About the Global EquityCrowdfunding Alliance (GECA)

Andrew, an accomplished marketing professional with over 25 years of experience, has held senior leadership roles across diverse industries. His expertise lies in navigating heavily regulated environments, particularly in Financial Services, where compliance informs strategic marketing decisions. With recent involvement in digital assets and blockchain-enabled services, Andrew excels in leading collaborative projects and driving innovation. His track record in uniting teams and achieving results makes him the perfect candidate to lead and direct the GECA Steering Committee.

Scott McIntyre brings unparalleled expertise to GECA’s steering committee as a pioneering force in alternative finance. Serving ten terms as Chair of the Crowdfunding Professional Association since 2012, Scott has shaped the industry’s foundation alongside regulators and legislators. Recognized by the White House as a “Champion of Change” and selected by the U.S. State Department to address EU Finance Ministers, his global influence spans four continents. As founder of WEconomy-US and co-architect of the Sustainable Communities Framework, Scott’s vision for community-driven economics perfectly aligns with GECA’s mission to create a truly borderless investment ecosystem that empowers innovation worldwide.

Karsten Wenzlaff brings unparalleled regulatory expertise and market-building experience to GECA’s steering committee, having played an instrumental role in creating Europe’s harmonized crowdfunding framework. As Secretary-General of Digital Invest Germany and Alternative Finance Expert at the University of Hamburg, he bridges policy, academia, and industry with remarkable effectiveness. Since authoring Europe’s first crowdfunding study in 2011, Karsten has been the European editor of Cambridge’s Alternative Finance Benchmarking Report and a key architect of the European Crowdfunding Service Provider (ECSP) regulation, enabling platforms to raise up to €5 million across EU borders. His extensive network spans from advising the German Parliament on FinTech regulation to consulting for the UNDP, OECD, and World Economic Forum. Karsten’s proven track record in harmonizing regulations across 27 European countries provides the blueprint for GECA’s global vision of borderless equity crowdfunding.

Alexandria Fisher, CEO & CCO of Netcapital Securities Inc., is a seasoned business strategist and compliance specialist who has pioneered innovative approaches to equity crowdfunding through strategic combinations of Regulation CF, Regulation A, and Regulation D offerings. Her expertise in navigating complex regulatory frameworks, developed through previous roles at Fidelity Investments and her current oversight of Netcapital’s dual broker-dealer and funding portal structure, enables companies to access both retail and accredited investors simultaneously. Alexandria’s intellectual curiosity and commitment to democratizing capital access, combined with her focus on creating synergistic cross-platform ecosystems, perfectly aligns with GECA’s mission to build a truly borderless equity crowdfunding landscape that transcends traditional regulatory silos.

Aaron Shafton is the Senior Director of DealMaker Securities, spearheading initiatives with a focus on compliance, strategic partnerships, and capital markets innovation. His team guides leading brands and innovative companies through efficient and sophisticated transactions in online capital raising. Aaron brings a wealth of experience from previous roles at Shopify, Capital One, and Procter & Gamble.

Jason Fishman, Co-founder and CEO of Digital Niche Agency (DNA), brings over 15 years of proven expertise in equity crowdfunding marketing, having worked with 500+ campaigns that collectively produced nine figures in funding across Regulation CF, Regulation A+, and Regulation D offerings. His systematic “Test. Optimize. Scale.” methodology and renowned Eight-Point Plan have enabled campaigns to scale from entry-level budgets to six-figure monthly spends producing seven-figure returns. As a Forbes Agency Council member, Crowdfunding Professional Association Board member, and host of 180+ podcast episodes, Jason’s thought leadership spans the global crowdfunding ecosystem. His data-driven approach to connecting innovative companies with investors across geographic boundaries perfectly aligns with GECA’s mission to create a truly borderless equity crowdfunding landscape where capital flows freely to innovation worldwide.

Chris Lustrino, Founder and CEO of KingsCrowd, has revolutionized equity crowdfunding through comprehensive data analytics and market intelligence. Since 2018, he has built the industry’s leading platform, tracking over 10,000 companies and analyzing $3+ billion in deals across Regulation CF and A+ markets. His vision of making private markets accessible through data has democratized investment for tens of thousands of retail investors while serving hundreds of institutions. Prior to KingsCrowd, Chris developed analytical expertise at L.E.K. Consulting and supported Freebird’s acquisition by Capital One. Under his leadership, KingsCrowd has raised $7 million from 4,000+ investors and completed strategic acquisitions including CrowdCheck and Lustro. As founder of fintech publication Simple.Innovative.Change and recognized industry thought leader, Chris’s commitment to transparency and data-driven innovation perfectly aligns with GECA’s mission to create a borderless global investment ecosystem.

