IFEL also formally announces Gina Nisbeth, former Citi Banker, Board Chair
Newark, NJ – August 3, 2023 – The Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership (IFEL), a nonprofit organization that leverages the power of relationship capital to increase inclusion and equity within the entrepreneurial ecosystem, today announced the appointment of Stephanie Fowler as president, Capital Access. In this role, she will help scale efforts to help more small business owners, entrepreneurs, and founders get funded faster. This follows the recent appointment of community development veteran, Gina Nisbeth, as Chair of the IFEL Board of Directors. Nisbeth was at Citi for over 22 years.
“As IFEL continues to grow, we remain committed to knocking down the barriers that prevent people of color from being able to create entrepreneurial wealth on a wider scale,” said Jill Johnson, CEO and Co-Founder of IFEL. “We’re excited to bring Stephanie and Gina into leadership positions to have the benefit of their expertise and creativity as we double down on our push toward systemic change.”
An angel investor herself associated with Golden Seeds and Harvard Business School Alumni Angels, Fowler built a 24-year-plus career at Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank where she most recently served as Investment Strategy & Business Development, Senior Director & Department Manager. She also serves as a multifamily investor for MFW Capital Group, LLC. Fowler is a graduate of Harvard University and Columbia Business School.
“I’ve witnessed IFEL create innovative pathways to accelerate capital access for founders of color, and I’m excited to join the team at this critical stage,” said Fowler. “The Pipeline Angels acquisition takes our capacity for making connections between people who need capital and people who want to invest capital to the next level.”
Gina Nisbeth is the founder and president of 9th & Clinton, a strategic advisory firm for real estate developers, fund managers, and nonprofit and for-profit organizations seeking a double-bottom line impact with BIPOC persons in under-invested communities. As a twenty-five-year veteran of Citi who began her career as a trader, Gina is an active mentor and is focused on closing the racial wealth gap through community development.
"IFEL is changing business as usual for Black and Latinx entrepreneurs who have long lacked access to networks, knowledge and capital. I am excited to strengthen and lead with my commitment to this vital organization," shared Nisbeth.
IFEL announced the acquisition of Pipeline Angels in July, uniting two trailblazing organizations committed to increasing capital access to foster a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem.
About The Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership
IFEL is a nonprofit organization that leverages the power of relationship capital to increase inclusion and equity within the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Founded in 2002, IFEL’s mission is to eradicate the systemic barriers that prevent people from historically excluded populations from being able to access the knowledge, networks, and capital required for entrepreneurial success and wealth creation. www.weareifel.org
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