Leadership Team

Greg Golub, CEO & Founder

As CEO, Greg is responsible for constituting the vision and future of the company, leading the management team, and strengthening our client-centric culture as Sequoia scales. Greg also spends much of his time studying industry trends, serving on advisory boards and figuring out what changes in our industry will serve as opportunities for our clients.

CERTIFICATION, EDUCATION & RELATED ORGANIZATIONS:

• BS degree in Economics; Washington and Lee University
• Director, The Golub Group investment management firm
• Member, Young President’s Organization (YPO)
• Chartered Life Underwriter, CLU
• Served on many Insurance Companies’ Advisory Boards

HOBBIES, INTERESTS & FAMILY:

• Fly-fishing, Skiing, Triathlons
• Helping Kelly, my wife, raise our three little girls
• Improving health care for children of low-income families

FAVORITE QUOTE:

“The more you give, the more you get in return” – Mike Golub,  My Father

MOST INSPIRING ROLE MODEL(S):

Herb Kelleher, Mahatma Gandhi, Paul Newman, Jeff Bezos, Abraham Lincoln, Michael Phelps, David Packard

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT:

Surrounding myself with a team of people who share my ethic of optimism, succeeding as a team and doing what is right and in the best interest of our clients.

Di Hall, Chief Operating Officer

As COO, Di is responsible for integrating all of Sequoia’s core service offerings: consulting, service and technology as a single solution. She leads our Sequoia One managed service business and all technology, product and operational aspects of Sequoia.

CERTIFICATION, EDUCATION & RELATED ORGANIZATIONS:

• Bachelor of Science, Computer Science, University of Massachusetts, Lowell
• 2016 Boston BRAVA Female Leadership Award
• 2015 Rev Boston Honoree and Member

HOBBIES, INTERESTS & FAMILY:

• Telluride Film Festival
• Hiking and biking anywhere in the world
• Hanging out with my husband, holding hands and watching a movie

FAVORITE QUOTE:

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

MOST INSPIRING ROLE MODEL(S):

Oprah, Mahatma Gandhi, My girlfriend Moe

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT:

Raising two amazing daughters who continue to inspire me to be the best ME I can be!

Stephen Kim, Chief Legal & Administrative Officer

As the Chief Legal & Administrative Officer, Steve is responsible for operational excellence in the functions that both safeguard our business operations and ensure that the company has the resources necessary to support our clients and their growth. In this role, Steve works with team members in Legal, Talent, Human Resources, Security and IT, and Facilities.

CERTIFICATION, EDUCATION & RELATED ORGANIZATIONS:

• Joint B.A./B.A. degrees in Philosophy and German from Johns Hopkins University
• J.D. from New York University School of Law, Editor of Law Review
• Member of the New York and California bars

HOBBIES, INTERESTS & FAMILY:

• Serving as Chair of the Board of Trustees of his sons’ school
• Driving all over the Bay Area for music lessons, golf and tennis lessons, and tournaments for his children
• As often as possible, organizing a movie or dinner date with his wife Betty

FAVORITE QUOTE:

“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” – Søren Kierkegaard
“One must ask children and birds how cherries and strawberries taste.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

MOST INSPIRING ROLE MODEL(S):

My parents, who carved out a life for themselves, and as a result, did so for the generations that will follow.

Michele Floriani, Principal & Chief Marketing Officer

As Chief Marketing Officer, Michele is responsible for leading the marketing and brand experience for Sequoia. He works cross functionally to grow the business and ensure the product and service quality is at or above Sequoia’s historically high standards.

CERTIFICATION, EDUCATION & RELATED ORGANIZATIONS:

• Bachelor of Fine Arts, University of Southern California
• Economics courses, Georgetown University
• Executive education course, delivered by McCombs School of Business, University of Texas

HOBBIES, INTERESTS & FAMILY:

• Food and family
• Formula One
• Listening to and playing music

FAVORITE QUOTE:

“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.” Thomas Jefferson

MOST INSPIRING ROLE MODEL(S):

Ben Franklin, Pablo Picasso, Ferdinand Magellan, Niki Lauda

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT:

I am still able to go to the skate park with my son and not embarrass him.

Hall Kesmodel, Chief Growth Officer

As Chief Growth Officer, Hall is responsible for leading sales, partnerships, and new business development for Sequoia. He works across our teams to ensure we consistently deliver meaningful value for our clients and our partners as we grow together.

