ZOMALAB Founders
Principal
Ben Walton
Ben Walton is a father, architectural designer, investor, philanthropist, and co-founder of ZOMALAB.
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He is deeply committed to the communities where he and his wife, Lucy Ana, grew up and now raise their children: Colorado and Chile.
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With his wife, Lucy Ana, Ben co-founded ZOMALAB where he focuses on creating economic opportunities through workforce development; catalyzing and investing in scalable solutions that advance energy and water efficiency; and improving perinatal mental health screening and support.
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Ben works strategically to bring partners together to enable coordination and increase capacity to address the challenges his home communities face. With partners, he played a leadership role in bringing the education nonprofit City Year to Denver, spearheaded the launch of Techstars’ workforce and sustainability accelerators, and created ZOMALAB’s first-ever SyncUp Colorado Workforce Design Challenge. Ben is also a founding partner in Enduring Earth, a nonprofit partnership with Pew Charitable Trusts, The Nature Conservancy, and World Wildlife Fund, committed to accelerating large-scale nature conservation and community economic development worldwide by mobilizing nearly $4 billion through the Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) approach.
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Ben was most recently Chairman of the board at Walton Enterprises, Inc. and has been active on the boards of City Year Denver (past co-chair), Denver Children’s Advocacy Center, Children’s Hospital of Colorado, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Sustainable Settings, Graland Country Day School and Choate Rosemary Hall.
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Ben studied Psychology and Economics at Georgetown University and earned a degree from the University of Colorado in environmental design with a focus in architecture.
Principal
Lucy Ana Walton
Lucy Ana Walton is a mother, child psychologist, philanthropist, investor, and co-founder of ZOMALAB. She is dedicated to helping find solutions to key issues facing Colorado and Chile, the communities she and her husband Ben call home.
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With her husband, Ben, she co-founded ZOMALAB where she focuses on issues that reflect her passions and personal experiences including early childhood development and community economic development.
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Motivated by her own challenges with perinatal mental health in a health a system not designed to provide comprehensive care, Lucy Ana has focused on parental support from conception to five for more than a decade. More specifically, she is dedicated to promoting perinatal mental health through timely universal diagnosis and access to the necessary care and support during this crucial stage. Lucy Ana is also committed to improving access to quality resources and support to help parents be well informed about their child’s development, and to help children and families heal from the trauma of abuse and neglect. To address these issues and others on the ground in Chile, Lucy Ana founded Fundación Viento Sur in 2014.
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Additionally, Lucy Ana is committed to driving social and environmental impact through investments in sustainable consumer products and scalable solutions that benefit local communities through a circular and regenerative economic model.
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Lucy Ana serves as board chair for Fundación Viento Sur, as a board member for Socialab in Chile and previously volunteered as a therapist at the Denver Children’s Advocacy Center where she cared for Spanish-speaking children who experienced maltreatment.
Lucy Ana is a licensed child psychologist in Chile and earned a psychology degree from The Universidad del Desarrollo.
ZOMALAB Leadership
President
Abraham Sherman
Abraham Sherman is the President at ZOMALAB in Denver, Colorado. He is responsible for all the operations of and divisions of the company including Zoma Capital, Zoma Foundation and all Accounting and Tax Matters.
Prior to joining ZOMALAB, Abe was the Chief Financial Officer for a couple of Family Office’s in Dallas, Texas, Las Vegas, Nevada and San Diego, California. Before that, Abraham was a Partner in the International Tax Group in the Houston office of PricewaterhouseCoopers
and was in charge of the Latin America Tax Practice. He has more than 35 years of international tax, financial and accounting experience and has been involved in numerous projects in the United States and Latin America. Abe has extensive experience advising family offices of ultra-high-net-worth individuals focusing on business, accounting and tax matters. Abe has also served on the board of directors on numerous companies and nonprofit organizations.
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Abe has been married for 35 years and has 2 lovely children. He holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Houston, a graduate degree in Finance and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Anahuac University in Mexico City.
ZOMA Capital Team
Director
Seth Peyla
Seth Peyla is the Director of ZOMA Capital where he focuses on diligence and deal execution for investments primarily in energy and community economic development.
Prior to joining ZOMA Capital, Seth was an investor at Advantage Capital, a leading provider of equity and debt financing for companies located in communities underserved by conventional sources of capital. Prior to Advantage, he was Chief of Staff at ConData Global where he co-led sales and marketing efforts. Before ConData, he was an Associate at Kingfish Group, where he sourced, evaluated, and executed investment opportunities. Before Kingfish, he was a Strategy Analyst at Accenture, where he advised technology and consumer products companies on growth strategy, cost reduction, and operating model transformation initiatives.
Previously, Seth was an ex-officio board member of Lawrence Hall.
