Board of Directors

Board members serve one-year, renewable terms. New board members elected in 2010 are Lillian Montoya Rael, Flywheel Ventures; and Michael Schaefer, New Mexico Community Capital.

Thomas J. Stephenson
NMVCA President/Treasurer and Statistics
Partner, Verge Fund

Tom Stephenson was a General Partner of various funds of Murphree Venture Partners before co-founding Verge Fund in the Spring of 2003. He joined Murphree Venture Partners in 1997 to open their New Mexico office after serving as the Director of Education and Research for the Austin Technology Incubator (ATI), a world-recognized leader in fostering the development of high-technology start-up companies. More Info»

Sally Corning
NMVCA Vice President
Partner, Sun Mountain Capital

Sally Corning has over 20 years of experience in evaluating investment opportunities, conducting due diligence, structuring transactions and raising equity and debt capital in both the public and private markets.  She has worked in investment banking at Dean Witter Reynolds, Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse First Boston.  More Info»

Lillian Montoya Rael
NMVCA Secretary
Principal, Flywheel Ventures

Lillian Montoya-Rael has over 20 years of direct work experience in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. She is a seasoned operations professional with extensive leadership experience, proven expertise in strategic planning and implementation, financial planning/budgeting, and communications. She has a solid reputation for innovative and effective initiatives that are sustainable and for creating consensus around tough issues.  More Info»

Michael Schaefer
Board Member
Managing Director, New Mexico Community Capital

Michael Schafer is the Managing Director for NMCC. Michael is an experienced equity investor, fundraiser and manager with exceptional skills and energy. He previously served as General Partner and Principal with the venture capital firm of Tullis-Dickerson & Company (Greenwich, Connecticut). More Info»

Francine Sommer
Board Member, Programs and Outreach
Special General Partner, Village Ventures

Francine Sommer was formerly co-Founder & General Partner of Gabelli Multimedia Partners, a new media venture capital fund; Senior Vice President of the Angel™ Funds Group, Wit Capital; Managing Director, First Security Management, a value oriented hedge fund; President of 655 Associates, a Gabelli & Co. venture portfolio turnaround and Vice President, Research & Science Investors, a venture capital firm. More Info»