CERTIFICATION, EDUCATION & RELATED ORGANIZATIONS:

• Bachelor of Arts in Biology, Washington & Lee University

HOBBIES, INTERESTS & FAMILY:

• Spending time with my daughters, Chloe and Jane
• Hiking, Golf, and Skiing
• Enjoying a great IPA with good friends

FAVORITE QUOTE:

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” – Lao Tzu

MOST INSPIRING ROLE MODEL(S):

Warren Buffett, Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT:

Starting a software company.

Lesley Grady, Vice President of Client Service

As VP of Client Service, Lesley is responsible for overseeing our client service consultant, client service management and wellbeing teams. Her focus is to ensure a consistent, Sequoia-level service experience across clients of all sizes. Lesley also focuses on managing our NYC office, and working closely with many of our New York clients.

CERTIFICATION, EDUCATION & RELATED ORGANIZATIONS:

• Bachelors of Art in Communication, Villanova University
• NY Insurance License for Life, Accident and Health

HOBBIES, INTERESTS & FAMILY:

• Living in and biking around New York City
• Chasing my young kids around
• I’m surprisingly crafty!

FAVORITE QUOTE:

“Don’t wish it was easier, wish you were better. Don’t wish for less problems, wish for more skills. Don’t wish for less challenges, wish for more wisdom.” -Jim Rohn

MOST INSPIRING ROLE MODEL(S):

My husband, he always protects and unconditionally supports me. My sister, she is super smart.

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT:

My twins- They were given a poor prognosis before birth. I am humbled and inspired every day by their strength and perseverance to be amazing healthy little human beings.

Manish Kumar, VP of Engineering

Manish leads Technology team and is responsible for applications and data managements, development process, strategy and overall technology solutions. Manish has over 20 years of experience as a senior technology executive and software development. At Sequoia, he focused on innovative and strategic solutions development for improved client experience for services range. Before joining Sequoia, Manish led product development teams for Employee Benefit applications, real estate services and management, systems programming and related industries, at multiple companies.

Manish holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the Bangalore University, India. He is also certified in Agile development methodologies, and MS certified professional.

HOBBIES, INTERESTS & FAMILY:

• Hiking, and playing cricket and ball games with kids
• Camping, travelling and exploring new places
• Family time and doing science projects with kids

FAVORITE QUOTES:

“There are no short cuts to any place worth going.” Beverly Sills
“Creativity is intelligence having fun.” Albert Einstein
“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” Henry David Thoreau
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” Mahatma Gandhi

Suzette Germano, Vice President, Client Service Risk Management

Suzette leads client service for property and casualty clients in the emerging risk and technology space. Building on Sequoia’s reputation as a best-in-class employee benefits insurance broker, the Risk Management team delivers a unique partnership experience for clients. Suzette leads the team in diving deep to understand a client’s business and the risks and opportunities they face to help them achieve their corporate goals.

CERTIFICATION, EDUCATION & RELATED ORGANIZATIONS:

• Business Administration, General Management Option, California State University Hayward
• Associate in Risk Management
• Licensed Property & Casualty Broker
• The Risk Management Society – Bay Area Chapter

HOBBIES, INTERESTS & FAMILY:

• Entertaining friends and family, I love to cook and hostess
• Travel, there’s nothing better than exploring new places with my loves
• Reading, yoga, Pelaton, gardening, floral arranging, volunteering

FAVORITE QUOTE:

“Find something you’re passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it.” -Julia Child

MOST INSPIRING ROLE MODEL:

My mom, who has modeled independence, resiliency, empathy and authenticity. I hope to be just like her when I grow up.

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT:

Raising two brilliant, beautiful, kind daughters while managing to grow myself personally and professionally. They’ve taught me more about myself than anyone else and their capacity for love, joy and forgiveness inspires me.

Joe LaSorte, VP, Global Consulting

As VP of Global Consulting, Joe is responsible for business development for our global benefits practice, as well as the development of the global consulting services that we bring to Sequoia’s clients. He works with those clients to build and implement employee benefit strategies that attract, motivate, and retain the best employees to support the business mission, wherever the clients operate globally.