Seth earned a B.S. in Industrial and Labor Relations, with honors, from Cornell University and studied abroad at Oxford University (Pembroke College). He earned an M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He is a CFA® charterholder.
ZOMA Foundation Team
Director of Programs
Blake McKinlay
Blake McKinley is the Director of Programs for ZOMA Foundation where guides the philanthropic strategy and oversees the strategic direction of the foundation’s programs. He specializes in the development and execution of impact strategies and brings experience in education, workforce development, energy, community economic development, conservation, agriculture, and water and sanitation.
Prior to ZOMA Foundation, Blake spent more than a decade working across social impact. He was a Manager at Prosono, where he provided strategy and operations expertise to nonprofits and social enterprises. Prior to Prosono, he co-launched a social enterprise and led market-based development projects for iDE, an international NGO working in Africa and Asia.
Blake earned a B.A. in International Relations and a M.A. in Global Finance, Trade, and Economic Integration from the University of Denver. He is an alumnus of the American Express Leadership Academy and previously served as the Secretary of the Board for Elephant Energy.
Grants and Operations Manager
Bridget Black
Bridget Black is the Grants and Operations Manager at ZOMA Foundation where she manages the grants administration process and operational efficiencies and improvements.
Prior to ZOMA Foundation, Bridget spent several years working in youth development at international nonprofit organizations, including most recently at Soccer Without Borders. Her focus has been on systems management, data analysis, and process improvement within grants management, monitoring and evaluation, and training methods.
Bridget earned a B.A. in Political Science and Global Interdisciplinary Studies and a M.A. in Political Science at Villanova University. She also holds a Certificate in Social Impact Strategy from the University of Pennsylvania and a Certificate in Evidence-Based Development from Regis University.
Strategic Initiative Manager
Casey Kennedy
Casey is Strategic Initiative Manager at ZOMA Foundation where she manages grants in workforce development, community development, and energy.
Prior to ZOMA Foundation, Casey spent several years working in social impact. Most recently, she was a Program Manager at Arabella Advisors where she provided operations and grantmaking expertise to a portfolio of nonprofits working in clean energy and democracy reform.
Casey earned a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Notre Dame.
Global Permanence Fund Director (GPF)
Brian McPeek
Brian is the Director of the Global Permanence Fund at ZOMALAB, leveraging his experience in nature conservation, non-profit leadership, business, and international relations to support philanthropists, NGOs, corporations, and investors in forging innovative strategies and partnerships for the enduring protection of nature and the prosperity of local communities worldwide.
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Brian was instrumental in the creation of Enduring Earth, a pioneering initiative uniting The Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, Pew Charitable Trusts, and ZOMALAB, which collaborates with nations and indigenous populations to achieve lasting conservation outcomes and economic development in local communities. In addition, the Global
Permanence Fund is developing partnerships and new initiatives to expand financing for nature conservation and community development through debt for nature deals, carbon markets, and technical assistance to developing
governments.
Brian has a long history in the nature conservation community, serving as
President and Chief Conservation Officer of The Nature Conservancy. Prior to
joining TNC, Brian worked as a McKinsey consultant and as an intelligence officer in the US Air Force. Brian is a graduate of Duke University, Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, and the Joint Military Intelligence College. Brian was part of the first cohort of the Presidential
Leadership Scholars program, an initiative of Presidents Clinton and Bush.
Climate and Nature Finance Lead (GPF)
Madeleine Carnemark
Madeleine is the Climate and Nature Finance Lead for the Global Permanence Fund at ZOMALAB where she oversees the VCM 2.0 and scaling other nature and climate finance initiatives.
Prior to ZOMALAB, Madeleine worked at McKinsey and Company in the Sustainability and Public Sector Practice with a focus on nature-based solutions, decarbonization, and economic development. Madeleine also brings experience from working for several environmental NGOs including Environmental Defense Fund, Rocky Mountain Institute, and others.
Madeleine earned a BA in Environmental Studies and Philosophy at Tulane University and an MBA/MS in Sustainability and Environmental Justice from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business and School for Environment and Sustainability.
Global Permanence Fund Program Lead (GPF)
Karina Gerstenschlager
Karina is the Program Lead of the Global Permanence Fund at ZOMALAB, where she develops and scales innovations that support community economic development and protect nature.
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Previously, Karina led work at McKinsey across the Consumer and Sustainability practices, with a focus on growth strategy and economic development.
Karina began her career in retail category management and merchandising at Walmart and Abercrombie & Fitch, and her passion for community-led conservation began while volunteering with local farmers at Cheetah Conservation Botswana.
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Karina earned a B.A. in Art History from the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences at Northwestern University and an M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Strategic Initiatives Manager
Tyler Gamble
Tyler is a Strategic Initiatives Manager at ZOMA Foundation, where he guides the strategic direction and execution of ZOMA's programs and initiatives.
