:

• AI Use Cases in Investment Management: Infinite Possibilities
• Alternative Investments
• Client Reporting Systems
• Cutter Benchmarking: Alternative Investments
• Cutter Benchmarking: Derivatives and Collateral Management
• Cutter Benchmarking: Firmwide ESG Capabilities
• Derivatives and Collateral Management Solutions
• ESG Data Management
• ESG: It’s a Jungle Out There ─ A Look at the Data Provider Landscape
• ESG Investing: One Vision, Many Lenses
• Market Data Administration
• Private Debt

Jon Chandler has 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining Cutter Associates in 2014, Jon was a senior business analyst for State Street Global Advisors (SSGA), where he was involved in a number of projects for the front and middle office, including UAT design and execution for an order management system (Fidessa IMS), the implementation of a web-based due diligence platform (FundInsight), and an enterprise solution to support blended benchmarks. Prior to his project roles, Jon was a principal in fixed income trade operations at SSGA. He has extensive experience with post-trade operations and applications, such as OASYS/CTM, PORTIA, MBSExpert, and FailStation. Jon earned a bachelor of arts in history from the University of Florida and an MBA from Northeastern University.

Recent research assignments and publications include the following:

• Alternative Investment Systems
• Cutter Benchmarking: Alternative Investments
• Cutter Benchmarking: Derivatives and Collateral Management
• Cutter Benchmarking: Investment Risk
• Cutter Benchmarking: Performance Measurement and Attribution
• Derivatives and Collateral Management Solutions
• Execution Management Systems
• Managed Data Services
• Order Management Systems
• Outsourcing Solutions
• Performance Measurement and Attribution Systems
• Portfolio Analytics Solutions
• Private Debt
• Risk Management Systems
• The Evolving Front Office Support Model

Stacia Graham brings more than 30 years of experience in investment management as Head of Research at Cutter Associates, where she leads a team of analysts that delivers insights and events to Cutter’s global members.

Stacia joined Cutter in 2018 and, as part of the research team, worked closely with members and vendors to author numerous reports and deliver insights at events on many topics, including client reporting, modern compliance in investment management, investment management platforms, portfolio analytics solutions, asset allocation and total portfolio approach, and research management systems. She brings a deep understanding of end-to-end asset management processes and project management, and has also served as a subject matter expert for targeted engagements in enterprise risk and compliance.

Prior to joining Cutter in 2018, Stacia held various senior roles at Wellington Management Company in compliance, investment administration, and operational risk, including leading the global Investment Guideline Compliance team for eight years.

She earned her bachelor of science in business administration from Bryant University and an MBA from Bentley University.

Kathy McDermott has more than 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. Kathy, who joined Cutter Associates in 2011, has authored multiple Cutter Research reports on a wide range of topics. She spent ten years as a consultant for a variety of asset management firms, with a focus on business analysis for front- and middle-office projects. Kathy was previously the senior business analyst, equity trading systems, at Wellington Management, specializing in the firm’s proprietary electronic and basket trading applications. Earlier in her career, Kathy worked for Thomson Financial Services (now Thomson Reuters), supporting FirstCall and PORTIA clients in Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, and Thailand, and later went on to manage PORTIA implementations. She also worked at LongView (now Linedata) as an account manager and then product manager of electronic trading. Kathy earned her bachelor of arts in mathematics from Hamilton College.

Recent research assignments and publications include the following:

• Alternative Data and the Expanding Universe of Investment Information
• Cutter Benchmarking: Data Management
• Cutter Benchmarking: Market Data Administration
• DataOps: In Theory and Practice
• Enabling Data Analytics
• The Evolving Front Office Support Model
• Evolving Data Governance: Building a Data Culture
• Making Snowflake Part of Your Modern Data Platform
• Managed Data Services
• Market Data Administration
• Order Management Systems
• Outsourced Trading: Has the Time Come?
• Reference Data Management Solutions

Principal - Consulting

Alijah Poindexter is an experienced professional in financial services research and consulting, with a background spanning banking, healthcare, asset management, and fintech. He joined Cutter Associates in 2025, where he supports the firm’s research initiatives with a focus on research production and design, analysis, and content development. He has co-authored reports on investment data platforms, data management, and investment management trends. Prior to Cutter, Alijah was a senior research associate at Datos Insights, producing market research on commercial banking, digital payments, and healthcare payments. He also led multiple client consulting engagements, delivering strategic, data-centric advisory work. Earlier in his career, he served as associate editor at Bank Automation News, where he focused on banking coverage and industry events, and held program and research analyst roles. Alijah earned his BBA from Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee.

