InfraShares was co-founded by Brian Ross in 2017 after seeing the need for a funding portal focused on Smart City infrastructure.  Brian is passionate about helping to develop critical infrastructure projects by providing broad-based direct investment opportunities to the general public.

Brian has over 20 years of experience in the development of major infrastructure projects ranging from working as a union laborer to managing infrastructure assets for private equity firms. His unique combination of experience in construction, engineering, and finance allow him to work effectively with project sponsors in raising capital.

Brian holds an MBA from UC Berkeley Haas School of Business and a Masters’ in Civil Engineering from Stanford University.

Madrus Founder DJ Gribbin brings with him decades of infrastructure experience representing governmental and private clients. He is a Senior Operating Partner with Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners as well as a Brookings Institute Nonresident Senior Fellow. He recently served as the United States’ first Special Assistant to the President for Infrastructure, where he led the development of the Administration’s $1 trillion-dollar infrastructure plan. In this capacity, he worked with fellow senior administration officials as well as governors and mayors across the nation to develop a new vision for pairing federal, state, and local resources to efficiently meet infrastructure challenges.

Prior to his time in the White House, DJ was confirmed by the United States Senate to serve as the General Counsel for the United States Department of Transportation, where he was awarded the Department’s highest achievement, the USDOT Gold Medal. Before that, he was the Chief Council for the Federal Highway Administration. Both roles afforded him a unique understanding of the intricacies of Federal law as it pertains to transportation and infrastructure.

Within the private sector, DJ has been a leader in developing innovative strategies to finance infrastructure projects. He was the National Director for Strategic Consulting with HDR, where he advised clients on ways to expedite projects, increase revenue, and better visualize program oversight. Prior to that, he was the Managing Director and Head of Government Advisory at Macquarie Capital where he created and led their sell-side, private public partnership business within the United States. He led advisory teams consisting of legal, technical, and financial experts to assist governments in attracting private equity investment in their infrastructure.

His depth of experience managing projects from a public sector perspective coupled with his extensive expertise in the private sector combine to provide Madrus with the resources and ability to explore more efficient ways to develop and deliver projects in a consumer-friendly manner.

Kate Gasparro received her doctorate in Sustainable Design and Construction from Stanford University. As an Advisor to InfraShares, she is able to draw on her research on crowdfunding and innovation for infrastructure delivery.

By combining engineering and public policy knowledge, Kate’s work and research focuses on the complexities and dynamics of infrastructure delivery. She has published widely on the use of innovative contracting and financing strategies for infrastructure projects in different contexts. As a centerpiece of this research, Kate has become a leading author on crowdfunding for infrastructure projects. Kate currently works for a public-private partnership and is responsible for delivering sustainable and forward-thinking infrastructure solutions for one of California’s largest mixed-use developments. Kate brings an entrepreneurial approach, drawing upon her extensive project experience in Argentina, Uganda, Mexico, China, and Nicaragua and industry experience in urban planning, transportation engineering, construction management, and public policy analysis. As a result of her breadth of work, she has been invited globally to make presentations, won numerous fellowships and grants, and was selected to be a participant in the UN’s 2018 Innovation Lab. Kate holds a doctorate from Stanford University in Sustainable Design and Construction.

Arthine is an executive level Management Consultant and Business Developer with direct global leadership experience crafting and implementing growth strategies for emerging technology and blockchain companies. She also advises water and wastewater utilities and their capital planning ecosystems on how to leverage alternative project finance, public private partnerships and design build delivery for infrastructure resilience.

She is an expert at helping teams and organizations navigate real or perceived barriers as they hunt for their sweet spot in their markets. This includes focusing her time and resources in projects related to emerging technologies, resilient economies, renewable energy, water infrastructure, watershed restoration, impact investing, pathways to innovation and creating abundant access to capital for entrepreneurship.

