Ms. Harman is Founder & Chairman, and former CEO, of Avante Capital Partners. Based in Los Angeles, Ms. Harman’s responsibilities include fund strategy and management, Investment Committee, portfolio management, investor relations, and brand management.

Ms. Harman has over 30 years of financing and M&A experience, involving well over $1 billion in aggregate investments. Prior to founding Avante, Ms. Harman started-up and led the Los Angeles offices for two multi-billion dollar publicly traded private equity and mezzanine investment funds – American Capital and more recently Allied Capital, where she was also a member of Allied’s Investment Committee. Earlier career highlights include various senior-level positions with Prudential Capital.

Over the course of her career, she has held (as an active board member or observer) Board roles in over 20 private middle market companies across the U.S. in a variety of industries, including healthcare, business services, consumer products, and industrial. She currently sits on the board of NN Inc., a publicly traded manufacturer of highly engineered components and Engineered Performance Technologies, a private manufacturer of automotive performance aftermarket products and solutions.

She has received numerous recognitions over the years including most recently being named to the Los Angeles Business Journal’s 2018 and 2019 LA 500 Most Influential People in Los Angeles. In January 2016, Ms. Harman was on the cover of Mergers & Acquisitions magazine and named one of the Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A, a recognition she again received in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020. In March 2017, she was recognized as one of 15 Trailblazers by Buyouts Magazine. In 2015, she was named one of the Most Influential Private Equity Investors in Los Angeles by the Los Angeles Business Journal (LABJ). In 2013, the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Los Angeles inducted Ms. Harman into their Hall of Fame.

Ms. Harman is a Co-Chair of the Association for Corporate Growth – Los Angeles Business Conference, an Ex-officio Board Member and Past Chair of the Small Business Investor Alliance, Executive Advisory Board member of JGSI (Jewish Graduate Student Initiative), and a Steering Committee Member of PEWIN. In 2018, Avante Capital Partners was named Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) of the Year by the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The firm was also named Women-Owned Firm of the Year 2018 by Private Equity Women Investor Network (PEWIN).

She received a MBA from the University of California – Berkeley, and a Bachelors’ degree in Business from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee (summa cum laude).

Ivelisse Rodriguez Simon is the Managing Partner of Avante Capital Partners. Based in Florida, Ms. Simon is responsible for managing the firm’s team, investment strategy and investors relations. Ms. Simon joined Avante in 2009 as a founding member of the firm and was promoted to Managing Partner in 2019.

Ms. Simon has over two decades of middle-market debt and equity investment experience. Prior to Avante, she held positions at Palladium Equity Partners, Reliant Equity Partners and various investment banks including Salomon Brothers.

Ivelisse is a longtime advocate and champion for women. She holds leadership roles in several local and national non-profit organizations, including The Robert Toigo Foundation, The Hispanic Scholarship Foundation and Westside Family Health Center in Los Angeles. In 2019, the Robert Toigo Foundation honored Ivelisse with their prestigious Leadership Award recognizing her leadership in the advancement of diversity and inclusion in the financial industry. Ivelisse was also named to Mergers & Acquisitions magazine’s 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024 Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A.

Ms. Simon graduated with honors from the University of Illinois and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School. She splits her time between Florida and Costa Rica and enjoys taking adventurous trips with her family to far-flung places.

Paul Hayama is a Senior Partner of Avante Capital Partners. Based in Los Angeles, Mr. Hayama is responsible for identifying, executing and managing investment opportunities. He currently manages the fund’s deal execution, due diligence and portfolio management activities. Mr. Hayama joined Avante in 2009 as a founding member of the firm.

Mr. Hayama has over two decades of lower-middle-market debt and equity experience. Prior to Avante, he held positions at Allied Capital and Houlihan Lokey. Mr. Hayama serves on the board of Katahdin and holds numerous other board observer positions.

Paul is an active supporter of the Association of Asian American Investment Managers (AAAIM) and a founding member of its Southern California Chapter. He is also a frequent speaker on a variety of investor panels ranging from mezzanine debt to consumer products to aerospace and defense investing. He is also a recurring lecturer on unitranche and mezzanine debt as part of the Certificate in Private Capital Markets program at Pepperdine University’s Graziadio Business School.

