Kate Simpson

GEM was founded in 2007, initially with the name Global Endowment Management.

And its initial business and really still the core business today is as a leading, fully discretionary outsource chief investment officer, OCIO.

Today, on that side of the business, we work with about 40 endowments and foundations and other small nonprofits.

In more recent years, we've been partnering with a wider variety of LPs who want to leverage our research and our managerial selection in more targeted ways across alternatives.

And by that, I mean in fund or fund-to-fund formats.

That first job opened up a career path that I didn't know existed, but came to really enjoy.

I certainly didn't set out to become a career LP.

Not sure if anyone really does.

The truth is, I did not know what I wanted to do professionally after college.

I had a lot of interests.

I enjoyed a wide variety of subjects.

I did well in all of them.

I really took advantage of.

a true kind of liberal arts education.

And I loved it.

I was a generalist, if you will.

So the investment office at UNC took a chance on hiring me.

I was a history major.

I was a clean slate when it came to finance and investing.

So I did have a steep and long learning curve, and I was lucky to have a supportive mentor.