Speakers and Biographies

Keynote Speaker

Hester M. Peirce was appointed by President Donald J. Trump to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and was sworn in on January 11, 2018.

Prior to joining the SEC, Commissioner Peirce conducted research on the regulation of financial markets at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. She was a Senior Counsel on the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, where she advised Ranking Member Richard Shelby and other members of the Committee on securities issues. Commissioner Peirce served as counsel to SEC Commissioner Paul S. Atkins. She also worked as a Staff Attorney in the SEC’s Division of Investment Management. Commissioner Peirce was an associate at Wilmer, Cutler & Pickering (now WilmerHale) and clerked for Judge Roger Andewelt on the Court of Federal Claims.

Commissioner Peirce earned her bachelor’s degree in Economics from Case Western Reserve University and her JD from Yale Law School.

Doug Aragones is a Senior Vice President with Citadel Securities. In this role, he is responsible for managing relationships with Citadel Execution Services (CES) customers across the Retail Market Making, Algorithmic Trading, and Single Dealer Platform (Citadel Connect) businesses. He also serves as a member of the Citadel Securities Best Execution working group. Prior to joining Citadel Securities in 2020, his previous experience includes roles as a Director within Electronic Trading at UBS Securities and in Business Development at Nasdaq. He serves as a member on the Dallas Securities Traders Association (DSTA) board of directors. Doug earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Stony Brook University.

Giang Bui is Head of U.S. Equities & Exchange-Traded Products (ETP) at Nasdaq. She is responsible for developing and executing the growth and strategic vision of Nasdaq’s ETP business, the three equities exchanges operated by Nasdaq: The Nasdaq Stock Market, Nasdaq BX, Nasdaq PSX, and the Nasdaq over-the-counter Trade Reporting Facility.

Prior to joining Nasdaq, she was a Director of Listings at Cboe Global Markets, where she was focused on ETF business development, liquidity programs, and strategic initiatives. Before her role at Cboe, Giang played a crucial role in developing and marketing new indexes at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). She began her career as a business analyst for NYSE’s global index and exchange-traded products group.

Giang serves as a board member on the ETF.com Editorial Advisory Board.

Nicole brings nearly 17 years of extensive experience collaborating with public and private companies across the United States. Previously, she served as senior managing director, listings at Nasdaq. In that capacity, Nicole played a pivotal role in driving the growth and development of Nasdaq’s listings and services, forging strategic partnerships throughout every stage of the capital markets lifecycle. Nicole is a graduate of Southern Methodist University.

Cromwell Coulson runs the OTC Markets Group, where about 12,000 over-the-counter securities trade. The job has made him a scholar of financial regulation, especially the deep-in-the-weeds SEC (and self-regulator FINRA) rules governing broker-dealers and secondary markets.

Erin Diegel serves as a relationship manager and consultant to enterprise and mega RIAs in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Kansas. She works closely with BlackRock’s specialists and consultants to help her clients leverage the firm’s technology and expertise to build better portfolios, grow their businesses and stay ahead of industry trends. She is active within BLK’s Families & Allies Network, which provides educational and professional forums for employees to share resources and experiences, and to provide guidance and encouragement in balancing work and family lives.

In addition to her responsibilities at BlackRock, Erin is a Marketing Co-Chair for the Women in ETFs South Chapter. Erin has been in the investment management industry almost twenty years, working for Edward Jones, Jackson National and Vanguard prior to her role at BlackRock. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri in 2009 and holds CIMA and CLU designations.

Peter Eliades is Managing Director, Electronic Trading at Clear Street, a diversified financial services firm replacing the legacy infrastructure used across capital markets. Peter has 25 years of experience building world-class execution teams at J.P. Morgan and Wells Fargo, where he was Head of Electronic Sales and Trading. Most recently, he was Global Head of Distribution at Floating Point Group, a cryptocurrency trading platform. At Clear Street, Peter leads the execution team to source liquidity, and service clients across high- and low-touch execution, equity, ultra-low latency, algorithmic, direct market access, and options.

Mike Hansen is Chief Clearing and Settlement Services Officer and Dallas Site Leader at OCC, the world’s largest equity derivatives clearing organization.

In this role, Mike is responsible for OCC’s day-to-day clearance and settlement functions and oversees the Collateral Services, Technical Certification and Documentation Services, Corporate Actions and Market Operations functions. As Dallas Site Leader, he manages approximately 250 colleagues in OCC’s Dallas office. Previously, he served as Managing Director, Clearing and Settlement Operations. Mr. Hansen has more than 20 years of options industry experience and has served in various roles throughout his tenure at OCC, including in back office processing, pricing and member services. Mr. Hansen first joined OCC in 2004 as an Investor Services representative.