Mr. Hayama graduated magna cum laude from the University of Southern California. A native of Hawaii, Paul lives with his wife and two children in Manhattan Beach. When he isn’t coaching his kids’ sports teams, you can find him cheering loudly in the stands.

Richard Strait is an Investment Committee Partner at Avante Capital Partners. Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rick serves on Avante’s Investment Committee and advises on portfolio and other strategic matters. He joined Avante in 2019.

Mr. Strait has over 40 years of private middle-market debt and private equity investment experience. He joined Avante after a 35-year career with Northwestern Mutual Capital (NMC), the private debt and equity investment arm of The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company. During his career, Rick and his portfolio teams completed more than $18 billion of private debt, direct private equity co-investments and private equity fund commitments. Rick also served as a senior member of NMC’s Investment Committee which approved more than $11 billion in aggregate mezzanine and private equity co-investments during his committee tenure. He represented NMC on numerous private equity fund advisory boards and as a director or observer on private company boards.

Mr. Strait previously served as an independent director of G&L Holdings, a privately-owned branded and private label food company. He chaired G&L’s Finance & Acquisitions Committee and served as a member of its Audit Committee. He also previously served as an independent director of Bellacor.com, a privately-owned online and brick-and-mortar retailer of lighting, home décor products and home furnishings.

Mr. Strait lives in Wisconsin and is actively engaged in his local community. He contributes his time as chair of the board of the Jewish Home & Care Center Foundation (Milwaukee). He is a member of the Alumni Advisory Board for the University of Wisconsin – Madison, Department of Economics, and is a former board member and officer of COA Youth and Family Centers (Milwaukee).

Chaz Cocuzza is a Managing Director at Avante Capital Partners, based in New York, where he serves on the firm’s leadership team with a focus on capital formation, deal sourcing, and investment execution.

Mr. Cocuzza brings over 20 years of experience in the lower and middle market private credit and equity space. Prior to joining Avante, he was a Managing Director at Apogem Capital, a private markets subsidiary of New York Life Insurance Company. In this role, he was an integral member of the senior leadership team, contributing across investing, portfolio management, fundraising, and investor relations.  Before his time at Apogem, Mr. Cocuzza founded Tetra Impact Partners, a values-driven investment firm designed to provide institutional investors with innovative access to private markets.  He earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Rutgers University School of Business in 2003.

Omar Simmons is a Senior Advisor at Avante Capital Partners. Omar is an experienced private equity professional, independent sponsor, and operator. Omar joined Avante in 2024.

In 2012, Mr. Simmons founded and managed the Independent Sponsor platform, Exaltare Capital Management which acquired four platform companies over its tenure.  As his first Independent Sponsor acquisition, Omar acquired 15 Planet Fitness Franchise units, where he initially became CEO (before building a best-in-class management team and moving to Executive Chairman) and grew the platform to 100 units and increased profits over 10x, before selling in 2021. Prior to starting Exaltare, Omar was a co-founder and Managing Director at Reliant Equity Investors, a $120 million private equity firm based in Chicago, and has also worked at Windjammer Capital Investors, Summit Partners, McCown DeLeeuw and Marakon Associates (management consulting).

John Ritter is a Senior Advisor at Avante Capital Partners. Based in Hartford, Mr. Ritter advises the firm on strategic matters. John joined Avante in 2019.

Mr. Ritter has over 30 years of experience providing debt and equity capital to both small and middle market businesses. John started his career as an attorney in Connecticut, first as an Associate with a small law firm in Hartford, and then as General Counsel to an energy company with a focus on cogeneration projects. In 1988, Mr. Ritter co-founded First New England Capital where he was a partner in several funds and later co-founded Balance Point Capital Partners in 2008.

In addition to having served on numerous portfolio company boards during his career, Mr. Ritter has also served on many non-profit boards, including the Hebrew Home and Hospital of Greater Hartford, University of Connecticut School of Law Foundation, University of Connecticut Foundation (where he served on the Investment Committee for a decade), as well as the Northeast Regional Association of Small Business Investment Companies (NERASBIC).