CERTIFICATION, EDUCATION & RELATED ORGANIZATIONS:

• BS in Business Administration, University of Delaware
• Graduate work in Economics, University of Delaware
• Member Omicron Delta Epsilon (International Honor society for economics)

HOBBIES, INTERESTS & FAMILY:

• Writing, playing, recording, and listening to music
• Travelling with my equally busy wife (when we can find the time!)
• Fitness, gardening, and politics
• Collecting antique maps and vintage guitars

FAVORITE QUOTE:

“The best way to predict your future is to create it.” Abraham Lincoln

MOST INSPIRING ROLE MODEL(S):

Ansel Adams, Winston Churchill, Miles Davis, Nelson Mandela, Jackie Robinson, Frank Lloyd Wright

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT:

Climbing Mt. Kenya, hearing my music on the radio, being quoted in the Wall Street Journal, helping our clients improve the lives of their employees.

Sean Martin, VP, Business Consulting, Sequoia One

As VP of Sales for Sequoia One, Sean is responsible for the revenue, profit, and overall client satisfaction of the PEO division of Sequoia. Sean spends his time keeping up with industry trends, competition, coaching and educating team members to ensure health and growth of the business.

CERTIFICATION, EDUCATION & RELATED ORGANIZATIONS:

• BS Management from San Jose State University

HOBBIES, INTERESTS & FAMILY:

• NBA fanatic
• Fitness enthusiast
• All about family, food, and fun!

FAVORITE QUOTE:

“Don’t be afraid to give up the good and go for the great.” Steve Prefontaine

“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” Michael Jordan

MOST INSPIRING ROLE MODEL(S):

Michael Jordan, My wife – If only I could be half the person she is…

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT:

Family – Successful marriage of 17 years, and the birth of our 3 beautiful daughters.

Jed Cloern, Principal & Consultant Team Leader

As Consultant Team Leader, Jed Cloern is responsible for business development and overall satisfaction of clients. Jed works closely with the Client Service and Marketing & Support teams to ensure clients receive the best value for premiums, efficient administration, positive employee experiences, and all with flexible and scalable programs.

CERTIFICATION, EDUCATION & RELATED ORGANIZATIONS:

• California licensed Life, Accident and Health
• BA in Business Economics, UC Santa Barbara

HOBBIES, INTERESTS & FAMILY:

• Helping my wife raise 2 toddlers and a teenager
• Enjoying my wife’s cooking
• Enjoying the company of great friends
• Rooting for bay area sports teams
• Jogging (or feeling bad about not jogging)

FAVORITE QUOTES:

“Yesterday’s home runs don’t win today’s games.” Babe Ruth

“Winning is not a sometime thing; it’s an all time thing. You don’t win once in a while, you don’t do things right once in a while, you do them right all the time. Winning is habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.” Vince Lombardi

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT:

Being a valued partner to people I respect in a complex and important aspect for great businesses.

Jose Gonzalez, Principal & One Sequoia Team Leader

As a One Sequoia Team Leader, Jose Gonzalez is responsible for business development, overall design and delivery of our One Sequoia client experience. Provided as a “One Stop Shop” solution, he ensures that our teams orchestrate a scalable model for clients while delivering reduced costs, positive employee experiences, reduced administration and flexibility. Jose enjoys working closely with our Client Service and Marketing & Support teams to continue finding innovative ways of meeting the evolving needs of our clients.

CERTIFICATION, EDUCATION & RELATED ORGANIZATIONS:

• California licensed Life, Accident and Health
• BS in Business Administration cum laude; University of Southern California
• USC Lloyd Grief Center for Entrepreneurial Studies

HOBBIES, INTERESTS & FAMILY:

• Spending time with my wife, daughter and son
• Music, Swimming, Water Polo, Soccer
• Spending time with family & friends
• Watching USC Trojan Football

FAVORITE QUOTES:

“The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a man’s determination.” Tommy Lasorda

“Never give up! Failure and rejection are only the first step to succeeding.” Jim Valvano

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT:

Working with exceptional colleagues to make a positive impact in the lives of our clients, while earning and maintaining their trust.

Christina Sullivan, Principal & Director of Client Service

Christina coaches a team of smart Client Service Managers who provide excellent customer service while navigating the complex healthcare industry. Her team makes sure we have the tools and resources we need to be successful in partnering with our clients. She encourages collaboration so that the team members learn from each other and improve processes. She is dedicated to the success of each team member and loves nothing more than to receive praise from clients about the team.