Prior to joining OCC, Mr. Hansen worked on the Cboe trading floor; first with Timber Hill LLC and then Everest Trading LLC as a market-maker.

Mr. Hansen serves as a member director on the Dallas Regional Chamber and the Metrocrest Services boards of directors. He completed the Securities Industry Institute program at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Jeb is a renowned economic policy expert who served in the U.S. Congress for eight terms representing the 5th District of Texas, including three terms as Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee. As Chairman, Jeb shepherded more than 80 bills into law, including the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act, widely recognized as the most important pro-growth banking bill in a generation, as well as the JOBS 2.0 legislation, which helps startups and early growth companies access capital. During his congressional career, Jeb was chosen to serve in other key leadership positions including Conference Chairman and Co-Chairman of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction. Additionally, he served on the Congressional Oversight Panel for TARP, the $700 billion troubled asset purchase program set up in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. Most recently, Jeb served as managing director and executive vice chairman of UBS Americas. Jeb earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Texas A&M University and a JD from the University of Texas.

Lane Kasselman is the President of Blockchain.com, where he has transformed the startup unicorn into a fast-growing multinational business. Kasselman has spent over two decades consulting on business strategy, public policy, crisis management and communications, running communications and public affairs for Uber, AT&T, The Messina Group and his own firm, Greenbrier. He began his career in politics, working for two California Governors, and later in communications for then-Senator Hillary Clinton’s Exploratory Committee for President. An avid startup advisor and investor, Kasselman holds degrees from California State University, Sacramento and Golden Gate University School of Law.

Mr. Kay leads Virtu’s global broker dealer client relationship management and sales efforts and oversees sales for the firm’s electronic services. Virtu uses advanced technology and transparency to deliver liquidity to the global capital markets and help clients pursue best execution in a scalable, efficient and data-driven manner.

Partnering with broker dealers of all sizes across the globe, Mr. Kay and team seek to customize Virtu’s award-winning products and services to fit their client’s wide-ranging needs. Stephen offers an extensive background in multi-asset class execution, global market structure, execution management systems, algorithmic trading technology, smart-routing, trade analytics and the other global trading solutions Virtu offers.

Mr. Kay joined Knight Capital (also known as KCG Holdings, Inc.) in 2005 before it was acquired by Virtu Financial in 2017. He has over 25 years of experience in the wholesale equity market making segment and prior experience includes roles at equity market-making and NYSE specialist firms, as well as five years as an active trader.

Mr. Kay holds an MBA from New York University and a BSc from Washington University, St. Louis. He served as President of the Security Traders Association of New York in 2007 and 2011.

He is also an avid Phillies baseball team fan.

Vlad Khandros is the CEO of OneChronos Markets. OneChronos leverages technology to design and operate markets that grow the gross world product by facilitating trade, with an initial focus on US equity trading. Vlad has accelerated the digitization of financial markets across asset classes, regions, and business lines. Vlad has founded, fundraised, and secured exits as a board member, investor, and employee for numerous companies. Vlad advises several organizations developing transformative technology, as well as non-profits. He has received multiple awards for his leadership, civic service, and contributions to market structure and trading technology.

Krista Lynch is a Senior Vice President on Grayscale’s ETF team, where she leads ETF Capital Markets. Krista works with Authorized Participants, ETF market makers, and digital asset liquidity providers to ensure the healthy trading of Grayscale’s ETFs and to grow the surrounding ecosystem. Prior to joining Grayscale, Krista was a Vice President at BlackRock, where she managed daily primary market trading for iShares fixed income ETFs. Krista first became interested in ETFs during her time at Goldman Sachs, where she gained exposure to the mechanics of the product while supporting the credit index business. Krista earned her BSBA in Finance and Accounting from the University of Miami.

Ylan Mui is a managing director at Penta Group, where she specializes in public affairs and crisis communications for financial services clients. Before joining Penta, she spent more than two decades as a journalist at top-tier news organizations. She was a senior correspondent at CNBC based in Washington and spent 14 years at The Washington Post, including as White House economic policy reporter. Her coverage spanned the Trump and Biden administrations, the Federal Reserve, the Great Recession and the 2008 global financial crisis. She also served as a weekend host of C-SPAN’s public affairs call-in show, Washington Journal.

Ylan has interviewed leading policymakers, such as former Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke, former Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, and former House Speaker Paul Ryan. She has reported from London, Athens, Italy, Brazil and Vietnam but began her career writing obituaries and answering phones at The Times-Picayune in New Orleans. She is a graduate of Loyola University, New Orleans.

Senator Tan Parker is a proven conservative leader, businessman, and dedicated public servant working to ensure Texas remains strong, free, and prosperous. After serving eight terms in the Texas House of Representatives where he quickly established himself as a driving force on key legislative priorities, he was elected to the Texas Senate in 2022, where he continues to lead efforts to safeguard Texas’ economy, security, and future innovation.

During the 89th Session of the Texas Legislature, Parker received several significant appointments, including Chair of the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission, overseeing state agency efficiency and accountability. He also serves as Co-Chair of the Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council, ensuring Texas leads in AI while upholding ethical integrity. As Co-Chair of the Senate Committees on Criminal Justice and Veterans Affairs, Parker is shaping policy to enhance public safety and support those who have served our nation. He also serves on the Education, State Affairs, and Natural Resources Committees, advancing policies that strengthen Texas for generations to come.

A strong Republican leader in both chambers, Parker is among the few who have successfully led both the Texas House Republican Caucus and the Texas Senate Republican Caucus. He also serves as Chair of the Texas-UK Caucus, Senate Chair of the Texas IT Caucus, and a national leader in shaping cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and financial market policy. His work includes advancing the creation and leadership of Texas Cyber Command, the newly-created Texas Stock Exchange, and fostering capital markets growth in Texas.

A businessman, entrepreneur, and investor, Parker brings firsthand experience in private equity, venture capital, and technology innovation. His expertise drives his commitment to eliminating regulatory burdens, expanding economic opportunity, and positioning Texas as the best place to do business, and several of his legislative accomplishments have become blueprint model policies for other states across the nation.

Parker is also the author of the book, Making Government Work, featuring prominent policy leaders and conservative voices, and highlighting the principles of leadership, accountability, and effective governance.

A proud graduate of the University of Dallas with a master’s degree from the London School of Economics, Parker and his wife, Beth, have been married for over 30 years and have two daughters, Lauren and Ashley. They reside in Flower Mound, a community they cherish through service and engagement.

Steve Quirk is Chief Brokerage Officer at Robinhood Markets. Prior to joining Robinhood, Steve oversaw the strategy and deployment of initiatives for Trading at TD Ameritrade. He also served as a member of the company’s Senior Operating Committee, which shaped the strategic focus of the organization. Steve focused on teaching the next generation of investors and championed the creation of the TD Ameritrade U program to bridge the gap between academia and reality. Prior to his role at TD Ameritrade, Steve was responsible for the development of new trading tools and technology enhancements for the Thinkorswim, Inc. trading platform. Steve holds a BBA in Risk/Insurance and Marketing from the University of Wisconsin. He also holds FINRA Series 4, 7, and 24 licenses and is an active Board Member of Cara Collective.

Kimberly Russell is a Vice President and Head of ETF Markets Advocacy at State Street Investment Management. She is responsible for market structure analysis, exchange-traded fund (ETF) advocacy, and business development with exchanges. She works closely with teams across State Street and market structure experts across fields to advocate for optimal market structure regulations and to educate on capital markets issues impacting ETF investors. Prior to joining State Street, Ms. Russell was a Director in Equities Electronic Trading at Barclays Capital Inc. She is a member of the Security Traders Association’s ETF Committee (Vice Chair in 2025) and Market Structure Analyst Committee, Nasdaq’s Institutional Traders Advisory Council (ITAC), Limit Up-Limit Down NMS Plan Advisory Committee, Investment Company Institute’s ETF Committee, and National Organization of Investment Professionals (NOIP). Ms. Russell holds the Certified ETF Advisor (CETF) designation with the ETF Institute and a Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University, where she competed in NCAA Division I Rowing and graduated with honors.

David Saltiel is the Senior Managing Director of Firmwide Strategy at TXSE Group Inc. Prior to joining TXSE Group Inc, David served as Acting Director of the Division of Trading and Markets (TM) at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), where he also held roles as Deputy Director of the Division and as an Associate Director overseeing TM’s Office of Analytics and Research. During nearly a decade at the SEC, he played a leading role in shaping regulatory policy across equity, fixed-income, Treasury, and derivatives markets, advancing initiatives to enhance transparency, promote competition, and strengthen investor protections. Earlier in his career, David served as the chief economist of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board and held senior roles at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, where he led advanced analytics and debt management strategy within the Bureau of the Fiscal Service. He also spent time at AREVA North America, where he directed strategic economic analysis in support of the company’s infrastructure and energy operations.

Jeff Starr is Managing Director and Head of Operational Services at Charles Schwab & Co, Inc.. He is responsible for overseeing the organization that handles all operational transactions for clients currently doing business with Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. and Charles Schwab Bank.

