Quorum Invests
Gender-Smart Investing Club
Community. Trust. Impact.
What is Quorum Invests?
Quorum Invests is a gender-smart investment club designed exclusively for Quorum Initiative members. This initiative empowers individuals to take their first—or next—steps in investing with a gender-lens approach across asset classes, ensuring their investments align with their values.
Our Goals:
- Empower members to see themselves as investors and have greater agency over their money
- Increase knowledge, confidence, and participation among women investors
- Align investment activities with the systemic changes we want to see in the world
How It Works
- Private, interactive community: A safe space to connect, share insights, and build confidence in investing across asset classes
- Action Pledge: Members commit to intentionally directing $10,000 within the first year in alignment with their financial goals and values. This may involve reallocating existing investments, such as retirement accounts or philanthropic contributions, or strategically investing new funds
- Expert Guidance: Access to Quorum’s network of experts, educational resources, and community-driven support
Why Join Quorum Invests?
- Align your money with your values
- Overcome investing roadblocks and build confidence
- Gain financial knowledge and grow your wealth
- Be part of an impactful community focused on systemic change
Program Content
- Women & Wealth: A Two-Part Guide to Confident Investing presented by Equities.com
- Welcome, Introductions & Setting Expectations
- Investment Vision: Setting Goals, Taking Action
- Maximizing Retirement Accounts for Financial & Social Impact presented by Gayle Bangalan, Financial Representative, Lifetime Financial Growth; Consultant, Donohue Specialty Consulting
- Best Practices in Philanthropy
- Public Markets & Strategic Stock Investments
- Private Markets – Angel Investing
- Private Markets – Crowd Funding
- Private Markets – Venture Capital & Private Equity
- Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs): A Strategic Approach to Giving
- Innovative Finance – Beyond Traditional Investing
- Consuming with Intent – Evolving the Way You Purchase & Consume
- Reflection & Next Steps
Presenters
Kierith A. Jones, Quorum Invests Program Co-Director
As Head of Strategy and Innovative Finance at Thruline Networks, Kierith serves as a Special Advisor and Thought Partner to individual investors, family offices, private funds and foundations focused on aligning their investing activities to drive social, environmental and economic solutions. Prior to that, Kierith led the Innovative Finance Program at Criterion Institute, a global non-profit think tank working to advance gender and social equity by addressing power dynamics in financial systems and transactions… continue reading
Kierith is a veteran human rights attorney, activist and community organizer with decades of experience in reproductive justice, LGBTQ+ rights, environmental justice, voting rights and election protection initiatives. She has worked with major organizations including: American Civil Liberties Union, Brennan Center for Justice, Center for Reproductive Rights, Empire State Pride Agenda, Greenpeace, Human Rights Watch, Lambda Legal, Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Election Protection and Organizing For America. For over a decade, Kierith has served as a volunteer Pro Bono Arbitrator for the San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Women’s Reproductive Rights Assistance Project (WRRAP), the largest independent abortion fund in the US, and the Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Greater Palm Springs Animal Allies.
Previously, Kierith was an international corporate finance and governance attorney for Cleary Gottlieb (NYC and Paris) and later, Wilson Sonsini (Silicon Valley), where she worked for over a decade representing major institutional investment firms and multinational corporations on complex financial transactions, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, securities regulation and compliance matters. She also advised Boards of Directors of public, private and philanthropic institutions. Kierith is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, L’Université Paris, La Sorbonne and New York University School of Law. She is a member of the Bar of the State of New York.
Gayle Bangalan, Financial Representative, Lifetime Financial Growth
Gayle Bangalan is a skilled networker and problem solver with a strong track record of helping clients navigate complex challenges. With 20 years of experience in real estate, financial planning, and business development, she has built an extensive network and a reputation for delivering strategic solutions tailored to her clients’ needs… continue reading
As a Financial Representative at Guardian Life, Gayle helps individuals and businesses develop comprehensive financial strategies, including risk management, wealth preservation, and long-term planning. Her experience at industry leaders such as Northwestern Mutual and Guardian Life has given her a deep understanding of financial services, client relations, and business strategy.
In her role at Donohue Specialty Consulting, she collaborates with a team of industry-leading specialists to provide strategic guidance to clients looking to streamline operations, secure financing, and maximize business success. Whether facilitating key introductions, structuring complex deals, or developing customized solutions, Gayle is committed to helping clients achieve their financial and business goals.
Membership Details
Eligibility: Open to all Quorum Initiative members
Annual Membership:
- Quorum Membership – $300/year Includes access to speaker series, cohort discussions, and event discounts
- Quorum Invests – $300/year Includes exclusive access to learning exchanges, expert insights, and research on gender-smart investing. Price increases on February 15th to $400
How to Get Started
- Join or renew your Quorum Membership for $300/year
- Add the Quorum Invests for $300/year to unlock access to expert insights, research, and discussions on gender-smart investing. Price increases on February 15th to $400
Join Quorum Invests today and make an impact with your money.
FAQs
What is Gender-Lens & Gender-Smart Investing?
Gender-smart investing considers gender equity and inclusion in financial decision-making.
Two Key Approaches:
- Leading with Gender: Investments specifically addressing gender equality
- Integrating Gender: A gender-conscious investment process across asset classes and strategies
Six Focus Areas for Gender-Smart Investing:
- Ensuring gender equity, inclusion, and protections in the workplace
- Advancing women in leadership and decision-making roles
- Increasing women’s access to capital
- Supporting the design and distribution of products and services benefiting women and girls
- Addressing gender-based harassment, violence, and women’s health
- Increasing the knowledge, confidence, and participation of women investors
What is Values-Aligned Investing across Asset Classes?
Values-aligned investing ensures your financial decisions reflect your ethical and social priorities, whether through stocks, bonds, private equity, impact investing, or philanthropic giving.
| Capital Markets | Flexible Philanthropy | Philanthropy | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market | Public | Private | |||||||||
| Asset Class | Debt | Equity | Debt | Equity | Debt | Equity | Grants | ||||
| Intermediary | Direct | Intermediary | Direct | Intermediary | Direct | Intermediary | Direct | ||||
| Investment Vehicle Examples | • ETFs • Mutual Funds | • Note, Structured Fund • Direct Loan | • Equity Fund • Direct Investment | • Note, Structured Fund • Direct Loan | • Equity Fund • Direct Investment | Grants | |||||
| Ease of Use | Easy | Easy | Medium | Difficult | Medium | Difficult | Difficult | Difficult | Difficult | Difficult | N/A |
| Ownership & Influence | Low | Low | Medium | Medium | High | High | Medium | Medium | High | High | High |
| Value to Investee | Growth Capital | Scale Capital | Strategic Capital | Growth Capital (bridge to capital markets) | Strategic Capital (proof of concept) | Highly Tailored Capital to a specific issue/challenge | |||||
Scroll horizontally to view the full table →
Source: Calvert Impact Capital, Just Good Investing: Why gender matters to your portfolio and what you can do about it.
How will Quorum Invests support my investment journey?
Members receive personalized guidance to:
- Identify their values and align them with investment strategies
- Develop an investment thesis based on gender-smart principles
- Explore practical investment opportunities with expert insights
Members will be encouraged to share and exchange ideas as well as invest with other dynamic and like-minded women in the membership.
Why does gender-smart investing matter?
Women’s increasing wealth presents an unprecedented opportunity to influence capital markets and drive systemic change toward a more equitable world.
