The FBV Editorial Think Tank is a group of mutual fund independent directors, fund industry lawyers, and other fund governance professionals who work with the FBV editorial team to ensure coverage is meeting the needs of the fund board community. Think Tank members and FBV staff discuss trends and potential areas of coverage, and members are available to provide feedback to the editorial staff on an ongoing basis.
Rajib Chanda
Global Head of Asset Management, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
Rajib Chanda is the global head of asset management and a member of the executive committee at Simpson Thacher & Barlett LLP. He leads the firm’s Registered Funds practice and is co-managing partner of the Washington, D.C., office, and he previously led the firm’s Partner Development, Hiring, and Inclusion committees. Rajib helps asset management firms design, develop, and structure investment products; advises firms on M&A and joint venture transactions in the asset management industry; and represents numerous leading asset management firms.
Chris Cheesman
Independent Director and Audit Committee Chairwoman, American Century Funds
Chris Cheesman is an independent director and chairwoman of the audit committee for the Kansas City board of American Century Funds, which she joined in 2019. She served on the board of directors of Alleghany Corporation from September 2021 to October 2022, and her corporate board experience includes investment valuation oversight, assessing acquisition takeover offers, navigating leadership changes, and advising on complex corporate strategy and industry matters. Prior to her board appointments, Chris retired from her role as chief audit executive at AllianceBernstein. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), an audit committee financial expert, a graduate of Harvard Business School's Women on Boards Program, and a member of Women Executives on Boards. She earned The DCRO Institute Certificate in Cyber Risk Management, was a member of the 2025 MFDF Risk Management Oversight Working Group, and is featured in the book “The Courage to Advance: Real Life Resilience from the World’s Most Successful Women in Business.”
Nathan Greene
Partner, Sidley Austin LLP
Nathan Greene is a partner in Sidley Austin's Investment Funds practice in New York. He has extensive experience advising on all aspects of fund and investment advisory operations, and his practice includes representing U.S. and foreign investment companies, advisers and trustees; SEC registration, exemptions, inspections, and investigations for funds and advisers; board and governance matters; and high-profile corporate transactions involving asset management businesses. Nathan also counsels funds and financial institutions on regulatory considerations around emerging technologies like blockchain, big data, and artificial intelligence.
Theresa Hamacher
Independent Chair, Morningstar Funds
Theresa Hamacher is the independent chair of the Morningstar Funds board, which she assembled ahead of Morningstar Investment Management’s mid-2018 launch of its fund family. She is the president of Versanture Consulting, which she founded in 2015, and the author of two books, “The Fund Industry: How Your Money is Managed” and “The Pocket Idiot’s Guide to Investing in Stocks.” Previously, Theresa was president of NICSA from 2008 to 2015, and before that she held the roles of analyst, portfolio manager, and CIO at Prudential Mutual Funds and Pioneer Investment Management USA. Theresa served on the board of the Calamos Mutual Funds from July 2015 to September 2017.
Hassell McClellan
Independent Chairman, John Hancock Funds
Hassell McClellan has been an independent director for John Hancock Funds since 2001 and has served as chairman since 2017. He has been a trustee of the Berklee College of Music since 2022 and was an independent director of Virtus Funds from 2008 to 2020. Hassell began his career in banking at Harris Trust in Chicago but spent much of his career in academia. He was a member of the faculty at Harvard Business School from 1976 to 1980 and joined the faculty of The Wallace E. Carroll School of Management at Boston College in 1984, where he was an associate professor until 2013 and graduate dean from 1996 to 2000. Hassell is the author of the book “Managing One-Bank Holding Companies.”
Dave Mertens
Independent Chairman, Advisors Series Trust
Dave Mertens joined the board of Advisors Series Trust, a U.S. Bank-sponsored series trust, in March 2017 and was named independent chairman in October 2023. He currently is responsible for investor relations for Hunter Capital Management, a privately held investment advisory firm, and previously was a managing director and vice president of Jensen Investment Management from 2002 to 2017.
Paulita Pike
Managing Partner, Ropes & Gray
Paulita Pike is managing partner of Ropes & Gray’s Chicago office and a partner in the firm’s asset management group. She represents every type of registered product, including open- and closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, funds of hedge funds, and funds investing in private equity. Her work with investment advisers often involves structuring innovative investment products and navigating the regulatory and compliance hurdles associated with bringing these products to market. Paulita’s advice spans the full range of registered investment vehicles on everything from M&A and registration questions to investigations and cybersecurity. She also counsels boards of directors on all aspects of governance, regulatory risks, industry trends, and insurance matters. Paulita teaches courses in mutual fund regulation at Notre Dame Law School and Northwestern Pritzker School of Law.
Tom Seip
Independent Chairman, Neuberger Berman Funds
Tom Seip has been independent chairman of Neuberger Berman Funds since 2008 after joining the board in 2000 and serving as lead independent director from 2006 to 2008. He was the managing member of private investment vehicle Ridgefield Fram LLC from 2004 to 2016 and earlier served as a senior executive of The Charles Schwab Corp. from 1983 to 1998—including as CEO of Charles Schwab Investment Management, a trustee of the Schwab Family of Funds and Schwab Investments, and an executive vice president of retail brokerage at Charles Schwab & Co. Tom has been a trustee of the University of Maryland Shore Regional Health System since 2020 and previously served on corporate and healthcare-related boards.
Sara Yerkey
Partner, Management Practice
Sara Yerkey has worked for Management Practice since 2007, leading the firm’s 15(c) practice and focusing on the areas of mutual fund governance, contract renewal, and profitability analysis. She began her career in Standard & Poor’s financial analysis and product sector, shifting in 2001 into the mutual fund industry at Janus Capital Group in the firm’s corporate finance division and ultimately becoming director of financial analysis and strategy.