Meet the Team

Nadeem Syed is a General Partner and sits on the Investment Committee at Juvo Ventures. He also serves as the CFO of Western Governors University, the nation’s largest online, competency based University, since June 2021. In this role Nadeem leads all aspects of financial strategy and management at the nonprofit university system. Nadeem’s focus is on fostering learner-centered education models that deliver high-value education at low cost to the broadest population of learners, underpinned by sustainable economics and disruptive innovations that structurally lower cost of learning delivery.

Prior to WGU, Nadeem spent 11 years with AT&T. During his tenure at AT&T Nadeem held diverse leadership positions across finance, pricing, analytics, and business development spanning telecom, media, and advertising sectors. Nadeem was head of consumer wireline finance and led product, corporate development, and strategy finance for Xandr – AT&T’s advertising company. Nadeem was also a founding member of AT&T Partner Exchange—a startup business within the company—and was instrumental in the launch of DirecTV Now streaming service. Prior to AT&T, Nadeem co-founded a medical imaging start-up in Singapore, led software R&D at Hewlett-Packard, and conducted machine learning research, publishing several peer-reviewed articles. 

Nadeem grew up in India and obtained a B.S. in Computer Science from National University of Singapore as a recipient of Singapore Airlines Scholarship from the Government of Singapore. He later earned an M.S. in Computer Science and an MBA, both from Georgia Tech.  

Outside of work Nadeem loves to spend time with his wife and three daughters and tries to stay current on the industry, business and technology trends.

Scott Pulsipher is a General Partner and sits on the Investment Committee at Juvo Ventures. He also serves as President of Western Governors University, the nation’s premier nonprofit competency-based university. Since April 2016, Scott has led all academic, operational, and organizational functions. He cultivates a student-first environment by using technology and data to improve learning outcomes, graduation rates, employment, and overall student wellbeing.  
 
Prior to joining WGU, Scott led several technology-based, customer-focused businesses, and two successful startups that traversed retail, supply chain, banking, payments, and manufacturing sectors.  

He currently serves on multiple higher education and technology boards, including the following: Education Co-Chair for Committee for Economic Development, advisory board member of the Presidents Forum, member of the Executive Committee on the Taskforce on Higher Education and Opportunity, and board member of the American Council on Education.  

Scott holds an MBA from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree in Management from Brigham Young University.  

Sean K. Brown is the Managing Director of Juvo Ventures. He has assisted in standing up Juvo’s inaugural fund, which has now invested in 21 portfolio companies (https://juvovc.com/portfolio/). 

Sean oversees the management of the fund and reports directly to the General Partnership. 

Sean has a J.D. from the J. Reuben Clark School of Law and is a licensed Utah attorney. He volunteers with the Utah Minority Bar Association, Lone Peak High School Football, as well as local youth groups.  Sean loves to support his kids in anything they are passionate about, and as a result has often found himself on different types of sports fields volunteering as a parent coach. 

Alex Geren is an Analyst at Juvo Ventures. Prior to joining Juvo Ventures, Alex worked at Goldman Sachs as an Associate in the Corporate Treasury Division, focusing on liquidity forecasting. Before Goldman Sachs Alex completed various internships across the financial services industry. Alex graduated from the University of Utah and earned his Master of Science in Finance.

Alex enjoys mountain biking, rock climbing and hiking in his free time.

Alex Hernandez is an Analyst at Juvo Ventures focused on deal sourcing, portfolio assistance, and market research. 

Alex graduated in 2021 from the University of Chicago where he majored in Economics. While there, he worked multiple internships spanning multiple industries—from government to trading to startups. And as the only undergrad co-founder within UChicago’s premier startup accelerator, Alex co-founded and sold an aerospace startup focused on increasing the communication capabilities between satellite operators.

In his spare time, he is an avid chess enthusiast. 

Andrea Call is a staff attorney for the General Partnership and its affiliate Juvo Venture Fund, LP. In her role providing legal support, Andrea focuses on performing legal diligence, drafting and negotiating investment documents, and providing counsel on corporate and securities law. Andrea formerly practiced as an associate attorney at Kunzler Bean & Adamson and Jones Waldo Holbrook & McDonough and has experience representing clients in commercial litigation and commercial real estate transactions.