For 26 years, Mr. Ritter served on the board of the Connecticut Housing Investment Fund (now Capital for Change), including twice as chairman. CHIF was founded as a non-profit organization in the early 1960s by Mr. Ritter’s parents to help African American families purchase homes in the Hartford suburbs where they were being prevented from buying homes. Mr. Ritter is active in politics, having served as Councilman on the West Hartford, Connecticut Town Council and as State Representative in the Connecticut State Legislature.

Mr. Ritter graduated from Macalester College with a Bachelor of Arts degree with Highest Honors. He holds a Master of Arts Degree in Religion from Yale University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Connecticut School of Law.

Mr. Ritter currently sits on the Board of Trustees of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame located in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Ms. Cordova joined Avante in 2025 and serves as Chief Financial Officer. In her role, she provides strategic leadership, oversees all financial and accounting related matters, and manages the Avante Finance and Portfolio Management teams. She brings over 18 years of private equity experience.  

Prior to joining Avante, Ms. Cordova served as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Compliance Officer at BPOC where she was responsible for financial oversight, financial reporting, compliance, all tax-related matters, and various other functions. She also held the position of Vice-President/Controller at CIVC Partners where she managed all accounting, tax, audit, treasury, and financial reporting for over 50 entities including parallel funds, investment holding companies, splitter partnerships, blocker corporations, and the management company. Ms. Cordova began her career at KPMG LLP as a Senior Tax Associate and Hamilton Partners as a Real Estate Accounting Manager.  

Ms. Cordova holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Loyola University of Chicago in Public Accounting and Finance and a Master of Business Administration from Kellstadt Graduate School of Business at DePaul University Chicago. She is a Certified Public Accountant registered in Illinois.  

Amanda Kim is a Principal at Avante Capital Partners. Based in Los Angeles, Ms. Kim is responsible for identifying, underwriting, executing and managing investment opportunities. Amanda joined Avante in 2016.

Ms. Kim has over twelve years of finance experience. Prior to Avante, Amanda worked at Goldman Sachs in the Alternative Investment & Manager Selection Group where she was responsible for evaluating external managers, with a focus on environmental, social, and governance “ESG” and impact investments.

Amanda is passionate about mentoring women in finance and launched Avante’s Small Business Investing Scholars Program in 2019. Additionally, Amanda serves on the board of the nonprofit Community Health Councils (CHC) which seeks to collectively build equitable systems.

Ms. Kim graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Bowdoin College. She lives in Los Angeles and enjoys singing, going to church, being a mom, and supporting her husband’s entrepreneurial ventures (check out @KOBUNGA Korean Grill and @3VERY cashmere).

David Ng is a Principal at Avante Capital Partners. Based in New York, David is responsible for identifying, underwriting, executing and managing investment opportunities. David joined Avante in 2022.

David has over 10 years of middle-market debt and equity experience. Prior to Avante, David worked as a VP in Partners Group’s NYC office, where he was responsible for originating, underwriting, structuring, and managing middle market credit investments across a diverse range of industries. Prior to Partners Group, he was an analyst at Nomura, a middle market investment bank. David began his career at KPMG.

David graduated from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business with a B.S. in Finance and Accounting, and subsequently also earned an MBA at the Kelley School of Business. David lives in New York City and enjoys travelling, scuba diving, and learning new languages.

Chelsea Celistan is a Principal at Avante Capital Partners. Based in New York, Chelsea is responsible for identifying, underwriting, executing and managing investment opportunities. Chelsea joined Avante in 2024.

Chelsea has 10 years of middle-market investing experience. Prior to Avante, Chelsea worked as a Vice President at Providence Equity Partners, where she focused on technology, media, and telecom leveraged buyouts. Prior to Providence, she spent time in software and healthcare investing at Vista Equity Partners and The Vistria Group, respectively. Chelsea began her career at Citigroup.

