President and CEO of Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF) -- the world’s largest community foundation overseeing more than $16 billion in assets and distributing an average of $2 billion in annual grantmaking. SVCF is deeply committed to solving its region’s toughest challenges through advocacy, research, policy and grantmaking.

Since joining SVCF in 2018, Nicole has led the organization to renew its focus on challenges facing Silicon Valley’s residents and championed efforts to increase local giving from SVCF donors. Prior to SVCF, Nicole served in executive roles at Arizona State University, Stanford University, College Track, Thrive Foundation for Youth and East Bay Community Foundation.

She served on the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco for six years. Currently, she serves on the boards of Common Sense Media, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and Top Hat. She is on Stanford University’s Advisory Council for the Graduate School of Education and served on the university’s 2022 Visiting Committee for the Computer Science Department.

Nicole was named to the Forbes 50 over 50 list in 2022 and recognized by Inside Philanthropy as “Community Foundation Leader of the Year.” In 2025, TIME Magazine named Nicole to its inaugural “TIME100 Philanthropy” list.

Nicole received both her M.A. and A.B. from Stanford University and began her career as an educator.

Steve McConley is a lead strategist with Business Owner Advisory within Wells 
Fargo’s Advice and Planning. Steve advises business owners with ownership
transition alternatives and strategies by offering education, industry and market
insights, and planning guidance regarding business transition, succession, and 
governance. Business Owner Advisory provides advice that integrates business 
value, financial and wealth implications, owner and family dynamics, personal 
objectives, and tax considerations to aid clients in evaluating their transition 
options.

Steve has over 35 years of financial advisory experience, including investment 
banking, corporate development, andbusiness restructuring.As a memberof 
Wells Fargo’s Corporate Development group, he helped buy dozens of banks 
and financial services companies. As a managing director in Wells Fargo’s 
Business Sales & Advisory he was responsible for helping business owners 
sell their privately held companies.

Steve earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of 
WisconsinOshkosh, aswell as an undergraduate double majorin accounting 
and economics from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. Steve has been 
awarded the Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) designation.

Steve resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota where he enjoys spending time with 
his wife and three children who share his love of travel.

Edmond is a Tax Partner in BPM’s Private Client Services group. He has over 15 years of experience in providing tax planning and compliance services to multinational family offices and their privately held business enterprises. He has extensive experience working with ultra-high net worth clients and their family offices, many of which are private equity and VC fund managers and investors. 

Edmond specializes in advising clients on equity compensation, QSBS, complex cross border issues, multi-state investment partnerships, trust and gift planning. Before Joining BPM in 2022, Edmond spent over a decade at a Big Four firm. His Big Four background lends itself to working with clients of all sizes, and his role at BPM helps support those clients on a more holistic and supportive level. Edmond holds an active CPA license in California. 

Interesting Tidbit 
In his spare time, Edmond coaches his kids’ sports teams. You can find him deep sea fishing by the Farallon Islands whenever possible. 

Certification 
• Certified Public Accountant 
Community 
• Member – American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) 
• Member – ProVisors 

Serving as the founding CEO & Executive Director of the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center, a non-profit committed to growing inclusion and access for entrepreneurs worldwide. Established in 2014 with support from the Nasdaq Educational Foundation, the Center brings together a coalition of nonprofits, universities, corporations and capital allocators to support under-resourced entrepreneurs on two fronts: 
(1) Offering free educational, incubator and mentorship-focused programming and resources to more than 75,000 entrepreneurs to-date. 
(2) Driving research that identifies the obstacles and solutions to achieving equitable entrepreneurship. 
 
Nicola has over 18 years of strategic business and entrepreneurial thought leadership experience including serving as Deal Manager for the Band of Angels, America's most established leading tech angel network, a position she held for 10 years. During her time at Band she helped support the funding of over 120 deals in more than 90 unique companies. She also served as Partner in the 2009 Acorn Fund and helped build the first open seed capital network, where entrepreneurs seeking angel financing could apply for funding, regardless of network connections or previous success. She was an early advisor to Startup America and helped advance numerous academic, domestic and international angels groups formation during her time at the Band. 
 
Prior to Band of Angels, Nicola was the founder of Financing Partners, an educational organization that supported shared learning's and networks to both entrepreneurs and investors to enable them to reach their mutual objectives. Before this, she was part of three startup companies in the US and UK ranging from stand alone to venture-backed companies. Having seen the journey from so many sides, she is passionate about ensuring that all founders have access to the right expert and peer-support networks that can help them achieve their vision for success and sustain themselves in the marathon of the entrepreneurial journey. 
 
Nicola is a frequent speaker on angel investing, technology trends and seed financing at Universities including Stanford, Wharton, Lehigh University, Duke, and various national conferences. Nicola serves as an Advisory Board member with the Nasdaq Center for Board Excellence, shaping its strategic direction, and providing high-value information and objective guidance with respect to insights, introductions to key individuals and organizations, and future initiatives.