Our Team

Managing Partner

Conrad Metz is focused on capital raising, M&A, and strategic financings. 

He leads Structured Finance LLC, a Registered Investment Adviser and subsidiary of KCC, providing investment advisory services and managing thematic funds and SPVs. With over 20 years in global finance, Conrad partners with leading investors worldwide to deliver growth capital and innovative deal structures. Mr. Metz earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in finace and economics from Colorado State University. 

Managing Partner

Cameron Cole brings over eight years of experience as an equities and digital currency trader in New York before transitioning into investment banking with STS Capital in 2023. He previously served as Head of Investor Relations at Hemostemix, a publicly traded biotechnology company, and as Project Manager at Alt 5 Sigma, a cryptocurrency startup later acquired and listed on the NYSE. Mr. Cole earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University, Fullerton, in 2016.

Chief Operating Officer

Melissa Barall, CFA is an experienced financial services professional with a background spanning investment banking, venture capital, trading, private credit, and private equity. She has held roles at Wells Fargo Securities, Global Endowment Management, and SLR Capital Partners, and more recently has been active as a Venture Partner at and Advisor to several funds. She is also a Techstars mentor and a mentor to early and late stage companies. Ms. Barall earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Policy, Political Science, and Economics from St. Mary’s College of Maryland, where she also minored in Mathematics.

Managing Partner 

Katherine Owens is a seasoned entrepreneur and investor with over 15 years of experience spanning investment banking, real estate, and entertainment finance. She is a Managing Partner at KCC Capital Partners, a full-service investment bank powered by Donna AI, where she works closely with family offices across industries including sports, technology, digital assets, and brand integration in film and television. In addition to her investment banking work, Katherine is a licensed real estate agent in California and a long-time crypto and decentralized finance enthusiast. She is an alumna of UCLA where she studied  Business & the Arts.

Strategic Advisor

Kevin J. Ernst brings over 25 years of capital markets and corporate advisory experience, having held senior positions at Merrill Lynch, UBS, NYSE Amex, and the New York Stock Exchange. He currently serves as Chief Investment Officer of a family office and Managing Director at Kingswood U.S., following prior leadership roles as Managing Partner at Ocean Capital and Senior Managing Director of Ernst Capital Partners. Mr. Ernst also sits on the board of the Critical Minerals Institute. He holds an Executive MBA in Finance from Rutgers Business School, an M.S. in Real Estate from New York University, and a B.A. in Economics from Rutgers University-New Brunswick.

Head of Data

Hemant Velidi is the head of data at KCC Capital Partners, where he leads proprietary data-driven deal sourcing initiatives and directs marketing strategy to strengthen the firm’s presence and outreach. He collaborates closely with the investment team to optimize evaluation processes and supports strategic decision-making across sourcing and communications.

He brings prior experience in private equity an  investment banking, having contributed to transactions across healthcare, aerospace & defense, and technology.

Hemant is pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Business at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, where he studies Economic Consulting and Business Analytics.

Investment Banker

Anthony DeVoney is an associate at KCC Capital Partners, where he supports financial analysis, deal execution, and strategic initiatives across the firm’s investment activities. He works closely with the team to prepare transaction materials, evaluate opportunities, and contribute to client-focused solutions.
He brings prior experience in private equity and commercial real estate, with exposure to international energy projects and domestic real estate transactions. Anthony is pursuing his Bachelor of Business Administration at the University of Florida, where he studies Business Administration and Management.

Project Manager 

Benjamin Bessert is a project manager at KCC Capital Partners, where he supports the investment team with financial analysis, transaction execution, and research across a range of industries. He contributes to the firm’s deal evaluation process by applying skills in financial modeling, forecasting, and corporate analysis.

He brings prior experience as a Senior Research Analyst at Unfiltered Finance and as a Finance Intern at PROFIL®, where he worked on sales forecasting and transfer pricing analysis.

Benjamin is pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Finance and Business Analytics at Miami University, where he continues to build his foundation in investment banking and strategic analysis.

Project Manager 

Eric Liao is an Investment Banking Intern at KCC Capital Partners, where he supports the investment team with research, analysis, and transaction execution. He previously served as a Market Research and Development Intern at Chefactory Cooking Academy in Florence, Italy, where he worked on expansion initiatives and business development strategy.

Eric is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Economics at the University of Minnesota, with academic and professional interests in data analysis, market research, and financial strategy.

Data Science Manager

Karthikeyan Sugavanan leads the Data Science team at KCC Capital Partners, where he spearheaded the development of Donna AI. He brings specialized expertise in machine learning, natural language processing, and cloud-based data infrastructure to drive AI innovation in financial solutions.

Currently, Karthikeyan is pursuing his Master of Science in Data Science at Northeastern University, building on a strong foundation from his Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science from Vellore Institute of Technology. His research has been published in IEEE journals, and he has a proven track record of building production-grade AI systems that deliver measurable business impact. He specializes in deep learning, transformer models, and scalable data engineering, and is passionate about solving complex problems and building high-performing data science teams.

Project Manager

 Evelyn Lin is an Investment Banking Project Manager at KCC Capital Partners, where she supports the investment team with financial analysis, transaction execution, and research across diverse sectors. She contributes to the firm's deal evaluation process by applying her financial modeling skills and producing targeted buyer analyses to support deal team strategies. She brings prior experience in Private Equity and Financial Advisory, where she executed buy-side sourcing initiatives, led targeted outreach to C-level executives, and conducted financial due diligence. Evelyn is pursuing a Master of Science in Finance at the University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business, where she continues to build her foundation in financial modeling and investment analysis. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from National Sun Yat-Sen University in Taiwan.

Project Manager

 Sherry Zhu is the Product Manager at KCC Capital, where she leads cross-functional initiatives across deal sourcing, team operations, and strategic planning. She brings experience in data analytics, product development, and market research from roles in tech, finance, and nonprofit organizations. Sherry is pursuing a Master in Business Analytics from the USC Marshall and she holds Bachelor degree from UC Irvine. She is passionate about building data-driven, scalable processes that strengthen team performance and deal execution.