Senior Advisor
Yolanda M. Wardowski
Yolanda has a multi-disciplinary expertise in transforming and scaling successful platforms with combined investment banking, operating and entrepreneurial experience. With over 15 years of advisory, execution and investing experience, Yolanda has been directly involved in the origination and execution of several billion dollars worth of domestic and cross-border financing and strategic M&A transactions across various Consumer and Technology sectors. Her career began at J.P. Morgan as an M&A execution banker, completing domestic and cross-border transactions. She was also one of four J.P. Morgan professionals selected to join the Investment Bank’s internal M&A group, where she advised Corporate Office and the Board of Directors on potential acquisitions and investments in foreign banks. As well, Yolanda has held senior positions at Ernst & Young Capital Advisors and 94th Street Capital developing and executing financing strategies for portfolio companies.
Yolanda has a passion for growing and scaling companies. Since 2000, she has been actively involved with early stage companies advising entrepreneurs and management teams with their scaling and fundraising strategies and positioning these startups for a successful financing round. She is Lead Advisor with the Canadian Tech Accelerator (CTA) and most recently the NYC Retail Tech Bootcamp. She is an advisor and mentor to entrepreneurs through Lazaridis Institute Scale Up, Astia, Springboard's NYC Fashion Tech Lab, XRC Labs and McGill Dobson School of Entrepreneurship. She was a Founding Member and Advisor to FIT Design Entrepreneurs and Fashinvest. Yolanda is an Advisory Board Member for the Fashion Institute of Technology's Graduate Global Fashion Management School, ASTIA NY Advisory Council and Quebec Government 80|80 Business Advisory Council.
Yolanda graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.