Dakota Live! Podcast

In this episode of Dakota Live!, we sit down with Chris Ceasare, institutional investing veteran, teacher, and mentor—focused on turning theory into practice and helping students and managers communicate what truly matters.From UPS’s pension desk to co-founding Rocaton and navigating the OCIO wave, Chris Cesare has seen how real decisions get made, and how great managers actually communicate.Now a University of Connecticut adjunct professor, Chris shares practical lessons on integrity, “managing by commitment,” simplifying complex strategies, and why the analyst of the future will spend less time reporting and more time thinking.With guest host Kiera Liesinger (UConn ’26), we dig into mentorship, boutiques vs. scale, and leaving the pitch book in the bag.In this episode ✅ Plan-sponsor lessons from UPS: decision processes, culture, and humility ✅ Building Rocaton, the OCIO shift, and life inside GSAM post-acquisition ✅ Communicating without the crutch of a deck: clarity over complexity ✅ Boutique edge vs. big-firm scale—and fitting managers to clients ✅ The new analyst: less reporting, more analysis (and what that demands) ✅ Teaching investing at UConn: turning theory into practice ✅ AI as co-pilot (not autopilot) in the classroom and office ✅ Mentorship: how to ask, how to help, how to grow Chris has sat on every side of the table—plan sponsor, consultant, OCIO, and now educator—and he turns that vantage point into usable rules: manage by commitment, simplify the pitch, fit managers to clients, and train analysts to analyze. You’ll get stories you can apply in your next IC, client meeting, or class, plus a sober take on boutiques vs. scale and AI’s real role in the craft. If you sell, allocate, or teach in this business, this episode will pay for itself.

Jim Dunn, CEO of Verger Capital Management, dives into his journey from first-generation college graduate to leading a prominent OCIO firm. He shares insights on how personal experiences in athletics shape his leadership values. Dunn discusses Verger's client-first approach, the evolution of the OCIO landscape, and the risks inherent in private credit strategies. He emphasizes the importance of stress testing investments and the impact of private equity on 401(k) portfolios. Dunn also highlights the transformative power of mentorship and the significance of stepping outside comfort zones for growth.

Join Dakota Live! as we sit down with Caprock Group CIO Vivek Jindal to discuss his first 100 days, the investment landscape, and where he sees opportunity in alternatives, venture capital, private credit, and impact investing. Discover how Caprock’s culture and customized approach shape long-term success.We’re kicking off a new season of the Dakota Live! Podcast with a rare opportunity: sitting down with a CIO in the earliest days of their leadership journey.With $13.8 billion under advisement as of June 2025, $4.4 billion of which invested in alternative investments, Caprock employs a full balance sheet approach to wealth management.Vivek explains how his background and Caprock’s culture are shaping a differentiated approach to client portfolios: “My goal always…is how can each of these portfolios and each of these families, regardless of the wealth, be treated as single family offices within a multi-family office construct.”We explore:• How he aims to treat every client portfolio like a single-family office within a multi-family construct.• Why alternatives, venture capital, and private credit remain central to the opportunity set.• The importance of culture at Caprock and why finding a firm where “the investment mandate and the investment process…match how you would invest your own capital” is essential to long-term success.• His perspective on customization vs. scale, and how systems and collaboration help preserve quality in manager research.• Leadership lessons and how they inform his vision today.Whether you’re an allocator, asset manager, or simply curious about the investment landscape, this episode offers an uncommon, front-row perspective on what it takes to step into the CIO seat, and why culture and process matter just as much as performance.Listen now to launch the season with fresh insight into the future of investing.

In this episode of Dakota Live! Podcast, we sit down with Angela Williams, a Senior Investment Analyst at CIBC Private Wealth in Boston.Angela brings over 25 years of industry experience to her role, where she is responsible for manager due diligence and selection for CIBC Private Wealth's Multi-Manager Investment Program.Angela shares her insights into the rigorous process of manager research, emphasizing the critical balance between strategy differentiation and risk management. Whether it's her focus on building truly active portfolios or her approach to understanding a manager's character, Angela offers a deep dive into what it takes to identify and work with top-tier asset managers.CIBC Private Wealth, managing over $100 billion in assets, provides customized wealth management solutions that integrate active and alternative strategies across asset classes. Known for their selective approach to external partnerships, CIBC balances a robust lineup of proprietary and external strategies, emphasizing due diligence and portfolio alignment to meet diverse client needs.Angela’s work, rooted in a commitment to quality research and a nuanced understanding of active management, drives CIBC’s focus on sustained, risk-adjusted growth for its clients.Tune in as Angela details her process for conducting comprehensive due diligence, her criteria for selecting managers who align with CIBC’s vision, and the importance of blending innovative strategies with traditional risk controls. From practical tips for institutional investors to valuable lessons for emerging managers, this episode is packed with insights into the world of investment analysis and decision-making at CIBC Private Wealth.

