| Niels Holch (Partner, Holch & Erickson LLP) Niels Holch is a partner in the Washington, D.C. law firm of Holch & Erickson LLP.In his private practice, he represents clients on a wide range of issues before the U.S. Congress and various Federal administrative agencies. Prior to founding Holch & Erickson LLP and a predecessor law firm, McGuiness & Holch, Mr. Holch served as Chief of Staff and Legislative Director for U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), currently the Senate Republican Leader. Mr. Holch is also active in various nonprofit coalitions and organizations, currently serving as the Executive Director of the Shareholder Communications Coalition (Washington, D.C.), and as a Board Trustee of the Luminis Health System (Annapolis, MD).
Mr. Holch graduated magna cum laude from Ohio Wesleyan University, receiving a B.A. in Economics and Psychology. He received his J.D., cum laude, from the Georgetown University Law Center. Mr. Holch is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia. He and his family live in Annapolis, Maryland. Ted Allen (VP, Policy & Advocacy, Society for Corporate Governance) Ted Allen joined the Society for Corporate Governance in May 2021, where he leads the Society’s policy and advocacy efforts. From 2012 to May 2021, he worked at the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI), where he managed NIRI’s advocacy initiatives, publications, and communications. Allen oversaw the creation of NIRI’s Investor Relations Body of Knowledge book and policy statements on corporate disclosure, ESG, and earnings guidance. From 2004 to 2012, Allen served as Governance Counsel and Director of Publications at Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS). Before ISS, he practiced law as an associate with Proskauer Rose and Semmes, Bowen & Semmes. He also worked as a journalist for Bloomberg News, The Deal.com, and newspapers in Florida and North Carolina. Allen earned his law degree (with honors) from Georgetown University in 1995 and majored in public policy at Duke University, where he graduated in 1988. He is admitted to practice law in the state of Maryland. Moderator: Laura Guerrant-Oiye, Chair Advocacy Committee, NIRI VC / VP IR & Corp. Comm., Pattern Computer, Inc. Laura Guerrant is a senior investor relations practitioner with over 25 years of experience in the design and implementation of successful IR programs. She has advised clients in a wide variety of industries including artificial intelligence, technology, healthcare, biotech, consumer products, REITS and financial services; and has deep experience in crisis communications and transactional communications, including IPOs, M&A, proxy fights and secondary equity and debt offerings. Laura was recently appointed Vice President IR & Corp. Comm. for Pattern Computer, Inc., a start-up in the AI/ML industry. She previously served as Vice President IR & Corp. Comm. for Aspen Aerogels, Inc. (NYSE:ASPN), a company in the EV battery space, where she was also appointed Vice Chair for the company's newly launched ESG initiatives. In addition, she served as IR Manager for semiconductor capital equipment company Asyst Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:ASYT). For 20+ years, Laura was the owner and principal of Guerrant Associates, an investor relations and corporate communications firm, providing financial communications, investor relations, financial media relations and strategic counsel to publicly held and pre-public companies. The firm offered a range of services from financial communications & corporate counseling to full-service IR programs.
Laura resides with her husband and three golden retrievers in Anchorage, AK, where she can be found in her limited spare time fishing and photographing the Northern Lights and Grizzly Bears. |