Chelsea graduated cum laude from Harvard College with a B.A. in Government, Secondary in Economics, and language citation in Spanish. Later, Chelsea earned an MBA at Harvard Business School. Chelsea lives in Manhattan and enjoys boutique workout classes, traveling, and the arts.

Nicole Vatter is a Principal at Avante Capital Partners. Ms. Vatter is responsible for identifying, underwriting, executing, and managing investment opportunities. Nicole joined Avante in 2021.

Ms. Vatter has ten years of finance experience. Prior to Avante, she worked at Partners Group, a Direct Lending fund based in Denver, CO, where she was responsible for underwriting, closing, and managing middle market credit investments. Prior to Partners Group, she held positions at PIMCO and PwC.

Ms. Vatter graduated cum laude from the University of California, Irvine, and holds an MBA with honors from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She lives in Newport Beach with her husband and enjoys hikes and road trips.

Alyssa Coiley is the Controller at Avante Capital Partners. She joined in 2023 and is responsible for assisting the CFO in most of the back office activities including Limited Partner financial reporting and tax preparation, and treasury.

Alyssa has 10 years of accounting experience specializing in alternative investments including real estate, private equity, and private credit.  In her previous position, Alyssa was Director of Fund Administration at E78 Partners, where she managed a team of accountants to provide fund administration services for over 30 general partners.  Prior to her time at E78 Partners, Alyssa worked in various Associate and Sr Associate roles at Monroe Capital, AlterDomus (prev. Cortland Capital), and Equity Residential.

Alyssa graduated with honors at Northeastern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature. In 2016 she became a Certified Public Accountant.

As Vice President of Capital Formation at Avante Capital Partners, Jesse Beck helps drive the firm’s growth by connecting the right investors with Avante’s hard-won opportunities. The kind built on 16 years of trust, results, and relationships.

With a background in financial communications, Jesse knows that great investing starts with great storytelling. He’s passionate about finding the best stories, telling them with authenticity, and sharing them with the right people. His work helps ensure Avante’s mission of growing a diverse firm and delivering strong, consistent returns.

A proud New York University graduate, Jesse believes openness and connection create the foundation for lasting partnerships and real impact.

Victor Villalpando is a Senior Associate at Avante Capital Partners. Based in Los Angeles, Mr. Villalpando is responsible for identifying, underwriting, executing, and managing investment opportunities. Victor joined Avante in 2022.

Victor has 5 years of collective experience across middle market investing and investment banking. Prior to Avante, Victor worked at Alignment Credit where he led sourcing and execution of investments in late-stage venture and middle market companies. Prior to Alignment Credit, Victor was an investment banker at MUFG, covering private equity sponsors.

Victor graduated with honors from St. John’s University and holds a B.S. in Finance. Victor lives in Las Vegas and enjoys traveling, hiking, and scuba diving.

Karel Ignacio is a Senior Associate at Avante Capital Partners. Based in Los Angeles, Ms. Ignacio is responsible for identifying, underwriting, executing and managing investment opportunities. Karel joined Avante in 2019 as an intern in Avante’s MBA Internship Program.

Karel has over 10 years of collective experience across finance, entertainment and tech. Prior to joining Avante, she held corporate roles at Warner Brothers Entertainment, Paramount Pictures and Virgin Hyperloop One. Additionally, Karel serves on the board of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Synergist Network, a nonprofit organization that seeks to connect women in investing.

Karel graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles, and holds an MBA from USC Marshall School of Business. She enjoys traveling, photography and taking workout classes in her free time.

Colin Johnson is a Senior Associate at Avante Capital Partners. Based in Los Angeles, Colin is responsible for identifying, underwriting, executing, and managing investment opportunities. Colin joined Avante in 2025.

Colin has six years of finance experience. Prior to Avante, he worked as an Associate at Ocean Avenue Capital Partners, where he focused on executing middle-market private equity transactions across various end markets. He began his career as an Investment Banking Analyst at Harris Williams focusing on sell-side M&A in the consumer and technology sectors.

Colin graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor of Science. He lives in Los Angeles and enjoys exploring restaurants, traveling, and staying current with movies.