In this episode of the Dakota Live! Podcast, host Robert Morier sits down with Alex Edelson, Founder & General Partner of Slipstream Investors, a venture capital fund of funds dedicated to backing emerging pre-seed and seed-stage managers.Alex shares his unique journey from law to venture capital, his lessons as Chief Strategy Officer and COO at QED Investors, and why Slipstream focuses on smaller, harder-to-access funds with outsized return potential.We cover:- What makes emerging managers so compelling, and so difficult to evaluate- The role of fund-of-funds in today’s venture landscape- Key insights into portfolio construction, reserves, and risk-taking in early-stage VC- How pattern recognition, sourcing advantages, and founder relationships shape success- Alex’s outlook on venture capital today and what’s ahead for the ecosystemWhether you’re an allocator, manager, or entrepreneur, Alex’s perspective offers a window into the next generation of venture capital investing.

In this episode of the Dakota Live! Podcast, host Robert Morier sits down with Matthew Wright, founder of Disciplina Group and former Chief Investment Officer at Vanderbilt University, for a deep dive into manager research, due diligence, and portfolio construction in the OCIO market.Matthew shares his philosophy for sourcing and underwriting emerging managers, with a particular focus on boutique, employee-owned firms that bring a true “edge” to private markets, venture capital, and hedge funds.He explains how Disciplina builds conviction-driven allocations in less efficient markets, balances liquidity and return expectations, and integrates alternatives into client portfolios for mission-based institutions.In this episode:- How to find and evaluate emerging managers before the crowd- Building a repeatable due diligence process for alternatives- Opportunities in multi-stage venture capital and niche private strategies- Hedge funds as true diversifiers, not equity proxies- Why conviction sizing matters as much as diversificationIf you want to hear how a seasoned CIO approaches alternative investing and manager selection and learn strategies to sharpen your own process, this conversation is for you.

In this episode of the Dakota Live! Podcast, Robert Morier sits down with Ken Frier, Chief Investment Officer at Atlas Capital Advisors, to discuss the role of systematic investing in portfolio construction and decision-making. With more than three decades of experience managing institutional capital at Disney, Hewlett-Packard, Stanford Management Company, and the UAW Retiree Medical Benefits Trust, Ken brings a deep understanding of asset allocation, quantitative investing, and cost-conscious portfolio construction. Whether you're an allocator evaluating systematic managers or a sales professional seeking insight into how data-driven investors think about portfolio construction and decision-making, this episode offers a unique window into how one investor has built a philosophy shaped by decades of experience across some of the most complex institutional portfolios. Atlas Capital Advisors is a San Francisco-based registered investment advisor providing outsourced CIO (OCIO) and portfolio management services to high-net-worth individuals, families, and institutions. The firm emphasizes systematic asset allocation and direct implementation, offering clients institutional-quality portfolios with a focus on transparency, liquidity, and long-term value. The conversation delves into how Ken’s early background in mathematics and computer science laid the foundation for a career focused on developing repeatable investment algorithms. You’ll hear how a pivotal moment during the dot-com bubble crash reshaped his thinking about portfolio risk, leading to a career-long commitment to evidence-based decision making. Ken shares how Atlas Capital uses a top-down, factor-based, algorithmic approach to investing across global markets, as well as his candid take on why investors can fail to adjust asset allocation, even in dramatically shifting environments. The episode also touches on the role of liquidity, the rise (and risks) of private credit, and the evolution of ETFs. From lessons in risk management to the realities of cost, complexity, and governance, Ken offers a grounded perspective on what it takes to make disciplined, data-informed decisions in today’s investment landscape.

