Tessa Flippin and Jason Mercer join Chicago:Blend Board of Directors
CHICAGO–The non-profit organization Chicago:Blend announced today that Tessa Flippin of Capitalize VC and Jason Mercer of Cleveland Avenue have joined their governing board of directors following a unanimous vote by the organization’s existing directors.
“Tessa and Jason are leaders in Chicago’s VC and tech ecosystem and are paving the way for a new generation of diverse investors and founders. They have also been invaluable partners to Chicago:Blend over the years and we look forward to leveraging their talent, passion and expertise to help advance our mission,” said Chicago:Blend executive director Joey Mak.
After founding a fintech startup, Flippin started her career in venture capital at TechNexus Venture Collaborative before launching Capitalize VC, a fund that invests in Black and Latinx early stage founders, where she serves as its founder and managing partner. A graduate of Stanford University and Columbia Business School, Flippin also serves on the board of BLCK VC Midwest.
"I launched Capitalize VC last year because I am passionate about reducing the racial wealth gap, which requires us to increase investments in early-stage Black and Latinx founders while creating access for underrepresented LPs. Chicago:Blend's work is 100 percent aligned with this vision and I look forward to supporting them, and accelerating our shared impact, as a member of the board,” said Flippin.
Mercer serves as principal for Cleveland Avenue’s CAST US fund, a $70 million initiative to invest in Black, Latinx and women entrepreneurs in Chicago. An alum of Morehouse College and Stanford University Graduate School of Business, Mercer brings more than a decade of experience in strategy, finance and M&A, primarily in the food and beverage sector. He also has worked at Fonterra USA, TreeHouse Foods, Deloitte, Warner Music Group and Lehman Brothers.
"At Cleveland Avenue's CAST US Fund, I work every day to bridge the capital and resource gap impacting Black, Latinx and women entrepreneurs with a focus on Chicago’s South and West Side neighborhoods. I look forward to leveraging this experience to help Chicago:Blend execute on its mission of creating a more equitable funding ecosystem for overlooked founders in Chicago,” said Mercer.
Since 2021, Flippin and Mercer have served on Chicago:Blend’s community advisory board, which includes Chicago VCs, entrepreneurs, tech leaders and ecosystem partners. As part of their transition to the governing board, both will step down from the advisory board, effective immediately.
Chicago:Blend’s board of directors includes:
Founder & Board President: Lindsay Knight, Partner, Chicago Ventures
Board Vice President & Treasurer: Gale Wilkinson, Founder & Managing Partner, Vitalize VC
Board Secretary: Jackie DiMonte, Partner, Chicago Ventures
Board Director: Jonathan Ellis, Founder & Managing Director, Sandalphon Capital
Board Director: Tessa Flippin, Founder & Managing Partner, Capitalize VC
Board Director: Devon Leichtman, Chief of Staff, Relativity
Board Director: Jason Mercer, Principal-CAST US, Cleveland Avenue
Board Director: Juan Muldoon, Partner, Energize Ventures
Board Director: Ryan Mundy, Founder & CEO, Alkeme Health
Chicago:Blend was founded in 2018 by local venture capitalists to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in Chicago’s tech community. The organization publishes diversity data about Chicago’s VC and startup workforce, provides DEI resources to firms and portfolio companies and prepares underrepresented, aspiring VCs for careers in venture.
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