Marissa Topolski Singleton is a Senior Associate at Avante Capital Partners. Based in Houston, Marissa focuses on business development and deal sourcing, as well as evaluating investment opportunities across a variety of sectors. She joined Avante in 2025.

Marissa began her career in investment banking at Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co., where she advised clients in the energy sector on mergers, acquisitions, and capital markets transactions. She then joined Main Street Capital Corporation as a member of the private credit underwriting team, where she evaluated and structured debt investments across a diverse range of industries.

Marissa earned her B.A. in Cognitive Sciences with a minor in Business from Rice University.

Marissa lives in Houston and enjoys running, traveling, and exploring new restaurants. She especially loves organizing group dinners to try out emerging dining spots across the city.

Emily Yin is an Associate at Avante Capital Partners. Based in Los Angeles, Ms. Yin is responsible for identifying, underwriting, executing, and managing investment opportunities. Emily joined Avante in 2020 as a summer intern in Avante’s Small Business Investing Scholars Program.

Prior to Avante, she worked as a Strategic Planning Intern at Gilead Sciences and as a Research Assistant at ANP Technologies and the USC Keck School of Medicine. Emily graduated magna cum laude from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Science degree in Global Health.

Neriah Ray-Saunders is an Associate at Avante Capital Partners. Based in New York, Ms. Ray-Saunders is responsible for identifying, underwriting, executing, and managing investment opportunities. Neriah joined Avante in 2024.

Neriah has four years of finance experience. Prior to Avante, she worked as a Senior Associate at Brown Brothers Harriman, where she executed senior debt investments in middle-market businesses. Neriah graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in Mathematics. She lives in New York and enjoys traveling, taking dance classes, and reading.

Josh Zhuo is an Associate at Avante Capital Partners. Based in New York, Josh is responsible for identifying, underwriting, executing, and managing investment opportunities. Josh joined Avante in 2025.

Prior to joining Avante, Josh was an Associate at Commerzbank, where he focused on the origination, structuring, and execution of new issue syndicated loans and high-yield note offerings. Before that, he was an Investment Analyst at Cambridge Associates, where he supported institutional investors in structuring their private investment portfolios and conducted investment due diligence on venture capital, private equity, and private credit managers.

Josh graduated Summa Cum Laude from Lafayette College with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and a minor in Government & Law. He currently lives in New York City and enjoys training Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in his free time.

Josh is a CFA charterholder.

Priyank Shah is an Assistant Fund Controller at Avante Capital Partners. He brings over 10 years of experience across private equity, hedge funds, and alternative investments, with prior roles at JPMorgan Chase Private Bank, BlackRock, and Morgan Stanley Fund Services. His expertise spans fund accounting, financial reporting, investor relations, and operational enhancements.

Priyank earned a Master’s in Finance from Clark University, a Master’s in Commerce (Banking & Finance) from Sydenham College of Commerce & Economics in India, and a Bachelor’s in Commerce (Banking & Insurance) from HR College of Commerce & Economics in India.

Outside of work, Priyank enjoys exploring new restaurants in New York City, traveling to new countries, binge-watching series, and following his favorite sports, including cricket, tennis, and soccer.

Brittany Casaraconn joined Avante in 2025 as the Senior Project Manager on the Capital Formation Team. Brittany is responsible for managing Avante’s CRM implementation, facilitating firmwide workflow management to streamline the fundraising process, monitoring the efficacy of AI initiatives, and overseeing the Capital Formation team’s calendar and tasks through Monday.com. She also supports Avante’s Managing Partner by administering her calendar and communications to ensure effective leadership during fundraising.

Prior to joining Avante, Brittany spent five years at Gryphon Investors, most recently serving as Investor Relations Coordinator. At Gryphon, she led CRM and data management efforts, supported complex roadshow planning and execution, designed and produced comprehensive process documentation, and managed major investor events including Annual Partner Meetings and LP Update webinars.

Brittany brings over a decade of experience in investor relations, operations, and project management, with a focus on optimizing workflows and enhancing investor communications.  She lives on the East Coast with her husband and daughter, where their days are filled with baking bread, riding bikes, reading, family dance parties, and the joy of watching their daughter grow and learn each day.