In this powerful episode of the Dakota Live! Podcast, we dive deep into the future of venture capital, emerging manager selection, and the evolving dynamics between GPs and LPs with two thought leaders reshaping the industry: Rohit Yadav, author of The Big Book of Venture Capital, and Jamie Rhode, Partner at Screendoor, an LP platform backing early-stage managers with institutional rigor and long-term vision.Why This Episode MattersThis episode is a must-watch for anyone navigating today’s venture capital landscape, whether you're an emerging manager building your first fund, a GP scaling through Fund II or III, or an allocator rethinking your approach to early-stage investing. Rohit and Jamie bring unmatched clarity and data-driven insight to questions that matter now more than ever:- What does it take to build a resilient, DPI-generating venture firm?- How are LP expectations evolving post-ZIRP, post-COVID, and amid shrinking liquidity windows?- What is the real path forward for exit strategies beyond the IPO myth?Key Topics Covered- The role of fund-of-funds in early-stage VC, and why Screendoor is not just picking managers, they’re helping build firms with longevity.- The power-law myth and how transparency, institutionalization, and repeatability are reshaping LP/GP relationships.- The need for introspection (not revolution) in venture capital: a central theme from Rohit's Rethinking Venture Capital: A Strategic Lens.- The future of M&A and secondaries as legitimate exit pathways and how GPs can (and must) be prepared.- Why early-stage VC is where the outliers live—and how to create a portfolio that finds them.- How Screendoor evaluates emerging managers, with real talk on what matters more than polish: character, track record repeatability, and transparency.About BigBook.vc – Venture Knowledge AlphaVisit: https://www.bigbook.vcThe Big Book of Venture Capital is not a venture fund—it’s a knowledge project. Created by Rohit Yadav, this open-source platform is dedicated to democratizing access to venture capital insights across the global ecosystem. With quarterly strategic reports, cross-sectional data from hundreds of sources, and community-driven dialogue, BigBook.vc offers the venture industry's most comprehensive and strategic research platform. It’s built for allocators, emerging managers, founders, and anyone shaping the future of innovation.About ScreendoorScreendoor is reimagining LP/GP alignment in early-stage VC. With a fund-of-funds approach backed by leading GPs, Screendoor supports diverse emerging managers with not just capital, but decades of lived experience. Their platform is built for allocators who want disciplined, cost-effective access to the edge of what’s next—and for GPs who want to build enduring firms, not just raise funds.Watch this episode if you want to:- Understand the emerging manager landscape post-2021- Learn how to build a more effective allocation strategy in early-stage VC- Hear how seasoned LPs like Jamie are transforming access, transparency, and performance metrics- See how Rohit is laying down the intellectual scaffolding for VC 3.0This is one of our most important conversations yet, don’t miss it.

In this episode of the Dakota Live! Podcast, host Robert Morier welcomes Amanda Kane, Director of Private Investments with Windrose Advisors, for an in-depth discussion on private market manager research and its critical role in portfolio construction.With extensive experience in asset allocation, investment due diligence, and manager selection, Amanda shares insights on navigating private equity, private credit, and venture capital allocations for families, foundations, and endowments.Amanda discusses Windrose’s rigorous due diligence framework, how they identify and evaluate managers, and the importance of vintage year diversification in building resilient private market programs.She also provides valuable advice for asset managers looking to establish relationships with allocators, emphasizing the balance between persistence and professionalism.Key topics include:✔ The evolving landscape of private equity and private credit✔ The sourcing and selection process for alternative investment managers✔ How Windrose ensures a diversified private market allocation✔ The role of co-investments in their strategy✔ Insights into venture capital trends and early-stage investment opportunities✔ How asset managers can effectively engage with allocatorsIf you're an allocator, asset manager, or investment professional looking to gain a deeper understanding of private market investing, this episode is packed with actionable insights from an experienced industry leader.

In the latest episode of the Dakota Live! Podcast, Robert Morier welcomes Frank Valle, Associate Director of Fixed Income at Marquette Associates, for a thoughtful and practical conversation on manager research, fixed income portfolio construction, and the evolving dynamics of investment consulting.Frank shares insights from nearly two decades in the industry, offering valuable perspective for both asset managers and institutional allocators. From core and core-plus strategies to satellite exposures like structured credit and emerging market debt, Frank explains what makes a manager stand out—and what makes a process sustainable.Key topics include:• The critical role of communication and team dynamics in evaluating investment managers• Marquette’s four-phase manager review process and how it applies across asset classes• Attributes that define successful fixed income strategies, including risk positioning and alpha generation• How Marquette constructs fixed income portfolios for OCIO clients using core, core-plus, and multi-sector approaches• Trends in investment vehicles, including separate accounts, commingled funds, mutual funds, and ETFs• The growing relevance of structured credit and enhanced indexing• Perspectives on private credit, liquidity risk, and the blending of public and private fixed income• The future of technology and AI in the manager selection process—and the enduring importance of relationshipsWith higher yields and increased dispersion across credit sectors, the current environment has brought fixed income back to the forefront of institutional portfolios. As interest rates, inflation expectations, and geopolitical risk continue to shape the market, understanding how managers assess credit, manage liquidity, and position portfolios is more important than ever for generating stable, risk-adjusted returns.Whether you are selecting managers or being selected, this conversation offers a clear window into what matters most to consultants and their clients today.