Andrea graduated summa cum laude from the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University, where she was a senior editor of BYU Law Review. Immediately after law school, Andrea completed a two-year term as a law clerk to the Honorable Susan R. Bolton in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona.

When Andrea is not managing legal matters, she enjoys reading, spending time with her family, and teaching her dog new tricks.

Ben Shaw is the Controller for the General Partnership and its affiliate Juvo Venture Fund, LP.  He joined in 2019 after sixteen years in public accounting with both national and local firms. Ben’s experience includes financial reporting and accounting matters with public companies, not-for-profit organizations, software and technology companies (including SaaS), and other distribution and service companies. Ben’s role is to ensure accurate and timely monthly and year-end reporting of financial information, and he works closely with the fund’s third-party administrator, Cornerstone. 

Ben graduated from Arizona State University with a master’s degree in Accountancy and Information Systems and a B.S. in Accounting. He has been a licensed CPA since 2004 and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. 

Camille Elsbecker is the Administrative Assistant for Juvo Ventures. She brings with her fourteen-plus years of experience as an administrative assistant. A caretaker by nature, Camille has a passion for this role. She likes to say she “doesn’t want to be the star but wants to make sure the star looks good.”

Camille previously served as an administrative associate at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and business manager at Texas Tech University. 

In her time away from the office, she enjoys being outside as much as possible, spending time with friends and her grown sons, and watching sports, especially college football.

Crystal McFarland is the Director of People & Talent (HR) for the General Partnership and its affiliate Juvo Venture Fund, LP. Her team supports the complete employee life cycle, including talent attraction, recruitment, onboarding, development, and retention.    

Crystal started her career in over eighteen years ago as a talent acquisition partner for Intermountain Healthcare in Salt Lake City, Utah. Crystal has held various leadership and HR roles in dental products manufacturing, healthcare, and higher education. 

Crystal loves to travel. She has a deep passion for learning and mentoring others and volunteers her time to those in need.

Curt DeFriez is the Vice President of Accounting and Financial Operations for the General Partnership and its affiliate Juvo Venture Fund, LP. His team supports general accounting, cash management, and payroll services.

Curt started his career over thirty years ago as a CPA for Price Waterhouse and has held a variety of senior financial leadership roles for both public and private companies. These institutions spanned a range of industries including manufacturing, hardware and software technology, medical publishing, nuclear waste disposal, and higher education.

Curt enjoys traveling, hiking, birdwatching, and sailing.

Heather Jacques is an Assistant General Counsel supporting the General Partnership and its affiliate Juvo Venture Fund, LP. In her role providing legal support, Heather focuses on performing legal diligence, drafting and negotiating investment documents, and providing counsel on corporate and securities law and compliance.

Heather graduated from the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University, where she was a senior editor of BYU Law Review. Before her current role, she interned at the international firm Baker & McKenzie and conducted research for an international law professor at Oxford University. She has also been published by Oxford University on international law topics. Most recently, she has assisted with large-scale corporate governance issues, reviewed and drafted operational and licensing agreements, and taken the lead in developing and implementing legal compliance programs.

When Heather is not assisting with legal matters, she enjoys skiing and otherwise being outdoors with her kids, reading, and finding (and eating) the best chocolates.

Khris Jensen is the Director of Finance for the General Partnership and its affiliate Juvo Venture Fund, LP. Khris and his team manage financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and other FP&A responsibilities.

After graduating with his MBA, Khris worked in finance and accounting roles in the retail and marketing industries and also provided CFO and controller consulting services.

Khris is a Certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt. He is passionate about working within set boundaries even when provided limited resources to accomplish the mission of the operation.

Paul Zinn is the Business Information Security Partner for the General Partnership and its affiliate Juvo Venture Fund, LP. His team supports information and cybersecurity.

Paul has worked in the information technology industry over twenty-five years. For the last ten years, he has focused on the information security space across industries ranging from telecommunications to insurance to education.

Paul enjoys skiing, hiking, camping—basically, any mountain or forest activity.