Opportunity Finance Network Announces New Executive Hires and Strengthens its Leadership for the Future

Key leadership will advance strategic direction by welcoming three new executives and a sustainability-focused Board member.

WASHINGTON, June 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Opportunity Finance Network (OFN), the nation's leading investment intermediary and network of community development financial institutions (CDFIs), announced strategic additions to its executive leadership and Board of Directors at a pivotal moment to scale OFN, its network, and the community development finance industry. 

"To fully meet the moment before us, OFN is deeply committed to investing in the infrastructure of the industry to fully embrace new opportunities, models, and pathways," said OFN President & CEO Harold Pettigrew. "Human capital is central to that infrastructure, and I am excited to welcome these talented executives to our organization."

"The OFN Board is excited to put in place the human capital infrastructure for scale," said Donna Gambrell, Chair of the OFN Board of Directors. "Ariel Meyerstein's deep expertise in ESG and sustainable finance will be a valuable asset to this organization, and it is my pleasure to welcome him to the Board."

Jessel Amin joins OFN as Executive Vice President, Chief Investment Officer to support the growth of the organization's capital under management, develop new market opportunities, and oversee the current portfolio of over $1 billion. Additionally, she will lead the deployment of capital under OFN's environment and climate program, including the Clean Communities Investment Accelerator program. Previously, she served as Executive Director, Community Development Banking at JPMorgan Chase. She has extensive experience delivering comprehensive credit solutions that drive innovation and impact in historically disinvested communities.

Anthony (Tony) Berkley, Ph.D., will join OFN as Executive Vice President, Chief Development Officer to lead its fundraising and capitalization strategies to scale and address the needs of our members and communities. With expertise spanning philanthropy and impact investing, Berkley served most recently as Director of ACT and Head of Investments with Future Investment Initiative Institute. He is a pioneering institutional investor, and his expertise in community finance and sustainability includes launching an impact investing platform at W.K. Kellogg Foundation and growing Prudential Financial Inc.'s impact portfolio to over $1 billion.

Kevin Fryatt joins OFN as Executive Vice President, Chief Operations Officer to steer the organization through a period of growth and change by implementing and optimizing systems, platforms, and processes to facilitate and sustain that growth. Fryatt previously served as Chief Financial and Operations Officer at the Washington Area Community Investment Fund (Wacif). His deep expertise includes global and domestic leadership in financial and operating roles, as well as technology and risk management. He has chaired multiple Finance and Audit Committees and serves on the Board of Directors of Credit Builders Alliance (CBA) and CBA Fund.

Ariel Meyerstein, the Head of the ESG Program Office at U.S. Bank, joins the OFN Board of Directors. He brings more than 20 years of experience in international law, global policy, ESG, and sustainable finance to the Board. He will lend his expertise in climate change, human rights, and community finance policy and programs. At U.S. Bank, Meyerstein leads a team focused on developing the firm's overall ESG strategy and is co-chair of the firm's Corporate Responsibility and Reputation Committee. Meyerstein was previously Director of Community Investing and Development for Citi, where he led the implementation of its Action for Racial Equity.

These appointments build on other strategic human capital investments, including leadership promotions and new hires, over the last several months:

• Bhumip Patel has been named Interim Chief Financial Officer (CFO) while OFN completes a national search to identify a permanent CFO.
• With Kevin Fryatt joining as COO, Amber Kuchar-Bell will transition from Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy and Operations Officer to Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer, leading programmatic strategy development with a focus on climate and small business.
• Seth Julyan has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Chief Network Officer, officially leading OFN's growing membership, convenings, and network services.
• Brendon Miller joined the organization as Executive Vice President, Chief of Staff, and Head of Communications to drive strategic priorities, strengthen OFN's brand and engagement, and serve as a trusted advisor across the leadership team.
• Dafina Williams has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Chief Public Policy Officer, and Head of Government Affairs, leading OFN's legislative and regulatory policy initiatives.

The year ahead includes strategic organizational and industry priorities that require infrastructure to deliver and scale impact. Chief among these is the successful launch of the Clean Communities Investment Accelerator program, part of the EPA's $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. Designing and executing a comprehensive, strategic human capital framework helps deliver this core priority, in addition to other critical organizational activities, including OFN's 40^th annual conference and continued investment into and deployment of the Finance Justice Fund.

About Opportunity Finance Network

Opportunity Finance Network (OFN) is the leading national network of mission-driven community lenders, including certified community development financial institutions (CDFIs). OFN's more than 400 members provide affordable, responsible financial products and services in low-income rural, urban, and Native communities nationwide. With $1 billion in assets under management and a 0.3% loan loss rate, OFN is a trusted intermediary between CDFIs and the public and private sectors, partnering with banks, philanthropies, corporations, government agencies, and others to strengthen and invest in CDFIs and create economic opportunity for all.

Since its founding in 1986, the network has originated $111 billion in financing, helping to create or maintain more than 3 million jobs, start or expand more than 850,000 businesses and microenterprises, and support the development or rehabilitation of nearly 2.4 million housing units and more than 14,000 community facility projects.

SOURCE Opportunity Finance Network