VT WIN HerStory: Stefanie Thomas, Founding Member & Investor, Impact America Fund

Join us in February as Stefanie Thomas tells her story of how she came to become a venture capitalist and impact investor, and what drives her do to this work.  Stefanie brings years of transactional experience and a devotion to driving more equitable capital in venture to her work at Impact America Fund (IAF). Impact America Fund (IAF) is a boutique venture capital firm with a thesis for scalable models that have a mission to create equitable economic opportunities for communities of color in the US. The fund makes direct equity investments in high-growth technology companies from the seed to Series A rounds. In 2020, IAF closed $55M for its Fund II, making it the largest venture capital fund with a sole Black woman General Partner (Kesha Cash). Stefanie joined the firm in 2015 and is particularly interested in the network effects that propel bootstrapped entrepreneurs—a focus inspired by her father who overcame tremendous challenges as a low-income business owner. Prior to joining IAF, she co-founded Quarterback Impact while also managing fund development for an impact investment evergreen project. In 2014, she led a 6,000-mile road trip across the US to meet and work with entrepreneurs who are focused on making an impact in their local communities. Before the switch to venture, Stefanie served as a Vice President in Citigroup’s global banking division. She received her M.B.A. from the Ross School at the University of Michigan and her B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.  Stefanie is a fellow of the Just Economy Institute (formerly known as the RSF Integrated Capital Institute).

This event is sponsored by: