WerthWatching

Leah Oppenheimer ‘12 (CLAS/IMJR)

Leah Oppenheimer

MBA Associate, SWAT Equity Partners

Leah is currently an MBA candidate at Columbia Business School (CBS) and MBA associate at SWAT Equity Partners, a venture capital firm for emerging entrepreneurial consumer brands. Prior to starting at CBS, she was a summer associate at LDV Capital and an investment associate at Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs (Techstars). Previously, she spent three years running platform and marketing for UpRamp, the industry accelerator/CVC for the connectivity industry (backed by Comcast, Charter, Cox and 60 others), and worked in business development for boutique consultancies in London. 

Leah Oppenheimer is doing things WerthWatching:

  • Focused on the human side of deep technology, and the impacts that entrepreneurs have on our everyday lives
  • As a summer associate, researched how visual technology is being deployed across the agriculture and food industries to have notable impacts on the global food supply
  • Graduated from the University of Cambridge with a MPhil in Education, and lived in London for three years working at several boutique consultancies in business development and thought leadership

What got you interested in working with startups/venture capital (VC)?

I actually got into VC by accident. I was contacted by a recruiter for an operating role at an accelerator in the video/broadband industry and learned about VC through that job - I had never heard of it before that! Since then, I’ve come to love the passion that early-stage founders have and how the job allows me to spend my day being curious and asking questions.

Where do you find your inspiration? 

I’m always really impressed by founders who worked in an industry, saw something missing, and decided to fix it - their nuanced understanding of the space, whether shown in unit economics and pricing or sales strategy - is so impressive to watch.

How did UConn prepare you for where you’re at today? 

UConn gave me the freedom to conduct research on an area of interest to me (the sociology of education as it relates to war-torn societies). I don’t work in that space anymore, but the freedom given to me allowed me to carve my own path in the following years, leading me to where I am today.

What’s your favorite UConn memory? 

Walking around campus on the weekend in the fall! I love autumn in New England. Also study abroad - I had the fortune of going abroad twice (Granada and Maastrict) and loved both experiences.

What advice do you have for today’s students or emerging entrepreneurs? 

Invest time into getting to know yourself and those around you - a strong network is important, but that starts with understanding your own strengths and desires and leaning into those!

Describe a professional moment you are most proud of, and why? 

Probably getting into Columbia Business School - it’s one of the few moments when it’s been very obvious to me how much effort and energy I put into something and seeing it all pay off in a calculated way.

Which business tool or resource do you recommend to others, and why? 

Make yourself a good to-do list in any form that works for you - whether that’s Inbox Zero or a piece of paper. Especially in entrepreneurship, where you’re juggling so many balls, it becomes easier and easier to drop them - figure out a way that works for you that keeps that from happening.

What are you passionate about outside of work?

I love houseplants and have dozens of them. I’m also a big fan of technical driving roads - I recently did a really fun road trip along the coast of Italy!

Roma Romaniv, ’17 (BUS)

Roma Romaniv

Associate, Summit Partners 

Roma is an investor at Summit Partners focused primarily on the technology sector. Her investment experience includes CoderPad. Prior to Summit, Roma worked at Citigroup, most recently in the technology investment banking team and previously as an equity capital markets analyst.

Roma holds a BS in finance and a BA in human rights, summa cum laude, from the University of Connecticut.

Roma Romaniv is doing things WerthWatching:

  • Roma is a rock star mentor, giving back to the UConn Consulting Group, of which she is an alumna, and Hillside Ventures
  • As a senior, Roma served as a manager with the Student Managed Fund where she oversaw a fund of over $2 million and had the opportunity to value and analyze multiple companies, skills she took to Citigroup following graduation
  • Fun fact – Roma is trilingual, speaking English, Ukrainian and Russian

How did you become interested in working as an investor?

I was always interested in how finance worked. I think that was the starting point – taking business courses, joining clubs and learning more about the world of investing. It was not something I knew much about growing up, so I wanted to learn and really understand it. After working at Citi and getting even more exposure to equity investing, I knew it was something I wanted to do.  

What role does entrepreneurship play in your career? 