Alex Yarbrough is a financial services consulting leader with more than 20 years of experience helping investment organizations modernize and transform their operations, data, and technology capabilities. As Director and Head of Investment Operations Consulting at Cutter Associates, he helps clients address complex investment operations challenges and translate strategic priorities into practical operating models, technology solutions, and implementation strategies.

Prior to joining Cutter Associates, Alex served as Head of Global Professional Services for Data & Analytics at BNY, leading a team of 100+ consultants across North America, EMEA, and APAC. Throughout his career, he has advised leading investment organizations on operating model design, investment platform implementations, data modernization, and enhancements to performance, analytics, and reporting capabilities.

His expertise spans investment operations, investment accounting, data management, performance measurement and attribution, risk analytics, AI and cloud technologies, and technology delivery. Alex combines deep domain expertise with consulting leadership experience to help clients align strategy, operations, technology, and data to achieve measurable outcomes.

Earlier in his career, Alex held consulting leadership roles at Eagle Investment Systems and began his career at State Street in investment operations. He holds a B.A. in Economics and International Studies from Colby College, graduating cum laude with special distinction in Economics, and completed the Executive Leadership & Strategic Impact program at Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business.

As Vice President of Presales Consultants at Arcesium, Bernardo leads in showcasing the company's cutting-edge capabilities through executive-level engagements, delivering compelling presentations, technical demonstrations, and proof-of-concepts. His proficiency extends across crucial areas of middle and back-office investment operations, with a particular emphasis on data governance and enterprise data management for investment managers and asset owners. Bernardo brings over eight years of fintech capital markets experience to his role at Arcesium. His professional background includes key positions in investment accounting and portfolio operations at renowned firms such as Clearwater Analytics and SS&C, as well as experience at a $3.7 billion Multi-Family Office. Bernardo holds a Bachelor of Science in Business and Economic Analytics, providing him with a robust foundation for his current role at Arcesium.

Tripp Crosby teaches organizations how to unlock the innovation mindset by showing teams at every level how to think creatively even under pressure. As the creator behind viral workplace sensation A Conference Call in Real Life (among others viewed by millions worldwide), Tripp has built a career proving that breakthrough ideas don’t come from artistic talent, but from understanding how humans actually think, collaborate, and overcome constraints.

He’s applied this expertise running a creative production agency that’s helped Fortune 500 brands like Zapier, McKinsey, Monday.com, GoDaddy, Delta, Coca-Cola, Verizon, Snowflake, and Workday cut through the noise and connect authentically with their audiences. Now he brings that same real-world experience to stages worldwide helping leadership teams, decision makers, and non-“creative types” discover how to generate bold ideas, turn limitations into breakthroughs, and create space for innovation without sacrificing what matters most.

Tripp brings firsthand experience building scalable creative systems and guiding organizations through high-stakes innovation challenges. He gives actionable frameworks to apply immediately. He teaches audiences how to make space for fresh thinking when there’s no time, how to generate brilliant ideas by embracing “bad” ones first, how to connect with teammates and customers by actually listening and valuing feedback, and how to gain a fresh perspective of what’s next as a brand, team, or even as an individual.

As engaging as he is strategic, Tripp blends hilarity with substance, making audiences laugh at workplace absurdity one moment, then challenging them to see their own role in solving it the next. His presentations are interactive experiences that blend tactical expertise with the kind of authenticity and vulnerability that makes people not just think differently but feel differently about their work. He brings a rare combination of creative practitioner credibility, business acumen, emotional intelligence, strategic insight plus the comedic timing that makes complex ideas land and stick. The result is an experience that gives people permission to think bigger and the tools to actually do it. Tripp meets leaders where they are and shows them what’s possible when creativity becomes an asset.

Gaurav Diwan is a Director at Indus Valley Partners (IVP), where he leads Private Funds Implementations and Technology Managed Services. With more than a decade of experience in alternative asset management, he works closely with hedge funds, private credit, and private equity firms to design scalable target operating models and implement front-to-back data transformation strategies that support operational efficiency and AUM growth.

Prior to joining IVP, Gaurav was part of HSBC’s corporate strategy team supporting retail banking growth initiatives. He holds a Master’s degree in Finance.

Rob Flatley is the founder and CEO of TS Imagine, a leading global provider of trading, portfolio, and risk management solutions for capital markets. Rob has over three decades of hands-on experience leading financial technology companies and teams, spanning both the vendor and broker sides of the capital markets ecosystem.

