Dan Barker, Dahna Goldstein, and Kate Goodall – Halcyon

President and CEO, Halcyon (Barker), and Managing Partners/Halcyon Venture Partners (Goldstein and Goodall)

Barker runs the ten-year-old DC incubator that backs founders trying to solve big social problems, while Goldstein and Goodall head the spinoff venture fund to write bigger checks for the same mission. Halcyon Venture Partners is raising its second fund and recently invested in Occupi, a platform that makes renting less of a headache for tenants and property managers alike.

Amelia DeSorrento, Ann Marie Guzzi, and Kelly O’Malley – The Agora Initiative

Cofounders and Co-Organizers

DeSorrento, Guzzi, and O’Malley decided to tackle venture capital’s gender gap head-on. Their solution: the Agora Initiative, launched last year to connect female entrepreneurs with funders and influencers through venture challenges, dinners, and happy hours. With backing from sponsors such as JP Morgan and the DC Tech & Venture Coalition, their Female Founder Showcases have already drawn 300-plus attendees.

Fonta Gilliam – Wellthi

Founder and CEO

Gilliam’s Wellthi helps banks make their mobile apps more user-friendly for younger customers through personalized financial-wellness tools. She also gives tips to bank and credit-union leaders through her weekly Banking MilZ newsletter on how to attract and retain millennial and Gen-Z clients.