Kerwin Tesdell
President
Kerwin Tesdell is president of the Community Development Venture Capital Alliance (CDVCA), which promotes use of the tools of venture capital to create good jobs, productive wealth, and entrepreneurial capacity to advance the livelihoods of low-income people and the economies of distressed communities. CDVCA builds the capacity of the community development venture capital impact investment industry by providing education and networking opportunities, developing best practices, and supporting positive public policy. CDVCA manages more than $350 million, including the $45 million Puerto Rico Fund for Growth, the $46 million Innovate NY Fund, smaller funds focused on Arkansas, Kentucky, Florida, Illinois, Nebraska, Nevada, and Mississippi, as well as national pools of capital. Kerwin has been an adjunct professor at New York University for more than 30 years, teaching Social Venture Capital at the Stern School of Business and Community Development Law at the School of Law.
Prior to joining CDVCA, Kerwin was a program officer at the Ford Foundation, where he had primary responsibility for the Foundation’s investments and grantmaking for small business finance and job creation. Before that, he was the Director of the Community Development Legal Assistance Center, an associate with the law firm of Debevoise & Plimpton, and a law clerk to federal judge Constance Baker Motley, Chief Judge of the Southern District of New York. Kerwin is a board member and past board chair for seven years, of the Coalition of Community Development Financials Institutions (CDFIs). He serves on the boards or advisory boards of eleven impact investment funds around the nation, as well as the Financial Innovations Roundtable at the Carsey Institute and Impact Reporting and Investment Standards (IRIS) of the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN). Kerwin graduated from Harvard College with a degree in economics and holds JD and MBA degrees from New York University, as well as a certificate from the Venture Capital Institute.
Dr. Ernesto Villarini-Baquero
Managing Director
Dr. Ernesto Villarini-Baquero is Managing Director of the Community Venture Capital Alliance (CDVCA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to venture and private capital investing for community and economic development. He leads CDVCA’s Puerto Rico office, co-manages the $45 million Puerto Rico Fund for Growth, directs the $2.5M Unlock Capital investment readiness program, and engages in advocacy efforts and field building activities. He is a member of CDVCA’s investment committee and member of the board of GFC Holdings and Biomass Green Fuels.
Dr. Villarini-Baquero has more than 20 years of experience in executive management, entrepreneurship, and corporate governance. His previous professional engagements include financial and investment advisory services, community and economic development endeavors, and consulting in strategic planning, financing and the development of social enterprises and entrepreneurial nonprofit organizations. Dr. Villarini-Baquero holds Master’s and Doctoral degrees in business administration and Bachelor’s in biology. He volunteers as treasurer of the Puerto Rico Model Forest and the ChangeMaker Foundation.
Salvatore Virgadaula
CFO
Salvatore (Sal) has been working with CDVCA since October 2003 as a part-time CFO. In this capacity, he monitors and tracks accounts and funds movement of all of CDVCA and all its subsidiary entities and SPVs. He prepares monthly, quarterly and annual financial reports for the Board of Directors. He works with auditors on annual numbers for the audited statements. Sal also ensures financial compliance with covenants of existing debt.
Sal joined Kiwi Partners in 1998, and has contributed significantly to the growth and success of the firm over the past 16 years.
Prior to joining Kiwi Partners, Sal worked at Ernst & Young for three years as an auditor in the financial services industry, with a concentration on banks and mutual funds. He is a graduate of Manhattan College.
Alexandria Harris
Senior Vice President
Alex Harris is Senior Vice President of the Community Venture Capital Alliance (CDVCA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to economic development through access to private capital markets.
Alex is an attorney and manages the assets of CDVCA’s $46M Innovate NY Fund, and $45M Puerto Rico Fund for Growth, as well as CDVCA’s New Market Tax Credit (NMTC) allocations, focused on increasing access to capital for early-stage, job-creating companies. She supports deployment activities of the Puerto Rico Fund for Growth and the NMTC program by leading outreach, performing initial screenings, overseeing pipeline and due diligence, and preparing investment memoranda for CDVCA Board of Directors approval.
