Advisory Board
THE ECONOMIC CLUB OF MIAMI ADVISORY BOARD
The Economic Club of Miami Advisory Board is comprised of a diverse group of esteemed professionals and leaders from various sectors within the business community. Serving as a guiding force for the Economic Club of Miami, this board plays a pivotal role in guiding the club and frequently consults our Board of Directors.
Members of the advisory board bring with them a wealth of experience, expertise, and a deep understanding of both local and global economic landscapes. From finance and investment to technology, real estate, and beyond, each member offers unique perspectives that contribute to the club's strategic vision and initiatives.
Keith A. Carswell
Keith A. Carswell is Director of the City of Miami’s Department of Economic Innovation & Development, where he leads the City’s strategy to align capital, policy, real estate, and innovation to drive long-term economic growth. A Miami native, he has built a career structuring complex public–private partnerships and advancing catalytic development that positions Miami as a competitive hub for global investment.
He played a key role in structuring the financing for the $1.4 billion Midtown Miami development and led the acquisition of land for the Little Haiti Cultural Center and Little Haiti Soccer Park—projects that reflect both economic scale and community impact.
Greg Ferrero
Ferrero is a seasoned professional, currently serving as a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs, where his expertise benefits entrepreneurs, their families, foundations, and private entities.
His extensive experience includes a previous role as the Regional Head for the Florida/Latin America wealth management business.
Before his relocation to Miami, Ferrero excelled as a private wealth advisor in New York, demonstrating his ability to navigate complex financial landscapes.
Ferrero's commitment to community and culture is evident through his past presidency and board membership at the Pérez Art Museum. He continues to contribute to the educational sector as a Trustee Emeritus at St. Lawrence University and as a member of the Everglades Foundation's Miami Advisory Council.
Ferrero also holds degrees from Harvard Business School, St. Lawrence University, and Columbia University. Ferrero is also a CFA charter holder, underscoring his dedication to excellence in financial expertise.
Juan C. Flores
Juan C. “JC” Flores leads DCI Group’s Florida office, which was established in late 2023. With more than 15 years of experience in campaign management, legislative affairs, policy development, and public engagement, he plays a pivotal role in expanding the firm’s strategic influence across Florida from his base in Tallahassee.
Prior to joining DCI Group, Mr. Flores spent 12 years at AT&T in senior leadership roles,including Vice President of International External and Regulatory Affairs for EMEA and LATAM, Vice President of Global Public Affairs, and Vice President of Florida LegislativeAffairs. During his tenure, he spearheaded legislative and regulatory initiatives that transformed Florida’s telecommunications landscape and advanced U.S. global policy interests.
Mr. Flores holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Florida International University. He is a Trustee of the Foundation of Florida’s Future and serves as an advisor to FIU’s Jack GordonInstitute on Cybersecurity Policy.
Nyssa Kourakos
Nyssa Kourakos a veteran communications strategist with over 30 years’ experience helping organizations articulate their strategic and investment stories to global audiences, navigate crises, and strategically amplify reputation in support of business objectives. As Managing Director for FGS Global, Nyssa provides strategic communications counsel to clients across diverse industries to help them build their profiles with media, investors and other key stakeholders.
Previously, Nyssa held senior communications positions with CNN Financial News and its business news network CNNfn and FORTUNE magazine after getting her agency start at global public relations powerhouse Burson-Marsteller. Nyssa graduated from Duke University with a B.A. in Political Science. She serves as an Operating Partner of Tiger Infrastructure Partners and as a Trustee of the Duke University Alumni Board, the Central Park Conservancy Women’s Committee and Saint David’s School in New York City.
Brian Lippey
Brian Lippey is the CEO of LLM Capital Management. Mr. Lippey has over twenty-five years of experience in international capital markets and global alternative asset management, and is skilled in global business development, investment fund marketing and fundraising. He began his career at Goldman Sachs in New York and London, and subsequently helped build and run multiple successful alternative investment funds in Hong Kong, London, and New York.
He was instrumental in planning and executing growth strategies, driving global business development, and raising large amounts of institutional capital at each fund. He is particularly experienced at growing medium-sized funds to significantly larger size and scale.
Mr. Lippey is a graduate of Columbia University and the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School. He is a Member of The Council on Foreign Relations and serves on the Hoover Council at The Hoover Institution at Stanford University.
