Kristen Castell

Managing Director, Fintech CAFE @ Center for Accelerating Financial Equity (CAFE)

About

Kristen Castell is a builder, connector, and purpose-driven leader with 20+ years of experience across financial services, fintech, and startups. She currently serves as Managing Director of Center for Accelerating Financial Equity (CAFE), where she built and leads one of the only fintech accelerator programs dedicated to improving financial outcomes for low- to moderate-income individuals by connecting mission-driven fintech startups with investors, banks, regulators, academia, and industry leaders.. A former executive at JPMorgan and BlackRock, and COO of a fintech startup, Kristen brings a rare blend of institutional expertise and entrepreneurial vision. Kristen is known for bringing people together to create bold ideas, strong communities, and meaningful impact. A recognized connector and thought leader, Kristen has been named one of NYC’s Inspiring Fintech Females (2023) and a RealList Connector (2024), and she’s spoken on the main stage at Finovate NYC, Boston Fintech Week, and other top industry events and podcasts. Whether she’s speaking to innovators, executives, or emerging leaders, Kristen brings hustle, authenticity, and a deep belief in building a more human-centered financial system. She is a Board member and Advisor for many non-profit orgs and for-profit fintech companies, including the MicroDreams Foundation (microfinance), Blended (co-parenting expenses fintech) ShareChange (impact loan microfinance giving and savings fintech). Also, she is an advisor to Telosa (a new city being build on equitism). The time is now where the intersection of technology and social consciousness is propelling us to make choices about the impact we are having in the world!

Country

City

United States

Industry

Financial Services

Skill

Mutual Funds, Finance, Product Management, Product Development, 1940 Act, Six Sigma, Fixed Income, Securities, Financial Analysis, Investments

Experience

Managing Director, Fintech CAFE

Center for Accelerating Financial Equity (CAFE)

2023-7 - Present · 3 yrs 3 mos

CAFE is an innovation ecosystem with a national fintech accelerator program, that has a mission to improve LMI people's financial lives. In 2023, Kristen was brought in to launch, build and lead CAFE. We bring together fintech founders, financial institutions, investors, academia, industry leaders to build the future of innovative and inclusive financial services that help people's lives. CAFE is based out of the Fintech Innovation Hub in Delaware and works across the US.

Strategic Advisor

Blended

2024-10 - Present · 2 yrs

Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Blended is the money app for co-parenting. I help with strategy, GTM, and content. As a divorced co-parent of my daughter I believe tech solution is needed for so many people in the US to better share expenses for their children and to support the modern family.

Product Development, Venture Capital Platform

VC3 Labs

2023-4 - 2023-6 · 3 mos

Product consultant for Web3 based venture capital platform community providing a better system for deal-flow and portfolio support

COO (Founding Team, Fintech Startup)

Seeds

2020-4 - 2023-4 · 3 yrs 1 mo

New York, United States

Seeds is a fintech platform that empowers financial advisors to deliver personalized, values-aligned investment portfolios. As part of the founding team, Kristen was involved in all aspects of the creating the tech platform, business development, client & partner relationships, strategy, operations and building the executive team.

JPMorgan, Executive Director

JPMorganChase

2017-11 - 2020-4 · 2 yrs 6 mos

Greater New York City Area

Led the product development of a $20B+ investment platform in the Private Bank • Led the design and creation of a new, innovative mutual fund complex • Investment design by asset manager sub-advisors including PIMCO, BlackRock, Nuveen, BNY • Created a new operating model and built the platform with large cross-functional teams • Strategy Lead for Women on the Move Interactive Network, Tri-State (WOTM)

Director, US Wealth Advisory

BlackRock

2011-7 - 2017-11 · 6 yrs 5 mos

Greater New York City Area

Product Structure & Oversight, US Wealth Advisory • Designed and launched mutual funds for US wealth advisory clients, financial advisors • Partnered on product strategy, enhancing product features in line with client preferences • Presented to the Board of Directors and internal committees for approval of business initiatives • Led team collaboration to execute on large scale, complex business initiatives Highlights include: • Multi-Manager Alternative Strategies Fund – designed the firm’s 1st multi-alternative fund with 7+ external hedge fund sub-advisers and led 100+ person cross-functional team • Multi-Asset Income Fund – restructured flagship into strategic global fund; $14B+ AUM • Total Emerging Markets Fund – innovative design with Scientific Active Equity investors • Impact Funds – developed the firm’s 1st sustainable mutual funds under the Impact Platform

Associate, Global Fund Services

BlackRock

2007-8 - 2011-7 · 4 yrs

Wilmington, Delaware

Fund Administration, Global Fund Services • Managed external accounting providers for all BlackRock US open-end, closed-end funds • Coordinated the acquisition of the Barclays Global Investors (BGI) mutual funds (2009) • Created Excel models to forecast income for portfolio management and risk groups

JPMorgan Chase, Management Services Analyst

JPMorganChase

2006-7 - 2007-7 · 1 yr 1 mo

Newark, Delaware

Securities Accountant – Proprietary Positioning Business, Feb. 2007 – Aug. 2007 • Handled all accounting activities for foreign and distressed debt bonds. • Reconciled and substantiated balance sheet and income statement accounts. Fixed Income Analyst – Investment Bank Core Accounting Team, July 2006 – Jan. 2007 • Migrated and managed the JPM Capital Markets mutual fund accounting process from Chicago. • Performed Sarbanes Oxley (SOX) testing for fixed income businesses.