Prior to joining CDVCA, Alex provided legal counsel to early-stage ventures on company formation, internal corporate affairs, and advised emerging growth companies on business development strategies.
Alex earned her Juris Doctor from George Washington University and her Bachelor of Science from Ithaca College.
Jillian Gerstley
Vice President
Jillian Gerstley is the Vice President of Field Building at the Community Development Venture Capital Alliance (CDVCA), where she also serves as a strategic advisor to Unlock Capital and contributes significantly to CDVCA’s investment activities.
With a background in managing impact-focused angel groups including the American Sustainable Business Network’s Investors Circle, Jillian has played a pivotal role in scaling numerous SaaS-based startups, driving substantial growth and innovation in the sector.
Jillian holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin, a master’s degree in Humanitarian Aid and the Private Sector from New York University, and a prestigious certificate in Venture Capital from Columbia University Business School Executive Education. Her academic and professional credentials underscore her expertise and dedication to fostering impactful investment and entrepreneurial ecosystems.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Jillian is an avid food enthusiast and enjoys spending quality time with her soon-to-be wife and their beloved Bernedoodle, Rufus.
Gina Elizabeth Vriens Baranski
Vice President
Gina Elizabeth Vriens Baranski is the Vice President of Communications at the Community Development Venture Capital Alliance (CDVCA), where she spearheads a broad spectrum of internal and external communication initiatives. Her strategic oversight is instrumental to the success of CDVCA’s Field Building and the Unlock Capital program.
As a former entrepreneur with extensive experience across tech startups, music and art organizations, Fortune 500 companies, and small businesses, Gina specializes in creating impactful client experiences and identifying new business opportunities. She previously led memberships and marketing for the American Sustainable Business Network, The Conference Board, EmeraldX Trade Shows, Gro Intelligence, and Canon USA. Gina has received two awards for her outstanding leadership and customer excellence from EmeraldX and Canon USA. Additionally, she offers strategic guidance to early-stage startups on product marketing launches, marketing strategies, sales operations, and customer targeting.
Gina graduated cum laude from the State University of New York at New Paltz with a degree in Communications. Outside of her professional endeavors, she enjoys spending quality time with her daughter and husband in Riverdale, NY. Together, they actively participate in creating sustainable systems for their friends and family.
Luke Jones
Vice President
Luke Jones is a Vice President at the Community Development Venture Capital Alliance (CDVCA), where he coordinates a variety of investment and compliance activities. His expertise spans federal funding management, regulatory compliance, and structuring impactful public-private financing models.
With over a decade of experience working at the intersection of government and community finance, Luke has played a pivotal role in deploying federal, state, and private capital to underserved and disadvantaged communities. Prior to joining CDVCA, he served as Managing Consultant at Guidehouse, a global consulting firm, where he led advisory services for public sector clients through strategic grant management and funding innovation. Earlier in his career, Luke worked at TruFund Financial Services, a leading community development financial institution, where he oversaw asset management and compliance for the organization’s investment portfolio.
Luke holds a Master of Public Administration from NYU’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, with a specialization in social impact, innovation, and investing. While at NYU, he participated in the NYU Impact Investment Fund and helped source and close early-stage investments for this evergreen venture fund. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs from Baruch College’s Marxe School and is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) by the Project Management Institute.
Mark Wilson
Entrepreneur in Residence
Mark Wilson is the Entrepreneur in Residence at CDVCA. With over 25 years of experience in the business information services industry, he supports various CDVCA activities, including educating entrepreneurs in the Unlock Capital program.
Mark began his career at Dun & Bradstreet, where he worked for nearly 20 years. He then founded and sold two successful companies, RYLA Teleservices and Chime Solutions, both known for their exceptional customer support and high touch contact center solutions for Fortune 500 corporations. He raised over $250 million in capital, supporting major-brand customers like Aon, AT&T, Bank of America, Cigna, Google, Toyota, United Healthcare, UPS, and Visa. Through these companies, he created more than 7,000 jobs in historically marginalized communities. Both companies have been featured in case studies at Harvard Business School, where he serves as an Executive Fellow and guest lecturer.
