7:00 am: Registration, Breakfast & Sponsor Showcase

8:00 am: Opening Remarks with the CFA Society Los Angeles President, Steven Wang, CFA (Bunker Hill Ballroom)

8:05 am: General Session #1 - Geopolitical Crossroads: Navigating Market Volatility in a New Era (Bunker Hill Ballroom) - 1 PL Credit
Valuations outside the U.S. present compelling opportunities for investors. This panel will examine whether a new cycle of international outperformance is emerging, analyzing key drivers across developed and emerging markets. Panelists will also discuss how these dynamics are reshaping global markets and the strategic role of international equities—alongside commodities—within multi-asset portfolios.

• Speaker: Former Ambassador David Adelman, J.D., Former Ambassador of Singapore, Managing Director & General Counsel, KraneShares
• Speaker: Scott Helfstein, PhD., Former Director of Research, West Point’s Combating Terrorism Center and Sr. Vice President, Head of Investment Strategy, Global X ETFS
• Moderator: Karyn Williams, PhD., Regional Chief Investment Officer, Zurich North America 

9:00 am: General Session #2 - Pensions & Private Power: Navigating the Next Allocation Frontier (Bunker Hill Ballroom) - 1 PL Credit
Join local pension plan Chief Investment Officers (CIOs) as they navigate the complexities of today’s investment landscape. The panel will explore the evolving world of asset allocation, delving into key questions around the significant and potentially growing role of private markets, with a particular focus on private equity and private credit. We'll examine their experience with newer versus older funds, address crucial concerns like liquidity and valuation, and uncover where CIOs are finding new opportunities both in the US and abroad. You'll gain firsthand insights into how these major investors are putting money to work, their assumptions for private investments, and whether their commitment to this asset class remains as strong as it once was.

• Speaker: Bryan Fujita, CFA, Chief Investment Officer, Los Angeles Fire & Police Pensions
• Speaker: Jonathan Grabel, Chief Investment Officer, Los Angeles County Employee Retirement Association (LACERA) 
• Speaker: Jeremy Wolfson, Chief Investment Officer, City of Los Angeles, Water & Power  
• Moderator: Suehyun Kim, Sr. VP and Portfolio Manager, Wilshire

10:00 am: Networking/Sponsor Break

10:15 am to 11:15 am: Breakout Session #1 (3 Panel Options Available)

10:15 am – Option #1: The Outperformance of International Equities: What Is Driving the Markets—and Is It Sustainable? (Bradbury/Rose) - 1 PL Credit
Valuations outside the U.S. present a compelling opportunity for investors. This panel will dissect the international equities landscape to assess whether international and emerging markets truly offer superior prospects—or are simply benefiting from being “not the U.S.” Panelists will analyze the key drivers behind the shift, including favorable demographics, lower debt levels, and the accelerated adoption of AI, and discuss how these factors are reshaping global markets. The conversation will also explore the strategic role of international equities within multi-asset portfolios, including commodities exposure. As U.S. markets show signs of lagging in areas where they previously led, this session will offer insights into where the most attractive opportunities lie—and whether a new cycle of international outperformance is underway.

• Speaker: Brendan Ahern, Chief Investment Officer, KraneShares
• Speaker: Paul J. DiGiacomo, CFA, Sr. Portfolio Manager, Columbia Threadneedle Investments
• Speaker: Taylor McKenna, CFA, Analyst, Kopernik Global Investors
• Moderator: Mary Machado-Schammel, Global Strategy Consultant, Coalition Greenwich

10:15 am – Option #2: Store of Value – Bitcoin, Gold and The Future of Reserves (Hershey/Crocker) - 1 PL Credit
In an era defined by fiscal strain, monetary experimentation, and geopolitical tension, two non-yielding assets - gold and bitcoin - have outperformed traditional financial markets. What explains record central bank gold buying, the historic success of BlackRock’s bitcoin ETF, and the U.S. government’s decision to hold bitcoin as a strategic reserve? This panel asks whether we’re witnessing a monetary realignment - and how investors should adapt their thinking on safe havens, risk assets, and portfolio construction

• Speaker: Nik Bhatia, CFA, CMT, Founder, The Bitcoin Layer, Adjunct Professor, USC Marshall School of Business
• Speaker: Aakash Doshi, Global Head of Gold (SPDR ETF), State Street Investment Management 
• Speaker: Jay Jacobs, CFA, US Head of Equity ETF, BlackRock  
• Moderator: Rob Price, CFA, Founder & CIO, Sound Money Capital

10:15 am – Option #3: Evolution of Private Credit (Museum A/B) - 1 PL Credit
Explore the changing landscape of private credit. We'll examine how this asset class has evolved from its roots in direct lending to encompass more complex securitized structures and its relationship to sponsor-based deals. The panelists will also tackle critical questions, including the impact of a potential Fed interest rate decrease on private credit performance and whether the asset class still offers a significant yield advantage over public alternatives. The conversation will also touch on the growing secondaries market and the discounts that are currently being seen. Join us to understand how these dynamics are reshaping the private credit market and what it means for investors.

