Maria Elena Lagomasino

Before founding WE, Mel served as CEO of GenSpring Family Offices, a leading wealth management firm. Prior to that, she served as chairman and chief executive officer of JP Morgan Private Bank, an institution with more than $300 billion in client assets under supervision. Her career in banking began in 1977 at Citibank. She joined the Chase Manhattan Private Bank in 1983 and was named head of Chase’s worldwide private banking business in 1997. Following the Chase-JP Morgan merger, she became chairman and chief executive officer of JP Morgan Private Bank. Mel serves on the boards of The Coca-Cola Company, Avon Products, Inc., and the Americas Society, and is a Trustee of the National Geographic Society. She is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. In 2012, Mel was named one of the Directorship 100 by the National Association of Corporate Directors and was named by American Banker one of 2012’s Top 25 Women in Finance. In September 2006, she was appointed by President Bush to help lead an effort to secure private sector funds to aid disaster victims in Central America. A graduate of Manhattanville College (B.A.), Mel also earned graduate degrees at Columbia University (M.S.) and Fordham University (M.B.A). Ms. Lagomasino was the Chief Executive Officer of GenSpring Family Offices, an affiliate of Sun Trust Banks Inc. Prior to assuming this position in November 2005, Ms. Lagomasino was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of JP Morgan Private Bank, a division of JP Morgan Chase & Co. from September 2001 to March 2005. Prior to assuming this position, Ms. Lagomasino was Managing Director at The Chase Manhattan Bank in charge of its Global Private Banking Group. Ms. Lagomasino had been with Chase Manhattan since 1983 in various positions in private banking. Prior to 1983 she was a Vice President at Citibank. She served on the Board of the Coca-Cola Company and as Trustee of the Synergos Institute. Currently, she is a Trustee of the National Geographic Society and is a Board member of Lincoln Center Theater.