Our Team

Adam Spence (he/him)
Founder, CEO, and UDP
Adam’s career has focused on advancing social, environmental and economic justice through community action, impact investing, and cross-sectoral systems change. Adam leads on partnerships and strategic projects, while providing support and oversight on education, advisory, fund, and platform activities at SVX. Ask Adam about collaboration opportunities, sector trends, and exploring food in Toronto.

Ameeta Vijay (she/her)
CCO and CFO
Ameeta is a CPA, CA with over 20 years of regulatory, compliance, audit, risk and international work experience. Ameeta joined SVX in 2015 where she oversees compliance with relevant laws and regulations, as well as governance and financial operations. Ask her about finance, compliance, karate and raising 3 boys!

Kevin Taylor (he/him)
Associate Director
Kevin is a serial entrepreneur with a background in technology and management consulting. He leads the Fund Design and Management practice at SVX as well as heading up the SVX US Operations. Ask Kevin about raising capital, creating an investment fund, or pretty much anything related to Disney.

James Chan (he/him)
Capital Advisory Lead
James works with people, places, and partnerships to foster civic participation, promote equitable urbanism, and grow our social economy. He leads the advisory team at SVX, which helps organizations raise or invest impact capital. Ask him about advancing social equity through investments and philanthropy, experiential learning programs, and urban design.

Wali Zia (he/him)
Finance Manager
Wali is a MBET graduate from the University of Waterloo. His love for helping others led him to support the growth of impact investing. He works as the Finance Manager at SVX. Ask him about analysis, problem solving, financial processes, innovation, business improvement, soccer, space, architecture, and dinosaurs.

Helen Zhou (she/her)
Education and Technology Manager
A graduate of UBC in Philosophy and Political Science, Helen pursued the goal of making a positive impact in several sectors before landing in impact investment. She joined SVX to create knowledge products and various other marketing projects. Ask her about writing, web and graphic design, and caring for houseplants!

Paula Sahyoun (she/her)
Manager, Systems Change and Social Finance
Paula leads investor and venture education programming. Paula has spent the last few years deeply engaged within Canada’s social innovation ecosystem working within Ontario’s Social Enterprise Unit and the McConnell Foundation. Ask Paula about WOSEN, SVX accelerators, and dystopian fiction.

Richard Muller (he/him)
Senior Advisor and Peer Leader, Impact United
Richard leads our Impact United initiative to build and curate a community of foundations, family offices and HNIs in Canada who are committed to deploying their capital for both social and environmental impact, alongside financial return. Previously, Richard held a number of executive positions at Toniic, a global network of active impact investors from more than 25 countries.

Yetunde Osanyin (she/her)
Fund Manager
Yetunde is a CFA Charter holder with rich and diverse experience in capital raising & management, deal advisory and client management. She is a Fund Manager within the Fund Design and Management practice at SVX. Ask Yetunde about crafting winning strategies, raising capital, investments, data science and cooking.

Lade Balogun (she/her)
Impact Investing Manager
Lade, a CPA and CA, possesses more than 11 years of international work experience in capital advisory, infrastructure, and impact finance. Prior to joining SVX, she worked in a multilateral development finance institution dedicated to fostering economic development and social progress in various countries. During her tenure, she played a crucial role in providing financial support to infrastructure projects that focused on sustainable development goals. Ask her about sustainable finance, travel experiences, and passion for exploring recipes.

Paula Delgadillo (she/her)
SVX Colombia Project Manager
Paula has rich experience in alternative assets and private equity. She found a life purpose working in impact investing. At SVX she is a Project Manager in Colombia. Ask Paula about alternative assets, impact investment in Colombia, and hairstyling.

Shivanshi Malhotra (she/her)
Associate
Prior to SVX, Shivanshi pursued work in the policy and social innovation space with experience spanning across Canadian policy working groups, impact consulting, research fellowships and fieldwork in development. Ask Shivanshi about international development, Indian politics, and Bollywood.

Jasmine Pabla (she/her)
Operations Associate, Technology
Jasmine is an Information Technology graduate with experience in creating and supporting platforms servicing different business streams. At SVX, Jasmine supports SVX’s internal and external-facing digital platforms and technology systems. Ask her about technical admin, robotic process automation or cooking.

Gabriella Yapp (she/her)
Communications Associate
Gabby is a Creative Industries graduate from Toronto Metropolitan University. A previous start-up founder, Gabby has 4+ years of experience in the Canadian startup ecosystem. At SVX, Gabby oversees the marketing and communication strategies and initiatives. Ask her about kayaking and aquarium-keeping.

Zaira Campo Arias (she/her)
SVX Colombia Project Coordinator
Zaira is an economist holding a master’s degree in International Affairs with over 10 years of experience in the non-governmental organization sector. There, she promoted the social and economic inclusion of people with disabilities, women, and youth. Additionally, Zaira is an entrepreneur in the services sector. In her spare time, she enjoys cycling and discovering new restaurants!

Gagan Aujla (he/him)
Impact Investing Analyst Intern
Gagan is currently a student in the Business Honours program at SFU Beedie, concentrating in finance and accounting. Prior to SVX, he has interned in financial operations, volunteered through many roles in youth sports, and competed in stock pitch competitions across North America. Ask him about his favourite stock, movie series, or anything related to basketball.

