Investment Team

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Steven Vannelli, CFA - Managing Director and Portfolio Manager
Steven Vannelli is managing director of GaveKal Capital and portfolio manager of the GaveKal Knowledge Leaders Funds. He oversees investment strategy, asset allocation, security selection and management of the investment team.

Steve leads development on GaveKal’s analysis of intangible capital, studying how it affects corporate profitability and wealth creation. His work is the core of GaveKal’s proprietary security selection models which are based on a novel approach to accounting for intangible capital.

Steve has been an equity analyst and portfolio manager for more than 15 years. Previously, he served for 10 years at Denver-based money management firm Alexander Capital, most recently as Head of Equities. Steve holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Denver and is a CFA charterholder.

Jennifer Thomson - Senior Equity Analyst
Jennifer Thomson is responsible for European stock selection for the GaveKal Knowledge Leaders Funds and regional macroeconomic analysis for Europe. She specializes in analyzing regional investment in intangible capital by European companies. She holds a bachelor’s degree in French literature and pre-med studies from Cornell University and a master of business degree from the University of Denver.

Eric Bush, CFA - Equity Analyst
Eric Bush is responsible for North American stock selection for the GaveKal Knowledge Leaders Funds and regional macroeconomic analysis for North America. He specializes in analyzing regional investment in intangible capital by North American companies. Eric holds a bachelor’s degree in business with an emphasis in finance and a minor in economics from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Eric is a CFA charterholder.

Bryce Coward, CFA - Equity Analyst
Bryce Coward is responsible for Asian stock selection for the GaveKal Knowledge Leaders Funds and regional macroeconomic analysis for Asia. He specializes in analyzing regional investment in intangible capital by Asian companies. He holds a bachelor’s degree in international business and a master of business degree in finance, both from the University of Denver. Bryce is a CFA charterholder.

Marketing Team

Shawn Paulk - Head of Distribution
As head of distribution, Shawn Paulk oversees establishment and direction of all distribution channels for GaveKal Capital funds. He brings to GaveKal Capital more than 15 years of experience in the financial advisor community.

Before joining the firm, Shawn was founder and CEO of Bonefish Advisor Strategies, a company dedicated to bringing unique alternative investments to financial advisors in the US. Previously, he served at TIAA-CREF Asset Management, most recently as managing director and head of financial advisor distribution.

Shawn holds a bachelor’s degree in leadership from Southwestern Oklahoma State University. He is series 7, 24 and 63 licensed and a member of the Financial Planning Association.

Alexandria Adamchak - Director of Advisor Sales
Alexandria Adamchak oversees sales and service to the investment advisor community. She joined the team from Janus Capital Group, where she served for five years, most recently as a senior internal sales consultant for major accounts in Janus Advisor Solutions. Also at Janus, she was liaison to the key account business development team, where she provided strategic insights into advancing client relationships. Previously, Alexandria was an economic development intern in Colombia, South America. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Denver in international business with a minor in Spanish. Fluent in Spanish, she holds series 6, 7 and 63 licenses.

Operations Team

Jill Rakowski - Chief Operations Officer, Chief Compliance Officer
Jill Rakowski is Chief Operations Officer and Chief Compliance Officer for GaveKal Capital. In these roles, she manages trading operations, client service, portfolio accounting and all compliance and regulatory aspects of GaveKal Capital.

She has led day-to-day operations for GaveKal Capital since inception and was integral to the creation and execution of the regulatory framework for the firm’s funds.

Before joining GaveKal, Jill worked for six years in operations and client service at Denver-based money management firm Alexander Capital. She has more than 10 years of operations and client service experience in the financial services industry. Jill has a bachelor's degree from Middlebury College, with a double major in international politics and economics and French.