Antonio Lopez
Antonio Lopez serves as President of Access Global Group, which he founded in 2009 as a global network of independent professional services firms specializing in private capital markets advisory and strategic consulting. He brings over 20 years of experience managing projects and transactions across 30 countries and more than a dozen industries. His expertise lies in global business development strategies, with a focus on connecting international private and institutional capital to curated alternative investment opportunities. His recent work has concentrated on cross-border venture capital and private equity placements in fintech, agri-food tech, and commercial real estate development.
Antonio holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Miami and a joint MBA from NYU Stern, the London School of Economics, and HEC Paris. He is also an alumnus of IESE and Columbia Business Schools and serves as a member and advisor on several private boards.
Faris Qubain
Faris Qubain is a finance professional and startup founder, advisor, and investor. Mr. Qubain primarily focuses on building and scaling companies in the healthcare and education verticals. He graduated with a Bachelor’s in Economics from Stanford University, where he was honored with the Award of Excellence.
His finance career includes a role as an Investment Analyst at Partners Group, where he helped diligence and fund over $500 million in transactions, gaining exposure to the healthcare, consumer goods, and technology sectors. Mr. Qubain was also an Investment Analyst at Gaw Capital Partners in Hong Kong, evaluating investment opportunities in the EdTech, PropTech, and cybersecurity industries. His expertise extends to financial restructuring, developed during his time as a Summer Analyst at Alvarez & Marsal, where he was actively involved with the GNC and Chuck-E-Cheese bankruptcies.
Robert Rixer
Robert Rixer is an Australian-born real estate entrepreneur, consultant and author. He founded the real estate private equity firm, Highbury Capital, which invests in multifamily assets.
Over his career, Robert has acquired over $50 million in assets and built verticals within investment, asset management, and brokerage. He is a cofounder of Citypoint, a national commercial brokerage with offices in Chicago, Phoenix and Miami.
His early career spanned engineering, construction management and real estate development positions. In 2024, Robert authored the book "Forced Appreciation". He graduated with an engineering degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago.
Matias Sueldo
Matias Sueldo is the founder of Silene Advisors, a boutique advisory firm providing transaction and operations advisory services to buyers and operators of privately owned, lower-middle-market businesses across the United States. He is a mentor for the entrepreneurship center at FAU and on the selection panel for public challenges of the Miami-Dade Innovation Authority.
Fallon Sullivan
Fallon Sullivan is currently the Chief Administrative Officer, Office of the CEO at Citadel. Prior to joining Citadel 4 years ago, Fallon was a consultant at McKinsey where she focused on healthcare and service operations.
Sullivan is originally from Annapolis, MD, but has spent many years in Chicago before just recently relocating to the Miami area. She holds an MBA and MPP from the University of Chicago and a BS from Northwestern University.
Paul Szczepaniak
Paul Szczepaniak is an Executive Director at J.P. Morgan where he provides strategic advice to successful individuals, funds, endowments & foundations, and multi-generational families. Through partnership with JPMorgan Capital Connect, Paul facilitates raises for private companies and founders in the realm of $15-100M, introduces LPs to relevant opportunities, and assists VC firms in raising capital.
Previous to J.P. Morgan, Paul was a SVP within Institutional Equities at Jefferies, providing equity resourcing to institutional clients on both the East and West Coasts. Prior to this, he held a similar role at Credit Suisse. He began his financial services career at UniCredit Bank.
Paul’s local involvement includes acting as an adjunct Professor at Miami Dade College, and supporting Florida organizations such as Wounded Warriors, The Kosciuszko Foundation, Chapman Partnership, MDC Foundation, Girls On The Run, The LATAM FAMILY OFICE SOCIETY, and The WOW Center.
Paul earned his M.B.A. and undergraduate degree from Fordham University, where he captained the Cross Country/Track & Field team. He, along with his wife Alexandra, and son James, reside in Miami.
Brent Vosters
Brent Vosters leads client acquisition and relationship management at The Benesch Investment Group, delivering tailored advice and solutions for sophisticated high-net-worth clients. With over 20 years of expertise in business development, marketing, and operations, Brent has held roles at Dentsu Integrated Marketing and Paramount Media Networks. He also ran global operations at b.little & co, managing Fortune 500 clients such as Disney, Sony, and Hasbro. Known for his strategic vision and client-first approach, Brent ensures exceptional service and results. After 21 years in New York City, Brent now resides in Coral Gables with his wife and two daughters.