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Explore the schedule of sessions from our 2026 edition of Mastering Client Services & RFPs for Institutional Investors
Tuesday - March 17, 2026
8:00 AM
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Exhibit Hall Open
8:00 AM
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Networking Breakfast
8:00 AM
8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Registration Desk Open
9:00 AM
9:00 AM – 9:10 AM
Day One Opening Remarks
Speaker
Jennifer Cannizzaro
VP Product Marketing at Responsive
9:10 AM
9:10 AM – 10:00 AM
The New RFP Landscape: What Institutional Investors Are Asking for Now
- Identify the emerging themes and new categories of questions institutional investors are prioritizing in RFPs and DDQs, including operational risk, cybersecurity, data governance, and DEI disclosures
- Evaluate how shifting market conditions, regulatory expectations, and governance trends are shaping the information investors request and how firms are assessed
- Adapt internal processes and content libraries to ensure responses remain current, accurate, and aligned with investor expectations
Speaker
Bruce Kahn
Senior Portfolio Manager at Shelton Capital Management
10:00 AM
10:00 AM – 10:50 AM
Optimizing Workflows for High-Performing Client Service and RFP Teams
- Evaluate common workflow challenges within client service and RFP teams and identify opportunities for improvement
- Implement strategies to streamline information flow across investment, operations, marketing, and compliance stakeholders
- Apply tools and technologies, including AI and workflow platforms, to automate repeatable tasks and reduce turnaround times
Speaker
Loren Fox
Director of Research at FUSE Research Network
Speaker
Rebecca Hughes
Manager | Business Development- Marketing & Sales Enablement at CAPTRUST
10:50 AM
10:50 AM – 11:10 AM
Networking Break
11:10 AM
11:10 AM – 12:00 PM
The Next Phase in RFP Renewal: Taking a Clean-Slate Approach to AI
- Reimagining RFPs: AI is rewriting what is possible—and raising the bar
- The AI-Native RFP Function: New workflows, skills, and operating models
- Beyond Response Completion: RFP teams as a competitive advantage
Moderator
Krisha Rangarajan
Chief Executive Officer at Big Pi Ventures
Speaker
Atul Suklikar
Chief Product Officer at Big Pi Ventures
Speaker
Dylan Lane
VP of Investor Relations at AEW Capital Management
12:00 PM
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Networking Lunch
1:00 PM
1:00 PM – 1:50 PM
Overcoming Database and Data Integrity Challenges
- Evaluate best practices for centralizing content and performance data to improve consistency, accuracy, and audit readiness
- Apply strategies for leveraging structured and unstructured data to enhance investor reporting and proposal responses
- Assess how AI and automation tools can support data validation, content retrieval, and workflow efficiency without compromising governance
Speaker
Sarah Saunders
Institutional Consultant Relations Lead Analyst at MFS Investment Management
Speaker
Michael Cantor Ceurvorst
Lead Product Manager at Nasdaq Analytics
Speaker
Dawn Mills
Sales Enablement at NWPS
1:50 PM
1:50 PM – 2:40 PM
Mastering Due Diligence Questionnaires (DDQs): Managing Complexity, Consistency, and Investor Expectations
- Understand how DDQs have evolved in length, depth, and technical scope in response to regulatory, cybersecurity, operational, and governance demands
- Identify best practices for maintaining consistency, version control, and data integrity across repeated and customized DDQ requests
- Manage question creep by recognizing how and why questionnaires expand over time and implementing strategies to control scope without compromising investor confidence
Moderator
Elana Margulies-Snyderman
Director, Marketing at Eisner Advisory Group LLC
Speaker
Sari J. Mayer
Director of Marketing and Investor Relations at Global Credit Advisers, LLC
Speaker
Seema Pereira
Global Head- Request for Proposal at Goldman Sachs Asset Management
2:40 PM
2:40 PM – 3:10 PM
Networking Break
3:10 PM
3:10 PM – 4:00 PM
Designing the Modern Client Service & RFP Team: Structuring for Efficiency, Scale, and Specialization
- Identify which team structure best aligns with firm size, growth plans, investor base, and product complexity
- Assess how specialization (e.g., dedicated DDQ experts, technical writers, or compliance-aligned reviewers) can improve accuracy and turnaround times
- Implement workflow and communication strategies that support efficient collaboration regardless of structure
Speaker
Lauren Caldwell
Client Relationship Manager at Kennedy Capital Management
Speaker
Colleen Dunne
Head of Americas and EMEA RFP & Global Databases at Invesco Ltd.
4:00 PM
4:00 PM – 4:50 PM
Roundtable Discussions – Choose Your Own Adventure!
Participate in a facilitated roundtable discussion and deep dive with peers on timely topics in the industry.
1. Stress Management Strategies for High-Pressure Teams
Join this discussion on practical techniques for managing burnout, sustaining performance under tight deadlines, and creating team cultures that support resilience in demanding RFP environments.
Moderator: Bruce Kahn, Senior Portfolio Manager, Shelton Capital Management
2. Selecting & Onboarding Vendors Without Disrupting Your Workflow
Explore how teams evaluate, implement, and integrate new vendors, technology, data, and services, while minimizing disruption and ensuring measurable value from day one.