Bruce Virga is an accomplished leader with a diverse background spanning multiple industries, including fintech, software, and insurance. As the Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder of Title3Funds, Bruce is at the forefront of democratizing access to private markets, empowering retail investors to capitalize on the potential upside of emerging businesses. His adept navigation of regulatory complexities has solidified Title3Funds’ reputation as a trusted resource for investors and companies alike. Under his guidance, the company maintains a culture of trust and excellence, driving its continuous success.

Meseret Warner brings groundbreaking expertise in diaspora capital mobilization and African market development to GECA’s steering committee as Founder and Managing Director of Ignite Investment, Ethiopia’s first equity crowdfunding platform. Her visionary approach to redirecting the $80+ billion in annual African diaspora remittances toward productive investment has positioned her as one of the continent’s most influential fintech pioneers.

As architect of Ethiopia’s pioneering equity crowdfunding framework, operating within the country’s regulatory sandbox, Meseret has successfully facilitated millions in investment while maintaining 65% women-led enterprise participation. Her strategic partnerships with Zemen Bank, GIZ, and the African Development Bank demonstrate exceptional capability in building comprehensive financial infrastructure that bridges local entrepreneurs with global capital.

With over 20 years of global experience spanning roles at Statistics Canada, United Nations OCHA, and the Ethiopian Central Statistical Agency, Meseret’s journey from refugee to financial revolutionary exemplifies transformative innovation applied to systemic challenges. Recent achievements include facilitating a multi-million dollar joint venture between MACCFA Freight Logistics and global giant CEVA Logistics.

Her expertise in emerging market dynamics, regulatory navigation, and diaspora engagement provides essential insights for GECA’s mission to create truly borderless equity crowdfunding, perfectly aligning with our vision of efficient, transparent global investment markets that unlock entrepreneurial potential across every continent.

Jill Storey brings over 25 years of global financial expertise and pioneering crowdfunding experience to GECA’s steering committee, combining deep institutional knowledge with hands-on entrepreneurial insight into alternative finance innovation. As a former Partner with Andersen, KPMG, and Deloitte across the UK, Europe, Hong Kong, and Australia, she advised global financial institutions and multinationals on complex cross-border strategy, risk management, and governance – expertise that translates directly to navigating international crowdfunding regulatory frameworks.

Jill was an early pioneer in the crowdfunding sector, recognising its potential to expand access to finance and support entrepreneurial and creative communities. She founded a donation-based crowdfunding platform in the UK in 2012 following the London Olympics and later became the owner of Australian reward-based crowdfunding platform where she played a key role in developing the platform and supporting campaign creators.

Building on this experience, Jill has worked closely with several crowdfunding platforms and industry participants, including supporting two Australian platforms in obtaining their ASIC crowd-sourced equity funding licences during the early implementation of Australia’s regulated equity crowdfunding framework. Her work across donation-, reward- and equity-based models provides a broad perspective on the evolution of alternative finance.

Since 2017, Jill has served as a Non-Executive Board Member of the Crowdfunding Institute of Australia, contributing to industry development and dialogue around crowdfunding and emerging forms of digital finance. Her governance experience across corporate organisations, not-for-profit organisations and early-stage ventures brings practical insight into building sustainable and well-governed crowdfunding platforms and markets.

Currently Ocean CO2 Removal Advisor to the World Ocean Council, Jill exemplifies the intersection of finance, innovation, and impact investing – advancing high-integrity, ocean-based carbon removal and climate markets while maintaining rigorous standards for commercialisation and governance. Her unique combination of chartered accountancy credentials, MBA, Master’s in Environmental Science, and entrepreneurial experience positions her to advance GECA’s mission of creating transparent, credible, borderless equity crowdfunding markets that channel capital toward sustainable innovation globally.

Vicky has established over 20 years a successful track record of building and scaling companies across diverse industry sectors. More recently she has spent six years in the crypto and digital assets markets, spearheading various innovative projects. With expertise in brand strategy and driving industry level change, Vicky is a ‘big picture’ strategist with vast global experience.

Abhilasha Dafria, the youngest female CEO at Angels Den Funding, began her entrepreneurial journey in India, helping early-stage companies secure global investments. Now leading one of the UK and Europe’s premier angel-led investment platforms, she has driven over 300 equity rounds, with numerous startups reaching unicorn status under her guidance. At Angels Den, she leverages a vast network of high-net-worth individuals and institutional funds to empower emerging companies, fostering innovation and growth across the region. Her expertise and leadership continue to make a significant impact on the startup ecosystem.