S5E1: Renae Griffin, Partner & Head of Investor Relations, Awani Capital

PEWIN executive director Emily Mendell introduces the “Moments That Made Her” podcast and host Kelly Williams, PEWIN’s founding chair and former head of Customized Fund Investment Group. In Season 5’s “new beginnings” theme, Kelly Williams interviews longtime friend Renae Griffin, now a partner and head of investor relations at Awani Capital. Renae recounts growing up in a tight-knit African American community in Fresno, her parents’ entrepreneurial and activist influence, and an early job cleaning school desks that motivated her to pursue corporate finance. She describes her career path through Bankers Trust, Capital Guardian, and Progress Investment Management, Progress’s role elevating diverse managers, and her founding of RGN Associates and the Consortium to expand access to institutional capital. Renae explains joining Awani as a full-circle move to build an institutional-quality, woman- and Black-owned firm focused on capability and track record, discusses ongoing categorization challenges, and shares personal reflections, advice, and lightning-round answers.