Mark has received numerous honors, including Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award®, Atlanta Business Chronicle’s Small Businessperson of the Year, and induction into Kennesaw State University’s Coles College of Business Hall of Fame. His achievements have been highlighted by NBC News, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Entrepreneur, Black Enterprise, and Kiplinger magazines.
In his spare time, Mark enjoys playing table tennis, appreciating the sport’s pace, agility, and focus.
Dorien Nunez
Senior Consultant
Dorien Nunez is a Senior Consultant at CDVCA, where he works on special projects, including assembling cohorts for the Unlock Capital program and recruiting new members. With 50 years on Wall Street and 45 years as an economic activist, Dorien has launched and raised capital for diverse businesses and introduced “HUBs” (Historically Underutilized Businesses), bringing strong expertise in identifying and securing capital sources.
As a consultant to the US Commission on Minority Business Development, Dorien significantly contributed to the largest study of minority-owned businesses in America. He also promoted New Market Tax Credits and CDFIs as a delegate to the White House Conference on Small Business.
Dorien is a co-founder of OMNIResearch Group and OMNI Wall St Advantage, a Senior Fellow at the Intentional Endowments Network, and President of Black & Crimson Passport to Boards. An alumnus of Harvard College and Harvard Business School, he earned his CFA in 1986.
A native New Yorker residing in New Orleans and Houston, Dorien is an amateur astronomer and saxophonist who continues to mentor emerging entrepreneurs and investment professionals.
Emmanuel Loubriel Carreras
Senior Program Manager
Emmanuel is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Attorney (Esq.) and Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA®). In 2014, he began working in San Juan-based accounting firms gaining experience with businesses and government organizations in general accounting, tax preparation and auditing. In 2017, Emmanuel began his legal career working with Ferraiuoli LLC, one of Puerto Rico’s top law firms, as a tax and corporate attorney. During his time as an attorney,
Emmanuel provided an array of services to his clients including corporate structuring, contract negotiations, business operations and counsel on tax controversy, regulatory and investment matters. At Ferraiuoli, Emmanuel also aided start-ups to help establish their businesses, analyze tax implications, and seek tax exemption benefits.
Emmanuel also launched an investment advisory start-up as the operations manager and financial analyst. He assisted with the implementation of business operations in Puerto Rico, including tax planning and filing, tax exemption matters, strategic and operational analysis, organization of a hedge fund structure, preparation of offering documents and fundamental and technical analysis.
Emmanuel received his Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor from the University of Puerto Rico and has also earned the Series 65.
David Geeter Alvarez
Program Manager
David Geeter Alvarez is the Program Manager of the Unlock Capital National Capital Readiness Program initiative. David is a Sustainability Expert and Entrepreneurial Program Facilitator who brings over 10 years of experience in business accelerator development, systems design, and impact investment.
He is a diaspora Puerto Rican who holds a B.S. in Sustainability Sciences & Systems from Stanford University where he focused on Island Ecology, Human Centered-Design, & Social Entrepreneurship. David was an early core member of StartX, the Stanford Startup Accelerator, and has since supported several early-stage companies, mentors, & investors.
In 2016, David became the youngest Promoter of New Business with the Puerto Rico Department of Economic Development and Commerce and led the first U.N. SDG Impact Accelerator program for the Caribbean with Meta, Parallel18, and Acumen. Through his impact studio consulting, he has worked with organizations that tackle systemic challenges through business solutions and sustainable infrastructure. David later co-developed and managed the first clean energy project accelerator on the island and has been a founding member of the Puerto Rico Impact Investment Network.
He currently lives in a rural community and is passionate about resolving food & energy security.
Lucciano Diaz-Skoff
Program Manager
Lucciano Diaz-Skoff serves as Program Manager, where he supports the Unlock Capital Investment Readiness Program initiative. With a decade of experience in engineering, entrepreneurship, project management, and economic development, Lucciano has made a significant impact on businesses and communities.
Lucciano is an accomplished author and innovator and published Freedom in Credit Cards, a practical guide to achieving financial independence through credit literacy and holds a patent for a modular door hinge design. He has co-founded multiple businesses and managed a pre-accelerator program that mentored over 120 entrepreneurs. Additionally, he has introduced sustainable business practices to thousands of young entrepreneurs through educational initiatives.