• Speaker: Toby Burgdorf, Senior Research Analyst & Client Portfolio Manager, First Trust Capital Management
• Speaker: Jeff Topor, Portfolio Manager, Cliffwater 
• Speaker: Jennifer Kozicki, Global Head of Liquid Credit, Ares Management
• Moderator: Brian Haskin, Managing Director & Head of Institutional Sales, Cyber Hornet ETFs

11:15 am: Networking/Sponsor Break

11:30 am: Lunch & General Session #3 - Rebuilding Los Angeles  (Bunker Hill Ballroom) - 1 PL Credit
Amidst a narrative often dominated by challenges from wildfires, ICE raids to the homelessness crisis, Los Angeles stands as a city of immense resilience and opportunity. This panel will reframe the conversation, showcasing LA not as a city in decline, but as a global powerhouse buoyed by its multicultural population and world-class institutions. With the city actively rebuilding from the devastating fires of 2025 and preparing for the world stage with the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics, we will hear directly from city and industry leaders. They will discuss the strategic path forward, highlighting the investment opportunities and collaborative efforts that are driving this iconic city's revival and solidifying its future as a beacon of growth and prosperity.

• Speaker: Rick Caruso, Founder and Executive Chairman, Caruso
• Speaker: Jason Keller, Head of Residential Investment, Managing Director, Oaktree Capital
• Moderator: Moira Conlon, Founder & CEO, Financial Profiles

1:30 pm: Networking/Sponsor Break

1:45 pm to 2:45 pm: Breakout Session #2 (3 Panel Options Available)

1:45 pm – Option #1: The Fixed Income Playbook: Navigating a Weaker Dollar with Emerging and Structured Debt (Bradbury/Rose) - 1 PL Credit
This panel will dissect the pivotal shifts reshaping global fixed income, focusing on the dynamic relationship between developed and emerging debt and the implications of the recent U.S. Dollar (USD) depreciation. Experts will analyze how a weaker dollar creates a powerful tailwind for emerging debt's local currency public markets, boosting returns for USD-based investors and easing foreign borrowers' debt-servicing costs. Concurrently, the discussion will pivot to the increasingly vital role of securitized credit, contrasting the compelling relative value and diversification benefits offered by assets like CLOs, CMBS, and ABS against corporate and sovereign bonds. The panel will provide actionable insights on navigating inflation risk in a depreciating dollar environment, identifying pockets of opportunity within the securitized universe (including structured assets with attractive risk-adjusted yields), and positioning multi-sector fixed income portfolios for optimal, diversified performance.

• Speaker: Kristin Ceva, PhD., CFA Managing Principal, Payden & Rygel 
• Speaker: Anisha Goodly, Managing Director & Co-Head of Fixed Income Portfolio Specialist Team, TCW 
• Speaker: Brian Kennedy, Co-Portfolio Manager, Loomis, Sayles & Co 
• Moderator: Priyanka Shukla, CFA, CAIA, CIPM

1:45 pm – Option #2: Democratization of Private Alternatives: Expanding Access in Wealth Management  (Hershey/Crocker) - 1 PL Credit
The wealth management industry is accelerating efforts to broaden access to private alternatives—including private credit, infrastructure, and private equity— for high-net-worth and mass-affluent investors, primarily through evergreen and interval fund structures. This panel brings together leading industry voices to examine the strategic rationale for incorporating private alternatives in portfolios, evaluate the structures best positioned to deliver scalable access, and identify the asset classes most aligned with these vehicles. The conversation will also touch on the growing wave of acquisitions and partnerships between traditional asset managers and alternative specialists

• Speaker: Andrew Bates, CFA, CAIA, Sr. Product Strategy & Development Manager, Capital Group 
• Speaker: Toller Miller, CIMA, Director & Alternative Product Specialists, Alliance Bernstein 
• Speaker: Michael D. Underhill, Founder & CIO, Capital Innovations 
• Moderator: Mark Perry, Managing Director, Wilshire

1:45 pm – Option #3: Inside AI: What Investors, Builders, and Practitioners See Next  (Museum A/B) - 1 PL Credit
AI is fundamentally transforming the financial landscape, determining new rules on how investment capital flows, accelerating innovation cycles, and revolutionizing how data informs critical decisions. In this session, a founder at the frontiers of AI, an investor creating access to early-stage opportunities, and a senior practitioner applying AI will share what they’re seeing on the ground. Expect a candid and dynamic conversation that cuts through the hype, about where the technology is real, where it’s still evolving beyond proof-of-conept, and the crucial next steps that will define the winners and what comes next.

