Young Leaders Committee Members

David Anderson

David Anderson is currently a Director at Biscom, Inc., a Massachusetts-based software company. David is also Managing Director of DaBa Productions LLC, a Cambridge-based production company. Previously David was Director of Acquisitions at Equity Resource Investments, a Real Estate Private Equity firm, and before that a Software Engineer in San Francisco at vVault Inc. While living in San Francisco, David served as advisory board member for both the Treasure Island Sailing Center and the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurshipís (NFTE) Northern California regional office. After moving to Boston David began advising the NFTE New England region, where he still spends time in the classroom as a NFTE Certified Entrepreneurship Teacher coaching young entrepreneurs on their business plans. As an advocate for the arts, David served three years on the Museum of Fine Arts Museum Council Steering Committee, currently co-chairs the Museum Councilís annual gala, and also serves on the Boston Lyric Opera Bravo committee. A long time supporter of environmental conservation, David advises the Nantucket Conservation Foundation on their annual Race for Open Space. David received an A.B. in Economics and Computer Science from Bowdoin College in 2000, was a member of the Varsity sailing team, and is currently the President of the Bowdoin Club of Boston Board of Directors. He also is a member of the United Way of Mass Bay's Young Leaders Executive Committee.

Renita Bhatia

Renita Bhatia is currently a Senior Compliance Specialist at Natixis Global Associates in Boston, a distribution arm of Natixis Global Asset Management, an investment organization that acquires and works with a diverse group of independent money managers in the U.S., Europe and Asia. Prior to joining Natixis, Renita worked at Putnam Investments. Before Putnam Investments, Renita worked as a Fundraising Coordinator on a Gubernatorial Campaign in Louisiana, spent several months living in China teaching English to second grade students and interned in the Connecticut State Legislature. While making the transition from readily available volunteer opportunities in college to soliciting opportunities as a young professional in Boston, the United Way was a natural fit for someone devoted to charitable giving.

Renita received a B.A. from the University of Connecticut in Political Science with a concentration in Human Rights, was a member of the Student Union Board of Governors and is a member of Alpha Phi Omega. She currently serves as an Honorary Advisor to the Lakshmi Dream Foundation, LLC., and is a member of the United Way Young Leaders Executive Board, where she co-chairs the service committee.

Hillary Johnson

Hillary Johnson says of her involvement with United Way Young Leaders: "My friend Ted Noon, co-founder of the Young Leaders group, got me involved with the Young Leaders program. I joined and have remained committed to the group because I strongly support the goals and vision of the United Way. Through engaging young professionals through volunteer and philanthropic causes, we have the ability to truly effect change in the communities in which we work and live."

Hillary earned her B.A. degree in 2002 at Middlebury College. She currently works for Wellington Management Company, LLP.

David S. Safaii

David S. Safaii joined Windspeed Ventures in January 2004. He assists in the evaluation of emerging trends within technology under consideration by the firm and is involved in all aspects of sourcing, diligence and process. David has been involved in over a dozen investments and works closely with portfolio companies within the areas of corporate development and other various functions.

He came to Windspeed from the Technology Investment Banking Group at CIBC World Markets where he focused on enterprise software. David has completed numerous public and private equity financings, mergers and acquisitions and general financial advisory engagements. Prior to his career in investment banking, David assisted in the development of Lehman Brothers' Global Equity and Derivative Trading System and spent two years in the Equity and Fixed Income Sales Department of Oppenheimer trading municipal and mortgage-backed securities. His clients included numerous banks, mutual funds, and insurance companies.

David is Chairman Emeritus and Director of Sponsors & Partnerships of the New England Venture Network (NEVN), the largest young venture capital organization on the East Coast. Under NEVN, he co-founded VentureNetwork.VC, the first social network built exclusively for the venture capital community.

David holds a BA in computer information processing from Boston College. He is actively involved with The Crohns and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) and sits on the United Way’s Young Leaders Executive panel.

Fedor Smith

Fedor Smith is a Vice President at ATLANTIC-ACM, a firm that provides consulting and strategic research to the telecommunications industry. Prior to joining ATLANTIC-ACM, Fedor worked at Alloy Media and Marketing in New York, and Putnam Investments in Boston. Fedor grew up in Boston, and since returning from New York several years ago has become involved in UWMB events and fundraising.

Fedor went to the Pomfret School, and graduated from Hamilton College with a degree in history and economics.

Abigail C. Furey

Abigail C. Furley is the Director of Investor Relations at Clough Capital. As the primary client liaison, Ms. Furey keeps investors and potential investors informed through a monthly newsletters and quarterly reports, as well as through telephone and personal meetings. She joined Clough Capital Partners in 2001. Ms. Furey holds an MBA and Bachelor of Science degree in Operations and Strategic Management, both from Boston College Carroll School of Management.

Elise Shutzer

Elise Shutzer is an associate at the Dewey Square Group, a strategic marketing and grassroots communication firm serving the country’s most respected corporate and non-profits organizations as well as national political campaigns. Shutzer concentrates in state and local government relations and the development and management of grassroots and grasstops strategies.

Shutzer has held positions with a number of electoral campaigns locally and nationally. She is currently working on “Get Out the Vote” efforts for the 2008 presidential primary race.

Prior to joining the Dewey Square Group in 2005, Shutzer worked in the Corporate Affairs division of Citizens Bank, where she assisted in the fields of government relations, charitable giving and corporate communications. In addition, she was the recipient of the prestigious Rotary International Ambassadorial Fellowship to Madrid, Spain where she studied International Politics and Conflict Resolution.

Shutzer is a native of Swampscott, MA, and graduated with honors from the University of Pennsylvania with a double major in Diplomatic History and International Political Science. Elise is a member of the United Way Young Leaders Executive Board, where she co-chairs the service