Andrew is an attorney, real estate developer and entrepreneur. He is currently Vice President – Development with S.L. Nusbaum. In this capacity he identifies, secures and oversees commercial real estate development and investment opportunities for the firm and outside clients and manages those assets for their respective partnerships.

Mr. Pegalis also remains Managing Member of Acclaim Properties, LLC, which has acquired, managed and sold multi-tenant and medical office buildings in the Richmond metro area. His responsibilities include due diligence, acquisition, financing, leasing, capital improvement projects, tenant up-fit projects, property management, partnership reporting and sale of the buildings. Also under Acclaim Properties, Mr. Pegalis established, managed and ultimately sold Acclaim Business Suites, an executive suites business located in Midlothian, VA.

Andrew previously served as Senior Account Executive and General Counsel for Armfield, Harrison; Thomas, Inc., a premier insurance services firm located in Leesburg, VA. Mr. Pegalis also served as President and General Counsel of Next Millennium Consulting, Inc. (NMC), a Y2K risk management consulting firm. Prior to that he worked as an attorney for MCI Metro, Professional Risk Management Services, and the United States Trade Representative in Geneva, Switzerland and as a Risk Management Specialist for The Prudential Insurance Company of America.

Joseph Appalsamy is the Managing Director of PERENNIS CAPITAL INC., a project financing firm supporting smart city and global infrastructure projects, trade and digital transformation. With a background in private banking, and over 10 yeas in project finance, Joseph has successfully executed PPP infrastructure capitalization strategies for power, water and telecom projects with several government public works agencies in North America and Asia, as well with major engineering firms worldwide. Joseph takes an innovative approach to project financing public infrastructure with private capital by providing funding options across the financing spectrum for long-term global public investors such as private pension funds, insurance companies and family offices, representing $3.2 billion project investment value.

Nationally recognized strategist, thought leader, and expert in national security, technology innovation, and international affairs. Senior executive in business and government, at the White House, US Department of Energy, US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and in the private sector.

David Heyman co-founded and currently leads Smart City Works, a next-generation—and first of its kind—business accelerator, focused exclusively on urban infrastructure and improving the livability, operations, and resilience of cities.  He also serves in a number of leadership roles on both municipal, corporate, and international advisory boards including InfraShares.

With a unique background working at the intersection of technology, security, and public policy, and with broad experience across the U.S., Europe, Middle East and Asia, Heyman has been at the forefront of solving some of the toughest problems in society today. His work and commentary has been featured in the media by ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, Fox, BBC, MSNBC, NPR, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and numerous other publications.

Passionate and seasoned entrepreneur and attorney with extensive and multi-decade experience in developing creative and innovative solutions to extremely complex business and legal problems in the telecommunications industry. Recognized as an industry innovator and elder-statesman who has left an indelible mark on the sector. Demonstrated ability to launch and restructure organizations with a keen eye for alliances, integration and establishing forward-thinking footprints and scalable business models. Able to quickly recognize technical, economic regulatory, policy and legal trends and business opportunities in shifting telecom landscape.

A principal who assisted in the conception and founding of iBiquity Digital (terrestrial digital radio), iXnet (Global VPN), Ondas Media (European satellite radio) and most recently Apio Systems, Inc. Drafted business plans, identified the core management team and secured investors.

Mark Roderick has spent more than 30 years representing entrepreneurs and their businesses. Expanding on his in-depth knowledge of capital raising and securities law, Mark is one of the leading crowdfunding lawyers in the United States and is spearheading Flaster/Greenberg PC’s crowdfunding practice.

Mark developed and moderates a seminar series for entrepreneurs co- sponsored by the Rutgers-Camden Business Incubator, the Burlington County College High Technology Small Business Incubator, and the Rutgers-Camden Small Business Development Center. In this series, Mark and other panelists guide the entrepreneur through key legal aspects of business development and growth.

Mark also maintains the popular crowdfunding blog, crowdfundattny.com, and speaks regularly at crowdfunding events across the country.