Makena joined Avante Capital Partners in 2025 as a Capital Formation Associate, supporting fundraising and investor relations through development of materials, due diligence, and relationship management with Limited Partners. Previously, she was an Investor Relations Associate at Gryphon Investors and gained experience at J.P. Morgan Private Bank and Church Mutual Insurance.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Colorado Boulder.

Danielle Williams is a Capital Formation Associate at Avante Capital Partners, supporting fundraising and investor relations through development of materials, due diligence, and relationship management with Limited Partners.

Prior to her current role, Danielle held multiple roles at Avante including Ivelisse’s Executive Assistant and as an Analyst on the Investment team. Prior to Avante, Danielle was an Office Services Assistant at Latham and Watkins in San Diego.

Danielle graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. During her undergrad, she was a student-athlete on the Michigan Women’s Basketball team for four years. Ms. Williams also holds a Master of Management degree from the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.

DeAisha Johnson is an Analyst at Avante Capital Partners, where she supports SBIC and direct lending fundraising, data analysis and business intelligence processes. She previously interned with Avante, conducting market research and due diligence on lower middle-market companies across a range of industries.

Before rejoining Avante, DeAisha worked at BlackRock in the Sustainable and Transition Solutions group, where she managed client engagement initiatives for large-cap U.S institutional funds, published firm-wide sustainability newsletters, and conducted policy and investment research focused on the evolving ESG landscape. She also represented BlackRock on internal panels related to neurodiversity and inclusion, underscoring her commitment to fostering equitable workplaces. Lastly, she was named a 2023 BlackRock Founder’s Scholar, awarded a $20,000 merit scholarship, and met with the firm’s executive leadership team.

DeAisha earned her B.A. in Public Policy and African American Studies from Princeton University. While at Princeton, she completed a senior thesis titled “DeCarb Camden: A Reparations Investor’s Collective Guide to Environmental Liberation and Restorative Justice”, bridging financial theory with grassroots perspectives on restorative finance practices.

A first-generation college graduate and KPMG Future Leader Scholar, DeAisha is deeply committed to mentorship and social impact. She currently serves as a Mentor Coach for America Needs You, where she supports first-generation college students in navigating their professional journeys.

Outside of work, she enjoys writing for her personal Substack blog, where she reflects on identity, culture, and navigating life in professional spaces.

Chau Nguyen is the Director of Marketing & Impact at Avante Capital Partners, where she oversees all aspects of company events, ensuring impactful experiences that align with the organization’s goals. In her role, she drives brand development and spearheads initiatives that foster both internal and external engagement. Chau joined Avante in 2014 and has since played a key role in its success, transitioning from Office Manager and Marketing Coordinator to her current position as a key driver of the company’s impact vision and success.

With over 15 years of experience in office management, marketing, and administrative support, Chau has built a solid foundation in driving operational efficiency and strategic planning. Prior to Avante, she held positions at U-Haul, Hawaii Marketing Company, and Brett Hill Construction, where she sharpened her expertise in operations and marketing management.

Danielle Rosales is an Executive Assistant at Avante Capital Partners where she provides administrative support to the entire team.

Danielle graduated from the University of Southern California. Prior to joining Avante in 2021, she held administrative and coordinator roles in the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music and Donaldson Callif Perez, LLP Law Firm.

A native of Los Angeles, she enjoys continuously exploring the city, taking spin classes, baking, swimming, and traveling abroad.

Gabriella Rodriguez is the Manager of Community at Avante Capital Partners. Gabriella is responsible for the SBIS Internship Program, assisting with WON (Women’s Operating Network), and maintaining external relationships involving community outreach. Gabriella started at Avante in 2020 part-time to help with the internship program and has since moved to Avante full-time as she enjoys helping create opportunities for students.

Prior to Avante, Gabriella worked at a B2B Marketing Agency where she gained experience in project management and social media management. Gabriella graduated from Marquette University with a Bachelor of Communications degree in Marketing and Advertising.