Before taking his current role, Starr led trading operations for the firm. His areas of focus included Equity, Options and Fixed Income capital markets trading, trading operations, margin services, security and market data platforms, and risk management. He also managed the Operations Control and Risk teams.

Prior to joining Schwab in 2010, Jeff served as Vice President of Investment Banking in the Financial Institutions Group at Credit Suisse, conducting mergers and acquisitions and capital raising for banks and insurance companies. Prior to joining Credit Suisse, Jeff served in the Financial Institutions Groups at both HSBC Securities and Lehman Brothers.

Jeff earned his Bachelor of Commerce degree from McGill University in Montreal, Canada and his Master of Business Administration from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. He is a CFA charter holder and has his Series 7, 24, 27, and 99 FINRA licenses.

Staci Sullivan is a Managing Director in Operational Services at Charles Schwab & Co. With over 25 years of Financial Services experience, Staci has acquired expertise in brokerage operations, retail and advisor client service, compliance, risk management and regulatory matters. Equally important are Staci’s 20 years of leadership experience and passion for engaging and developing high performing teams. With a continuous improvement mindset, Staci has driven many improvements in efficiency and service in collaboration with technology and key stakeholders.

Based in Westlake, TX with her husband and two children, Staci has obtained FINRA Series 7, 63, 24, 4, 3, 99 and 27 licenses and earned a Bachelor Degree in Business Finance from the University of Northern Iowa.

Jatin Suryawanshi is the Head of Global Quantitative Strategy at Jefferies. He has been with Jefferies since 2009 and is responsible for the bank’s Global Equity Algorithmic Trading product. His prior experience in the field of Electronic Trading includes being the Head of Algorithmic Trading, North Americas at UBS from 2006 to 2009 and also the Head Strategist at Goldman Sachs Algorithmic Trading (GSAT) team of which he was a member of from the year 2000 to 2006. He started his professional career as an FX trader at BNP Paribas from 1994 to 1999.

Jatin holds an M.B.A. (Finance) from the Indian Institute of Management and an M.S. (Financial Markets and Trading) from the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago.

Larry Tabb is the Director of Market Structure Research at Bloomberg, LLP. Currently Larry is writing as well as managing a team developing research and insight on financial markets infrastructure, technology, regulation, trading practices and industry issues.

Prior to joining Bloomberg in June 2020, Larry was the Research Chairman of TABB Group, the financial markets’ strategic advisory and research firm where he managed research and consulting for TABB Group. Mr. Tabb published on many aspects of the capital markets industry and has analyzed both US and European market structure; central clearing, credit default swaps, fixed income, equity and foreign exchange trading; financial markets trading and processing systems; analytical trading tools; cloud computing, and financial markets infrastructure.

Before founding TABB Group, Larry was vice president and founder of TowerGroup’s Securities & Investments practice. Prior to joining TowerGroup, he managed business analysis for Lehman Brothers’ Trading Services Division and he began his career managing various operations for the North American Investment Bank of Citibank.

Larry has testified in front of the US Senate Banking Committee, was on the SEC Fixed Income Market Structure Advisory Committee (FIMSAC), the CFTC Technology Advisory Committee (TAC) and has keynoted, spoken and moderated countless industry events. In 2022, Mr. Tabb received the Security Traders’ Association Dictum Meum Pactum (My Word Is My Bond) award for “those individuals who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the betterment of the financial services industry and have exhibited acts of integrity at the highest level.”

Jim Toes is the President and CEO of Security Traders Association (STA). In this role, Mr. Toes maintains STA’s relationship with U.S. regulators and congressional policymakers, advocating on behalf of the financial services industry. Mr. Toes has nearly 35 years of experience in the securities business, particularly within equity and options sales, trading, and clearing. Prior to joining STA, Mr. Toes was a Managing Director at Bank of America Merrill Lynch for 18 years, where he held various management positions, interacting with a broad range of clients including institutional and middle market asset managers, broker-dealers, and retail investors.

Kevin Tyrrell is Head of Markets at the New York Stock Exchange, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE).

Kevin leads the equity and options trading businesses for the NYSE Group, overseeing NYSE, NYSE Arca, NYSE American, NYSE National, and NYSE Texas. He previously served as Head of Equities and Head of Research at NYSE, where he focused on trading strategy, market structure analysis, and customer performance insights for NYSE’s transactions and listings businesses. Prior to NYSE, Kevin held senior roles at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, including Head of Quant Solutions Sales and Head of Execution Consulting for the electronic equities business. He also previously worked at UBS Investment Bank and Nasdaq. Kevin holds a B.A. from The George Washington University and an M.B.A. in Quantitative Finance from NYU Stern School of Business.

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