Activate Investors | Empower Founders | Transform Economies
AngelGen helps communities unlock untapped capital and talent by turning first-time and seasoned investors into active angels. We partner with universities, economic development agencies, and regional innovation leaders to design and run yearlong angel conference programs. Through our proven conference model, we connect investors with promising founders and build lasting investment groups that strengthen regional economies.
Mysty Rusk
Mysty Rusk is Co-Founder and Partner at AngelGen and a nationally recognized leader in angel investing and innovation-based economic development. She has led more than a dozen angel conferences across the U.S., activating new investors and connecting capital and expertise to promising startups.
Mysty is the founder of the San Diego Angel Conference and former Executive Director of the Brink SBDC. Over her career, she has supported more than 4,000 startups and hundreds of investors, helping communities unlock capital and build thriving local economies. Known for her ability to connect people and programs for meaningful impact, Mysty is a frequent speaker and thought leader in the innovation ecosystem.
Judy David Mahan
Judy David Mahan is our Co-Founder and she is the Former Senior Economic Development Director at Cal Poly’s Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship and SBDC, and a Silicon Valley Corporate and Securities Attorney. Judy has a track record of supporting thousands of tech startups and small businesses from initial launch to scaling, principally in coaching them for private equity investment.
Judy has a proven ability to grow and mobilize entrepreneurial ecosystems, leading intensive startup incubator programs and investor-focused training. She has been repeatedly recognized among Pacific Coast Business Times’s Top 50 Women in Business for her leadership and dedication.
Ana Rusk
Ana Rusk is our Quantitative Analyst at AngelGen, where she supports founders and investors with financial modeling, valuation, and market intelligence. With experience spanning venture capital and private equity, Ana has contributed to over 70 transactions totaling more than $400 million and managed operations for an $83 million AUM venture fund.
She brings advanced expertise in financial modeling, comparables, and valuation analysis, along with hands-on experience guiding startups through diligence and investor readiness. A finance graduate from the University of San Diego, Ana has served as a Senior Associate with the University Growth Fund (UGF), an analyst for the San Diego Angel Conference, and an intern with HCAP Partners. Known for her precision and analytical depth, Ana helps connect data-driven insight to strategic decision-making across AngelGen’s programs.
Christopher Earl
Christopher Earl is Head of Business Development at AngelGen, where he leads angel conference client development—helping new partners launch and scale successful investor activation programs across the U.S. With a background in business growth strategy and partnership development, he works directly with universities, economic development organizations, and investor networks to expand AngelGen’s reach and impact.
Christopher brings years of experience cultivating relationships that drive participation, sustainability, and success for community-based angel conferences. His collaborative, results-driven approach helps partner organizations activate local investors, strengthen startup ecosystems, and accelerate access to early-stage capital.
Our Team
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![Silvia Mah]()
Silvia Mah
Venture strategy inclusive innovation and founder enablement
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![Stacy Peña]()
Stacy Peña
Angel investing, deal evaluation and angel conference strategy & execution
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![Kurt Friedmann]()
Kurt Friedmann
Corporate development startup partnerships and innovation leadership
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![Kelly Sooter]()
Kelly Sooter
Strategic growth and investor engagement
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![John Sechrest]()
John Sechrest
Innovation networks angel activation and ecosystem development
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![Doug Komen]()
Doug Komen
Building and funding high-growth startups, leveraging deep experience from finance to healthcare
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![Jeff Erramouspe]()
Jeff Erramouspe
SaaS leadership, venture launch, enterprise growth and go to market strategy
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![Mitch Emerson]()
Mitch Emerson
Software innovation, corporate strategy, and scalable venture growth
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![Michael Panesis]()
Michael Panesis
Startup operations accelerator design and entrepreneurial ecosystems
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![Susan Steep]()
Susan Steeb
Founder mentorship investor readiness and community engagement
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![Mark Mitchell]()
Mark Mitchell
Investor relations business strategy and partnership growth
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![Benton Moore]()
Benton Moore
Investor activation capital access and regional ecosystem support
