R. PAUL HERMAN, CEO + Founder
Chief Investment Officer, Chief Compliance Officer,
Series 65 Investment Adviser
Paul invented “HIP = (Human Impact + Profit)” in 2004 to connect for-profit investments that delivered high human impact with investors seeking the same.  Since then, Paul and the HIP team have launched the HIP 100 Index (TM), consulted to high-net-worth investors, and advised corporate clients like Wal-Mart and NIKE. In addition, the HIP Scorecard (TM) has been published since 2007 in Fast Company.
Paul’s financial expertise began with his Wharton School finance degree and work at McKinsey & Co. developing incentive regulation for energy companies and regulators, as well as strategic improvements for Fortune 500 corporate clients and government. At eBay founder Pierre Omidyar’s Network, Paul designed investment strategy that also enabled high human impact, including venture-backed growth companies. Paul’s first pioneering venture reached 30,000 customers by creating a permission-based online debit card and financial system for families, teens and kids, a $200 billion market including shopping, saving, investing and donating.
Paul’s own HIP investing includes companies in microfinance, organic food, renewable energy, affordable health care, and B2B systems.  Paul is an Investment Committee member of the Patient Capital fund, a member of Investors Circle, and an advisor to Net Impact.
For information on scheduling Paul for a speaking engagement, CLICK HERE.
JOAN VARRONE, Chief Operating Officer, Executive Vice President
Joan is an experienced finance professional with over 20 years in Senior Management roles at both large public companies and venture backed technology startups. For the past twelve year Joan has held the position of CFO at several firms which included leading an IPO, raising over $100M of private equity and debt and leading successful exits. Most recently she was CFO at SenSage, Inc, an enterprise software company providing solutions in the Event Data Warehouse market. Joan’s other CFO positions were at the Omidyar Network and firms in the nano technology, e commerce, software and telecommunications industries. Joan has also managed financial planning and global treasury operations at multinational Raychem Corporation (now part of Tyco) and was Corporate Treasurer at Watkins-Johnson Company.  Joan received her MBA in Finance from New York University and an MS in Operation Research from Purdue University . She currently serves on the Board of the San Francisco Chapter of Financial Executive International and the Bay Area Financial Executives Networking Group and is the co founder of the Treasury Executives Network.
JESSICA M. SKYLAR, Executive Vice President, Series 65 Investment Adviser
Jessica leads HIP’s business development, operations and marketing. Prior to HIP,  Jessica consulted to top international non-profits at the Center for Development Communication, advanced the USA Fellowship and Development teams at Ashoka: Innovators for the Public, and led marketing and fundraising at Ashoka Fellow Springboard Forward (a Social Capitalist Awardee of Fast Company). Jessica also created youth programs and a human-rights task force in her hometown of Los Angeles. Jessica has a B.A. in International Development and an M.A. in International Peace and Conflict Resolution. Seasoned financial services professional, former Director of Financial Fitness Growth Initiatives and Stakeholder Strategy at Charles Schwab, Research Consultant at Paul Hawken’s Highwater Capital Research and Business Development Advisor to Schwab Charitable, UCLA BA, USF MBA
ERIC STEINHOFER, Senior Vice President, Client Development (Candidate for Series 65)
LISA GIARRETTO, Senior Vice President, Client Development (Candidate for Series 65)
International financial consultant for over 20 years, a broker for Smith Barney, and corporate foreign exchange advisor with Bank of America Capital Markets. Vice President and Manager of National Business Development for Wells Fargo Bank’s Foreign Exchange Corporate Advisory Group. Social Equity Group and Women’s Equity Mutual Fund. BA in World Business, MA in International Policy Studies from the Monterey Institute of International Studies, and Advanced International Economics with the Rotary Scholar in Bruges, Belgium.
SYLVIA VENTURA, Senior Vice President, Â Marketing, Media and Community
Sylvia, a native Parisian, has focused her career on developing and executing marketing launch and branding strategies for life sciences and environmental enterprises. Her career includes marketing executive roles at Omnicom, Euro RSCG, Interpublic and Foote Cone & Belding, where she launched dozens of top tier pharmaceutical product launches. In 2003 she launched Aperio Life, a marketing and brand strategy firm to work with early stage budget-tight ventures. In 2007 Sylvia decided to change gears and put her energies and training in areas she believes have a true positive impact on life. She became an environmental advocate, and sustainable business practices became the focus of her work. Early in 2007 she launched Solar4SF.org, a consumer advocacy group to promote the use of renewable solar energy in San Francisco. Soon after she founded 1 Block Off the Grid (1BOG.org) the nation’s largest community based purchasing group for residential solar power. 1BOG was acquired by Virgance, Inc. in 2008.
DANA ROYTENBERG, HIP Associate
Dana manages operations for HIP, ensuring smooth service to clients and partners. Dana graduated from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, was a brand management coordinator in New York City for clients like Ford Motor and Andy Warhol. During school, Dana conducted research at Georgetown’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs, and had a stint at the State Department at the American Embassy in Kiev, Ukraine.