• Speaker: Solomon Bier, Partner & Portfolio Manager, Etna Capital 
• Speaker: Jan Liphardt, Founder & CEO, OpenMind 
• Speaker: Mayanka Melville, CFA, Head of Data, Generate Capital
• Moderator: Y. Allen Kim, CFA,  Director, Investment Strategy Group, Bel Air Investments

2:45 pm: Networking/Sponsor Break

3:00 pm to 4:00 pm: Breakout Session #3 (3 Panel Options Available)

3:00 pm – Option #1: Strategic Allocation to Alternatives: Tools, Research, and Insights for Smarter Decisions (Bradbury/Rose) - 1 PL Credit
The alternative investment space is crowded with managers eager for a place in your portfolio, but the critical question remains: How should you allocate? Join a diverse panel of experts—a leading alternatives platform provider, a top asset manager, and a seasoned independent consultant—as they share actionable insights on navigating this complex landscape. Learn how an alternative fund can shift the dynamics of a traditional 60/40 portfolio, the best practices for modeling these strategies in optimization frameworks, and the key factors institutional clients prioritize when building alternative allocations.

• Speaker: Anthony Polemis, Senior Vice President & Head of Architect Business Development, iCapital 
• Speaker: Brian Resnick, CFA, Director & Sr. Investment Strategist – Alternatives, Alliance Bernstein 
• Speaker: Karyn Williams, PhD., Regional Chief Investment Officer, Zurich North America
• Moderator: Hirsto Stefanov, CFA, CAIA, CIPM, Director of Research, Cetera

3:00 pm – Option #2: Stablecoins, Banks & The Dollar  (Hershey/Crocker) - 1 PL Credit
Stablecoins have gone from fringe to foundational - now rivaling Visa in transaction volumes and holding over $120B in U.S. Treasuries. With the GENIUS Act greenlighting stablecoins in the US and numerous fintechs adopting them, the moment is ripe for a strategic conversation about the impact on banks, the US government and Emerging Market currencies.

• Speaker: Robert Price, CFA Founder & CIO, Sound Money Capital
• Speaker: Jeff Dorman, CFA, CIO & Co-Founder, Arca 
• Moderator: Andrew Citron, CFA, Director of Americas Client Business, BlackRock

3:00 pm – Option #3: Macroeconomic Drivers of Asset Allocation: Navigating Policy, Fragmentation, and Portfolio Construction  (Museum A/B) - 1 PL Credit
Navigate the complex forces shaping the global economy in this high-level discussion. Experts will analyze the path for interest rates, the outlook for inflation, and jobs and wage dynamics, while providing updated GDP growth forecasts. The session will also address the disruptive impact of escalating tariffs and geopolitical fragmentation on global trade, then translate this outlook into actionable strategies for multi-asset investments and resilient portfolio construction.

• Speaker: Jeffrey Cleveland, Director & Chief Economist, Payden & Rygel
• Speaker: Deepika (Dee) Sharma, CFA, Head of Multi-Asset Custom Solutions, Northern Trust Asset Management
• Moderator: Sophia Platt, Founding Partner & Head of LP Relations, Bridge Funding Global

4:00 pm: Networking/Sponsor Break

4:15 pm: General Session #4 - Innovation & Authenticity – Building Enduring Brands in a Noisy World (Bunker Hill Ballroom) - 1 PL Credit
In today’s hyper-saturated market, innovation alone is not enough—authenticity is the true differentiator. This panel brings together leaders who have built powerful, purpose-driven brands by staying true to their roots while pushing creative and commercial boundaries. From global fashion to sports media to cultural institutions, we’ll explore how innovation and authenticity can co-exist to drive lasting impact, investor value, and cultural relevance.

• Speaker: Chris Hetherington, Owner & CEO, Fathead
• Speaker: Dave Mays, CEO & Founder, Breakbeat Media 
• Speaker: Wendy Starland, Co-Founder & President, MusicSoul 
• Moderator: Zack Ellison, CFA, CAIA, Founder & Managing General Partner, Applied Real Intelligence (A.R.I.)

5:15 pm: Cocktail Reception