Tom Tao (he/him)
Capital Advisory Intern
Tom is a 4th-year Business and Globalization student at the University of Western Ontario, with experience working in the space of non-profit prior. At SVX, Tom supports the Capital Advisory team helping organizations raise or invest impact capital. Ask him about urban agriculture, food literacy, or board games!
Canada Core Team

Adam Spence
Founder, CEO, and UDP
he/him

Ameeta Vijay
CCO and CFO
she/her

Kevin Taylor
Associate Director
he/him

James Chan
Capital Advisory Lead
he/him

Wali Zia
Finance Manager
he/him

Helen Zhou
Education and Technology Manager
she/her

Paula Sahyoun
Manager, Systems Change and Social Finance
she/her

Richard Muller
Senior Advisor and Peer Leader, Impact United
he/him

Yetunde Osanyin
Fund Manager
she/her

Lade Balogun
Impact Investing Manager
she/her

Paula Delgadillo
SVX Colombia Project Manager
she/her

Zaira Campo Arias
SVX Colombia Project Coordinator
she/her

Shivanshi Malhotra
Associate
she/her

Sharujan Santoshkumar
Associate
he/him

Gabriella Yapp
Communications Associate
she/her

Jasmine Pabla
Operations Associate, Technology
she/her

Gagan Aujla
Impact Investing Analyst Intern
he/him

Laura Ortiz Montemayor
Founder and Director of Purpose
Laura is the Founder and Director of Purpose of SVX Mexico with experience in investment banking.
Ask her about building a regenerative economy and being an entrepreneurial mom.

Stevie Smyth Valdez
Executive Director
Stevie is the Executive Director and Partner with experience in social finance and business development. Ask her about investing with a gender perspective and hiking.

Miriam Magallon
Administrator
Miriam leads on administration and accounting, with experience in banking and early stage companies. She loves reading and enjoying time with her family.

Aaron Lozano
Impact Investing Fellow
Aaron is a Finance and Banking student, with experience in social entrepreneurship and focus on rural areas dependent on agricultural activities. Ask him about technology and its application for problem solving.

Héctor Pérez
Community and Education Fellow
Héctor is a Business Administration student with a specialization in finance and experience in project management and organization of student events. Ask him about leadership and impact investing.

Eric Lara
Associate
Erick is an Associate consultant with experience in finance and data analysis. Ask him about achieving a paradigm shift in investments and ensuring sustainable development.

Pablo Galvan
Associate
Pablo is an Associate with experience in corporate banking and equity analysis. Ask him about environment, economic inclusion, poverty alleviation and animal welfare.
SVX Mexico

Laura Ortiz Montemayor
Founder and Director of Purpose

Aaron Lozano
Impact Investing Fellow

Stevie Smyth Valdez
Executive Director

Héctor Pérez
Community and Education Fellow

Laura "Lia" Figón Ávila
Associate

Erick Lara
Associate

Miriam Magallon
Administrator

Pablo Galvan
Associate

John Katovich
Founding Partner
John has over 30 years of experience as a securities lawyer and entrepreneur. He has represented and dealt with major securities regulators and governmental entities, including, among others, the SEC, FINRA, state regulators, Congressional banking and finance subcommittees, the CFTC, and emerging/developing country governments as an advisor and consultant in capital market development.

Brian Beckon
Managing Partner
Brian is an attorney with over twenty-five years of experience working for nonprofits, start-ups, and publicly-traded companies. As a principal of Cutting Edge Counsel, Brian’s work is now focused on direct public offerings, entity structuring, and community capital strategies that help build a more equitable economy.

Kim Arnone
Managing Partner
Kim specializes in developing community capital raising strategies for impact funds, social enterprises, cooperatives and nonprofits. She works primarily on investment offerings that can be publicly offered and that are open broadly to her client’s community members and supporters.
SVX US

John Katovich
Founding Partner

Brian Beckon
Managing Partner

Kim Arnone
Managing Partner

Grace Lee Reynolds
Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Artscape Inc.
Grace Lee Reynolds leads Artscape, a not-for-profit social enterprise that makes space for creativity and transforms communities. Grace is a leader committed to driving positive impact and the core of Artscape’s work is the development of real estate projects, programs and services to enable artists and creatives to thrive.

Robert Peterman
VP, Global Business Development, Toronto Stock Exchange, TSX Venture Exchange
Robert is responsible for domestic and international business development activities for TSX and TSXV; including the Beijing office and TSX and TSXV’s presence in the United Kingdom and Israel.

Lina Bowden
FCPA, FCMA, MA
Lina is the catalyst behind VERGE Capital, a community-led collaborative that creates local investment for local impact in London and Southwestern Ontario. Since 2012, Lina has been instrumental in bringing together key community stakeholders to create a strong ecosystem for local impact investing.

Kevin Doyle
President of The Michael and Sonja Koerner Charitable Foundation
Kevin was previously the Executive Vice President of Canada Overseas Investments Limited, as well as previously responsible for Corporate Strategy at the TMX Group for ten years, having worked as a consultant with McKinsey & Company for the three years prior. He also serves on the boards of Central Wire Industries, the AGO Foundation, the CAMH Foundation, and reBOOT Canada.

Raj Dewan
Partner, Capital Markets and China, McMillan LLP
Raj has an active legal practice that is focused on advising public and private companies in high-growth sectors (TMT, energy and agriculture), mid-market investment banks, venture capital funds and family offices. Raj is currently a mentor with SuperCharger Accelerator, a leading fintech accelerator in Asia with offices in both Hong Kong and Malaysia.
Board of Directors

Grace Lee Reynolds
Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Artscape Inc.

Raj Dewan
Partner, Capital Markets and China, McMillan LLP

Robert Peterman
VP, Global Business Development, Toronto Stock Exchange, TSX Venture Exchange

Lina Bowden
FCPA, FCMA, MA

Kevin Doyle
President of The Michael and Sonja Koerner Charitable Foundation
Founding Partners



Global & National Partnerships
