An experienced investment-banking executive, Rob has held senior positions at Bank of America Securities and Deutsche Bank Securities. On the vendor side, he has founded several successful companies, including CoreOne Technologies in 2010 — a provider of regulatory reporting, index and data management, and prime-brokerage services — which was acquired by Markit (now S&P Global Market Intelligence) in 2015.

In 2021, investment firm Francisco Partners merged TradingScreen and Imagine Software to create TS Imagine, a cloud-based, end-to-end trading and portfolio management platform. Having collaborated closely with Francisco Partners throughout the merger process, Rob was appointed CEO of the newly-formed company. Under Rob’s leadership, TS Imagine acquired PrimeOne from S&P Global in late 2024, giving the company foundational technology for prime brokers looking to manage and grow their businesses. Rob himself had helped to build this technology as part of the CoreOne platform during his time there.

Rob sits on the board of Cipher Mining Technologies, a data center construction and operations company. He graduated with a BBA in Accounting from the University of Iowa.

Jeff Greaney is Head of Product for Asset Servicing Americas at Northern Trust, where he leads product strategy across the firm's asset servicing business. In this role, he works closely with business, technology, operations leaders to align product investments with organizational growth objectives, strengthen client outcomes, and advance Northern Trust's long-term strategic priorities across client segments.

With more than 20 years of experience in financial services, Jeff has held leadership roles spanning product management, strategy, investment analytics, and client consulting. Having previously lived and worked in Singapore and London before returning to the United States, he brings a global perspective shaped by leadership experience across different jurisdictions. Throughout his career, he has worked with some of the world's largest institutional investors, helping them navigate increasingly complex investment, operational, and data challenges while driving business growth and transformation.

Jeff's experience combines strategic leadership with deep industry expertise across investment analytics, data, post-trade services, total portfolio approaches, and operating model transformation. He is particularly passionate about helping institutional investors use technology, data, and innovation to improve decision-making and achieve better investment outcomes.

Jeffrey is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder and is currently based in Chicago.

Tom is CEO and Co-founder of FINBOURNE Technology. He spent over a decade building technology for leading global financial institutions, including the UBS Delta platform for institutional and buy-side clients.

At RBS, he was Managing Director, Head of Quantitative Development for Fixed Income, before moving to UBS as Lead Quantitative Developer. Witnessing how the buy-side remained trapped with decades-old technology while costs spiralled, Tom co-founded FINBOURNE in 2016.

As founding CTO, he architected the core platform before transitioning to CEO in 2020. Under his leadership, FINBOURNE has grown to approximately 200 employees across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. In 2024, Tom was recognised as “Developing Entrepreneur” at the UK Enterprise Awards for high-growth scale-ups.

Heather Sison is the Senior Head of Investment Operations & Services at CalSTRS, where she will play a key role in investment and branch operations for the Investment Office. In this role, Heather Sison oversees the operational infrastructure supporting the investment portfolio across public and private asset classes. She is responsible for ensuring efficient and compliant execution of investment transactions, managing operational risk, and optimizing processes for branch services.

Prior to CalSTRS, Heather served as the Head of Investment Services at CalPERS. Heather began her 16-year career at CalPERS on the Private Equity team. She transitioned to Operations and provided leadership to CalPERS Investment executives and leaders, developing and managing their Strategic Plan, supporting their strategic investment direction by managing a $2.1 billion budget, leading cost effectiveness and expense recognition initiatives and reporting to ensure compliance with Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS), and directing all investment contracting and sourcing operations for market data, analytics platforms, trading and portfolio management systems, and external public asset investment manager relationships.

She has driven improvements in investment management and financial reporting with use of technology, including the development of a business intelligence (BI) tool for investment expense management that was nominated for a “Best of California” award.

Heather has over 20 years of experience in the financial industry and investments and worked as a CMBS Credit Analyst in the private sector prior to public service.

Heather earned her BS from the University of California, at Davis.

Val leads SimCorp's Asset Owners segment across the Americas with a growth mandate, working with asset owners and banks as they modernize their investment platforms and rethink their operating models in light of industry shift towards AI, total portfolio, and private markets. She works closely with SimCorp One solution engineering, product, and implementation teams to stay close to the detail and execution behind every client relationship.

Previously Val worked at PwC where she served as a Partner in the Asset & Wealth Management practice, helping clients navigate complex operating model transformations, working at the intersection of business and technology.

Val is based in Toronto and New York, and is a frequent voice on trends shaping institutional investment technology, data and operations including the total portfolio approach and across public and private investments.