Moderator: Kristen Carloni, Director, Head of Business Proposals Team and Sales Optimization, Aladdin by BlackRock
3. From Service Desk to Strategic Partner: Repositioning the RFP Team
Discuss how RFP and client service teams are shifting from reactive support roles to proactive strategic partners that drive growth, consistency, and institutional client confidence.
Moderator: Danelle Morrow, Head of Strategic Response, Vanguard
4. Navigating Investor Onboarding
Explore how teams are managing the increasingly complex investor onboarding process.
Moderator: Sari J. Mayer, CAIA, Director of Marketing and Investor Relations, Global Credit Advisers, LLC
5. Leveraging AI and Automation in the RFP Process
Discuss how proposal teams are beginning to incorporate AI and automation tools into their workflows.
Moderator: Christina (Frasca) Riordan, RFP Lead Analyst, MFS Investment Management
Moderator
Bruce Kahn
Senior Portfolio Manager at Shelton Capital Management
Moderator
Kristen Carloni
Director, Head of Business Proposals Team and Sales Optimization at Aladdin by BlackRock
Moderator
Danelle Morrow
Head of Strategic Response at Vanguard
Moderator
Sari J. Mayer
Director of Marketing and Investor Relations at Global Credit Advisers, LLC
Moderator
Christina Riordan
RFP Lead Analyst at MFS Investment Management
4:50 PM
4:50 PM – 5:00 PM
Day One Closing Remarks
Speaker
Jennifer Cannizzaro
VP Product Marketing at Responsive
5:00 PM
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Networking Cocktail Reception
Join us for drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and face-to-face networking with peers.
Wednesday - March 18, 2026
8:00 AM
8:00 AM – 1:20 PM
Exhibit Hall Open
8:00 AM
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Networking Breakfast
8:00 AM
8:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Registration Desk Open
9:00 AM
9:00 AM – 9:10 AM
Welcome Remarks and Day One Takeaways
Speaker
Patrick Theriault
Senior Account Executive at Loopio
9:10 AM
9:10 AM – 10:00 AM
How Leading Firms Scale Proposal Operations with AI—Without Sacrificing Quality
- Discuss how firms are evaluating build vs. buy decisions for RFP and DDQ workflows, balancing speed, scale, and compliance in an era of intensified scrutiny
- Examine how governed knowledge, defined ownership, and a clear AI strategy enable responsible adoption in high-stakes environments
- Learn practical guardrails, change management approaches, and reporting strategies that enable AI to drive measurable impact while preserving human judgment and brand integrity
Moderator
Jennifer Cannizzaro
VP Product Marketing at Responsive
Speaker
Rebecca Hughes
Manager | Business Development- Marketing & Sales Enablement at CAPTRUST
Speaker
Faezeh Taghvaee
Director, Global Heal of Client & Product Services Team at KKR
10:00 AM
10:00 AM – 10:50 AM
Onboarding Excellence: How an Investor Becomes a Long-Term Partner
- Set clear expectations around communication, timelines, deliverables, and performance reporting to build transparency and trust
- Identify common onboarding pain points and apply solutions that reduce delays, minimize errors, and enhance the investor’s experience
- Design an onboarding workflow that transforms new investors into engaged, long-term relationships
Speaker
Lauren Caldwell
Client Relationship Manager at Kennedy Capital Management
Speaker
Keith Eiger
Director at Alan Biller and Associates
10:50 AM
10:50 AM – 11:20 AM
Networking Break
11:20 AM
11:20 AM – 12:10 PM
Managing Compressed Timelines: Delivering High-Quality Work Under Increasing Pressure
- Identify the key factors that contribute to tighter deadlines and expanding project scopes in institutional client service and RFP environments
- Apply prioritization and workflow strategies that maintain quality while accelerating turnaround times
- Leverage tools and cross-functional coordination techniques to reduce bottlenecks and improve information flow
Moderator, Speaker
Kristen Carloni
Director, Head of Business Proposals Team and Sales Optimization at Aladdin by BlackRock
Speaker
Diane Hallett
Executive Director at Morgan Stanley
Speaker
Julia Tseng
Vice President - Global Sales and Distribution at Morgan Stanley
12:10 PM
12:10 PM – 1:30 PM
Networking Lunch
1:30 PM
1:30 PM – 2:20 PM
Industry Leader Conclusion: Lessons Learned in Client Service & RFP Excellence
- Synthesize the most critical insights shared throughout the conference on client service strategy, workflow optimization, AI adoption, and RFP modernization
- Identify the common themes and challenges that cut across client service and RFP operations, including communication standards, compliance alignment, and data expectations from institutional investors
- Commit to ongoing innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement to ensure their organizations remain competitive and responsive to investor needs
Moderator
Patrick Theriault
Senior Account Executive at Loopio
Speaker
Vicky Berke
Executive Director at Morgan Stanley
Speaker
Keith Eiger
Director at Alan Biller and Associates
2:20 PM
2:20 PM – 2:30 PM
Closing Remarks
Speaker
Patrick Theriault
Senior Account Executive at Loopio
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