Tyler’s career has been dedicated to driving social impact, beginning as an elementary school teacher and school leader, before transitioning into management and strategy consulting. As a Strategy Consultant, he designed and implemented impact initiatives for clients across sectors, including education, government, conservation, healthcare, and outdoor recreation.
Tyler earned a B.A. in Political Science and Philosophy from the University of North Carolina and an MPP from Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy. He is an alumnus of Teach for America, Impact Denver, and the Urban Leaders Fellowship. He serves on the Associate Board of the Denver Scholarship Foundation and volunteers with various nonprofits across Denver.
ZOMA Holdings Team
Director of Finance
Janna Williams
Janna Williams is the Director of Finance at ZOMALAB where she oversees all financial matters related to accounting, finance, and tax. This includes partnerships with and oversight of all third-party finance partners.
Janna brings over 25 years of experience in public and corporate accounting in a variety of industries, including financial services, technology, manufacturing, real estate, and non-profits. She also previously owned a small business in Denver.
Janna is a CPA with a B.S. and a master’s degree in accounting from the University of Denver.
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Ranch Manager
David Halterman
David Halterman is the Ranch Manager for ZOMA Holdings, where he oversees the maintenance, management, development, and coordination of agricultural, riparian, conservation, and recreational/hospitality programs.
Prior to ZOMA Holdings, David managed private estates in California and Colorado for 10 years. He has over 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry, serving as Executive Chef in numerous restaurants across the country.
David earned a B.S. in Geology from Radford University in Virginia. ​
Personal Assistant
Astrid Ruiz
Astrid Ruiz is the Personal Assistant to Lucy Ana and Ben Walton.
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Before joining ZOMA Holdings, Astrid worked at another Family Office for seven years supporting estate and project management. Astrid has also held different roles in education management, diversity and talent development in Colombia, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Colorado.
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Originally from Colombia and a resident of Colorado for 16 years, Astrid holds a B.A in Government and International Relations from Universidad Externado de Colombia and the Institut D´Etuds Politiques de Paris. Complementing her academic achievements, she has undergone leadership development training at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Compassion Cultivation training from the Compassion Institute in California, initially housed at Stanford University.
Office and Property Manager
Elizabeth Troncoso
Elizabeth Troncoso is the Office and Property Manager for ZOMA Holdings’ operations in Chile.
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Prior to ZOMA Holdings, Elizabeth worked as a senior bank relationship manager at Banco BCI for 11 years. At Banco BCI, Elizabeth was responsible for sourcing and developing new clients, managing a diverse portfolio of financial products, performing feasibility studies for small and medium enterprises, as well as supporting with financial planning and risk mitigation strategies for both companies and individuals. Elizabeth started her professional career working at BBVA.
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Elizabeth earned a B.S. in Economics and Business Administration from Universidad Andrés Bello.
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Administrative Assistant
Macarena Sotta
Macarena Sotta is the Administrative Assistant for ZOMA Holdings’ operations in Chile.
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Prior to joining ZOMA Holdings in 2014, Macarena worked at Pabellón de la Construcción for 10 years. During her tenure at Pabellón de la Construcción, she managed data bases, statistical analysis and supported the team as an administrative staff member.
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Macarena earned a B.S. in Systems Analysis from Universidad de Ciencias de la Informática.
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Fundación Viento Sur Team
Senior Program Officer
Paula Santolaya Rojas
Paula Santolaya is the Senior Program Officer at Fundación Viento Sur supports each of Fundación Viento Sur's focus areas.
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Prior to joining Fundación Viento Sur, Paula worked in the nonprofit and public sectors leading and managing projects in rural, southern Chile.  She also served at the División de Fiscalización de la Superintendencia de Educación of the Chilean government and led program oversight of public educational systems and implemented process improvements.
Paula previously served as an advisor to the Undersecretary of Social Evaluation of the Ministry of Social Development during the first administration of President Sebastián Piñera. In her role, she oversaw the implementation of planning and negotiation strategies with other ministries, as well as the implementation of public policies related to gender equality.
Paula earned a B.S. in Economics and Business Administration from Universidad Diego Portales.
Program Officer
María José Vergara
María José Vergara is the Program Officer at Fundación Viento Sur where she develops the foundation's philanthropic strategy in the areas of early childhood development, workforce development, and community economic development.
Prior to joining Fundación Viento Sur, María José worked in various roles across the public sector, non-profit sector, and in academia. She worked in the Ministry of Social Development for the Undersecretary of Social Evaluation leading processes of monitoring and evaluation for social programs, and for the Undersecretary of Social Services, as Head of the Targeting Division.
María José also worked at the Public Policy Center of Catholic University as a research analyst, and at the América Solidaria Foundation as the Director of Alliances.
María José earned a BS in Economics from Universidad Católica de Chile and has a master’s in management and public Policy from the Universidad de Chile.