As a former Project Manager for post-hurricane recovery efforts in Puerto Rico, Lucciano supported over 400 businesses by providing technical assistance, mentorship, and access to global markets. His efforts led to the creation of hundreds of jobs, the preservation of critical infrastructure, and the mobilization of millions in private investment.
Lucciano is a certified personal finance coach with expertise in venture capital, business strategy, and financial literacy. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Universidad Politécnica de Puerto Rico. Known for his innovative problem-solving skills and commitment to sustainability, he focuses on building ventures that create environmental, social, and economic impact.
Outside of his professional endeavors, Lucciano is a passionate mentor, beekeeper, and advocate for sustainable economic growth in Puerto Rico. His mission is to break generational cycles of financial instability by promoting financial literacy and inclusive innovation, leaving a legacy of opportunity for future generations.
Kerstin (Zijia) Du
Analyst
Kerstin (Zijia) Du is an Analyst at the Community Development Venture Capital Alliance (CDVCA). Kerstin gathers and analyzes financial and social impact data about CDVCA’s investments in funds and companies. Prior to joining CDVCA, Kerstin worked as an analyst at a boutique asset management company. She was also a Sustainability Investing Fellow at an impact investing firm, where she designed SDG-linked investment instruments, creating a Blue Bond model, and developing an investment pipeline database for sustainable food projects. Prior to that, Kerstin led business development and sustainability project efforts for a design firm. Earlier in her career, Kerstin was a fixed-income analyst at one of the world’s largest pension investors.
Kerstin is an entrepreneur and a sustainable lifestyle influencer. Her vegan app start-up project GreenBowl won the 2021 Sobotka Prize in the sustainable venture competition of the Yale Center for Business and Environment. Kerstin strongly believes that every decision we make in our daily lives can make a big impact on society and the planet. This drives her to promote a sustainable lifestyle on her social media platforms to make vegan food, sustainable fashion, clean beauty, and zero waste lifestyle more accessible and more persuasive.
Kerstin received an MS in Actuarial Science from Columbia University, and a BA with a double major in Economics and German from the University of California, Davis. She also earned the CFA Institute Certificate in ESG Investing and is now a candidate for the IFRS Foundation FSA Credential Level II.
Maria Roberta Duarte Miranda
Program Administrator
Maria Roberta Duarte Miranda is the Program Administrator for the Unlock Capital Program, supporting both the CDVCA Puerto Rico cohort and the national Capital Readiness Program initiative. Roberta ensures compliance with program agreements, supports outreach and recruitment, and monitors and evaluates program data.
Roberta has extensive experience working both locally and abroad, where she led strategic venture development and change management initiatives that resulted in tangible, lasting transformations. As Principal at JumpStart Inc., Roberta worked closely with senior leadership and cross-functional implementation teams on various programs to support small businesses and entrepreneurship in Cleveland, Ohio communities. She has been recognized as a Crain’s Cleveland 40 Under 40 and has held leadership and board positions in game-changing organizations such as the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, Canalway Partners, The Undivide Project, and The Young Latino Network, where she serves as Board President.
Roberta is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College and has participated in various leadership and career development programs, including VC University, The Hispanics in Philanthropy Fellowship, and Cleveland Bridge Builders.
Roberta grew up in Paraguay, speaking English, Spanish, Guarani, and Portuguese, and later studied Arabic in college.
Olivia Al
Venture Associate
Olivia Al is a Venture Associate at Community Development Venture Capital Alliance (CDVCA), where she contributes to Unlock Capital, the organization’s investment readiness program. She also supports CDVCA’s investment activities, including funding research and due diligence.
Previously, Olivia was a Fellow at an early-stage venture fund investing in women-led tech companies, where she gained experience in sourcing and managing deal flow. She also worked as an Investment Reporting Associate at a private credit firm, focusing on sectors like aviation, entertainment, and fintech, and began her career as a Product Operations Analyst in the private aviation sector.
Olivia holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from American University and is passionate about innovative technologies that promote sustainable healthy living.