I speak with company founders every day in my current role. I have a strong appreciation for entrepreneurs – their drive, work ethic and creativity. 

Can you describe a time you took a risk? Did it pay off? If not, what lesson did you learn?

I decided to move to the west coast because I wanted to focus on technology in my career. All of my family and friends at the time were in the NY/CT area. I love living in SF and this move ended up leading to my current role. 

How did UConn prepare you for where you’re at today? UConn gave me the building blocks for a lot of the work I do today. The classes, especially accounting, were critical. SMF, UCG and other groups helped me prepare technically for a lot of work that I do. The UConn Alumni network has also been key. 

Tell us about your continued involvement with UConn. Why is it important to give back as a mentor? 

I really enjoy speaking with students and being available to give them advice, opportunity ideas or just listen. I participated in the Werth Mentoring program, am a mentor in the UConn Consulting Group and was an advisor for one of their recent projects. I also act as a mentor/advisory member for Hillside Ventures. I went to an insurtech conference for work and got to meet some UConn students in person – it was great to see them get this experiential learning! 

Describe a professional moment you are most proud of, and why? 

Pitching at a client meeting – it was still very early on in my career, and I had the opportunity to travel with seniors and meet potential IPO clients in person. I was proud that my managers trusted to put me in front of the client.  

Which business tool or resource do you recommend to others, and why?

Excel! (Just kidding that’s a joke). I am a big fan of videos and guides that teach you how to do things. Example (Ezra Okon – UConn alum) has YouTube videos on financial modeling that walk you through every step. Also, LinkedIn has been very important in my current role in building relationships with companies and founders.  

What’s your favorite UConn memory?

Cornell Stock pitch competition – we drove up to Boston. 

What are you passionate about outside of work?

Passionate about human rights/ESG improvement efforts/international relations. I am also a big fiction reader. 

Jamison Yaffa, ’14 (CLAS)

Jamison Yaffa

Co-Founder & Portfolio Manager, 6Beacon Capital

Jamison Yaffa ’14 is a co-founder and portfolio manager at 6Beacon Capital, based in Boston, MA. He previously spent time at Crestline Investors and Balyasny Asset Management. Jamison started his career as an Investment Banking Analyst at UBS. He graduated from UConn in 2014 with a B.A. in Economics and a minor in Real Estate Finance. While at UConn, he was an active member in many student organizations including the Kappa Sigma Fraternity, Real Estate Society and intramural sports. He is an avid UConn basketball fan. Outside of work, he enjoys golf, skiing, and fishing.

Jamison Yaffa is doing things WerthWatching:

  • Launched 6Beacon Capital investment management fund at the end of 2021
  • Helps current Huskies find their career path as a mentor in the NetWerx program

What sparked your interest in a career in finance?
I always enjoyed working in fast paced, constantly changing environments and working with people from varying backgrounds and perspectives. 
I found interest in working with companies as they grow and fund their business.

Why is entrepreneurship and innovation important to you? 
Constantly bettering myself and hard work have always been important to me, personally and professionally – entrepreneurship allows you to directly see the results of the work put in.

Can you describe a time you took a risk? Did it pay off? If not, what lesson did you learn?
Launching our fund at the end of last year. Going from a large, established firm with robust infrastructure to a small start-up team has been a tremendous learning experience. Although early days, it has already paid off from a personal development perspective. 

How did UConn prepare you for where you’re at today? 
The networking and alumni base I was exposed to while at UConn allowed me to truly refine my interests and equipped me with the skillset to be successful in this industry.

Tell us a little about your continued involvement with UConn. Why is it important to give back as a mentor? 
Mentors and alumni I met during my time at UConn were critical in shaping my path post graduating. Being a mentor allows me to give back and help guide undergraduate students as they realize their career ambitions.  

Which business tool or resource do you recommend to others, and why? 
The best resource is people in your industry of interest and your peers. Gaining knowledge and varying perspectives is the best way to prepare you for success, particularly at the start of your career. 

What’s your favorite UConn memory?
Watching the (multiple) basketball championships on campus. 

What are you passionate about outside of work?
Activities with friends such as golfing, skiing, and fishing. I also enjoy reading and listening to podcasts.