Accelerating Angels Team

Becca Apfelstadt leads The Roar, helping founder-led businesses grow with strategy and action. She built and sold treetree, an award-winning agency trusted by Fortune 500 teams, and has launched brands and culture-shifting projects for over 20 years. Today, she coaches women-led startups on positioning, market entry, and bold leadership. Known for fearless candor and real results, Becca pushes companies—and their leaders—to grow with clarity and audacity.
 

Sue is experienced in driving human connection-centered, insight-inspired innovation and business strategies in organizations ranging from Fortune 100 corporations to emerging, high-growth startups. Sue is passionate about creating positive, meaningful, impact in our world and empowering mission-driven leaders.

Hugh has worked in the technology sector for most of his career, leading both public and private companies in software, telecommunications/ broadband, e-commerce, and healthcare technology, among others.  He has guided his companies into acquisitions, two IPOs, and a number of growth and financing initiatives. He currently serves as Chairman and CEO of ChromoCare, a leader in genetic testing for patients focusing on individual medication compatibility.

Tara is Managing Director of BMO Sponsor Finance. BMO provides capital to portfolio companies of private equity firms for mergers and acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, dividends, and growth capital. She is responsible for relationship coverage with private equity firms, originating new opportunities, conducting due diligence and underwriting new deals, managing her portfolio of existing deals and cross-selling other products within the bank.  

Prescreening & investment committee

Nicole is a strategic marketing executive who transforms B2B and B2C businesses. With experience at Victoria's Secret, Virgin Voyages, and Soft Surroundings, she builds customer-centric strategies that connect brand experience with performance marketing. Nicole leads high-performing teams that balance creativity and analytical rigor. As founder of her consulting practice, she delivers enterprise expertise to growth-stage companies, offering unique insights as both executive and entrepreneur. 

Lindsay is a Startup & VC attorney, law professor, and seasoned investor. She is a partner in the firm’s New Ventures practice. She advises entrepreneurs, investors and fund managers on venture capital and startup matters, venture capital fund formation, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, federal and state securities filings and compliance, including public and private securities offerings, and corporate organization and governance matters. 

Connie is the Founder & CEO of ReynCon, offering clients guidance, input, and feedback on continuously maturing and improving information security programs. ReynCon brings together security practitioners and individuals who want to build their skills. Connie’s work has been influential, driving the field forward and inspiring others to do the same.  She serves as a mentor/coach to those who are interested in pursuing careers in Cyber. 

Investment Committee

Lisa is the founder of Messner & Co., LLC, a consulting firm providing outsourced accounting solutions to start-ups. Lisa began her career in public accounting at KPMG, has over 20 years of experience including auditing, financial analysis, private-industry and venture capital fund financial reporting. Lisa’s industry experience includes Manufacturing, VC, Investment Company, Nonprofit, Software, Professional Services, Food & Bev and Medical Devices.

Prescreening Committee

Mary is a retired C Suite Huntington Bank executive. She started in high school as a teller and has 42 years of experience in banking primarily with Banc One (now Chase), then Huntington. At Huntington she was responsible for 65% of the bank's profitability and 8500 colleagues; leading the retail branch network of 1500 branches, business banking, deposit and loan products, customer experience, marketing, and branding.   

Nate is a professional employer organization consultant for TriNet. TriNet provides small and mid-sized businesses with full-service HR solutions tailored by industry. TriNet offers access to human capital expertise, benefits, risk mitigation and compliance, payroll and real-time technology.  In his previous role, Nate was responsible for the operation and development of the Keith B. Key Buckeye Social Entrepreneurship Program housed in the Office of Student Life at The Ohio State University.

Jeff is an HR expert and business advisor with a track record of driving organizational success through strategic initiatives. As a Business Performance Advisor at Insperity, he helps organizations streamline HR operations and achieve growth. Previously, he served as General Manager at G4S, improving operations in the security industry, and as a Board Member of the Ohio Private Investigation and Security Commission. Jeff holds a Business Administration degree from Otterbein University. 

Jill has a passion for women and investing. Her career has spanned financial services, vc investing, fintech and a career in wealth management. Jill is focused on helping women and families grow their wealth through private and public investments, business building, and community development. Jill holds a MBA from The Ohio State University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Creighton University in Omaha. 

Investment Committee

Jennifer is the founder and CEO of Inogize, a boutique strategy and executive advisory firm that helps companies maximize innovation, strategy, execution, and growth. Jennifer began her career as a researcher at Battelle, led key account sales for two software startups that realized successful exits, is a former American Heart Association executive and immediate past-chair of Form5 Prosthetics’ board of directors and nominating committee. 

Prescreening & Investment Committee

Katy's 20-year career as a business journalist gives her broad insight across the economy from manufacturing to economic development to venture capital to leadership topics. Putting people at the heart of every story, she has interviewed hundreds of entrepreneurs, founders and CEOs. Since mid-2022, she has been an entrepreneur herself, helping businesses tell their stories through her communications practice and becoming a licensed real estate agent. Katy is based in Columbus, Ohio.

Wolf is Chief Executive Officer at Venture Atlas. His is focused on proving that although venture funding is absolutely not right for everybody it needs to be equally accessible to anybody. His firm is focused on empowering and uplifting overlooked and underrepresented founders. We work with partners to create specific impact funds. We also hire industry outsiders to be the executive teams on those funds. We have released 3 funds: Pride Fund I, Ohio Impact Fund, and United Dream Fund.