CERTIFICATION, EDUCATION & RELATED ORGANIZATIONS:

• Bachelors of Art in Business Administration with a concentration in Management
• Certificate in Human Resources Management
• CA Insurance License for Life, Accident and Health

HOBBIES, INTERESTS & FAMILY:

• Spending time with family and friends, especially my husband and two kids
• Running on the beautiful coastal trail in Half Moon Bay, CA and in an occasional half marathon
• Trying new restaurants and foods

FAVORITE QUOTE:

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” Steve Jobs

MOST INSPIRING ROLE MODEL(S):

Steve Jobs, Richard Branson

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT:

Being successful at balancing my work family and my family at home. I’m extremely blessed to be surrounded by great people all the time.

Mark Mangiola, Principal & Consultant Team Leader

As Consultant Team Leader, Mark Mangiola is responsible for business development and overall satisfaction of clients. Mark is proud to be the most tenured member of the Benefit Consultant team and works closely with the Client Service and Marketing & Support teams to ensure clients receive the best value for premiums, efficient administration, positive employee experiences, and all with flexible and scalable programs.

CERTIFICATION, EDUCATION & RELATED ORGANIZATIONS:

• California licensed Life, Accident and Health
• BA in Business Economics, UC Santa Barbara

HOBBIES, INTERESTS & FAMILY:

• Spending time with my wife and kids
• Watching the 49ers/Giants/Warriors with my family
• Playing golf very poorly
• Playing indoor soccer
• Spending time with family and friends

FAVORITE QUOTES:

“You can’t let praise or criticism get to you. It’s a weakness to get caught up in either one.”? John Wooden

“If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?” John Wooden

“It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.” John Wooden

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT:

Working with the team at Sequoia to come through for people I care about: family, friends and business partners.

Meghna Solorio, Principal & Director, Client Service

As a Client Service Director, Meghna Solorio oversees the emerging growth client service team. In partnering with the client service managers and benefits consultants, Meghna is responsible for making sure we are delivering exemplary client service experiences to our clients while maintaining a high performing team of dedicated Sequoia employees.

CERTIFICATION, EDUCATION & RELATED ORGANIZATIONS:

• Masters in Business Administration – Majored in Human Resources and Health Care
• Bachelors of Science – Economics
• California licensed Life and Health

HOBBIES, INTERESTS & FAMILY:

• Spending time with friends, my husband and adorable puppy
• Reading
• Watching foreign films
• Love animals – volunteered at the Humane Society
• Active member of ASPCA

FAVORITE QUOTES:

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Aristotle

“Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men.” Lao-Tzu

MOST INSPIRING ROLE MODEL(S):

My parents – They’ve worked hard and sacrificed so much, so I could have the life I do. I’ve always admired their work ethic, the values they’ve upheld all their life and their drive to always help others in need. They both are an inspiration to me.

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT:

I traveled to America for my Masters. Funded my MBA program on my own by working and also was awarded a teaching assistantship by the Business school.

And, I am proud of working at Sequoia, being able to partner with extraordinary people in our clients and team members.

Thomas Pang Bille Rasmussen, Director, Business Applications

As the Director of Business Applications on the Sequoia Technology Ops team Thomas is singularly focused on championing the way Sequoia does business with cutting edge technology. Process improvements and efficiency optimizations through systems is the name of the game. Thomas prides himself building business applications that scale and automate, but also make sense and are primarily focused on improving the experience for the end users; our team members and clients. The Sequoia Technology Operations group is focused on driving internal technology projects, but also external facing proprietary technology initiatives that differentiates us from the competition and delivers superior and faster service.

CERTIFICATION, EDUCATION & RELATED ORGANIZATIONS:

• MBA in Finance and Risk Management
• BS in International Business
• Certified SFDC Developer and Admin

HOBBIES, INTERESTS & FAMILY:

• Spending time with family and friends
• Traveling to faraway beaches and surf spots

FAVORITE QUOTE:

“Turbulence is inevitable, misery is optional.” Howard Putnam

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT:

Living the American dream: Moved halfway around the world to pursue and complete my MBA while working fulltime to self-finance my crazy endeavor. Been here ever since.

Luciano Costantini, Principal & Director of Retirement Services

Luciano Costantini runs the 401(k) department at Sequoia. His goal is to ensure Sequoia 401(k) clients have suitable investment options, their employees are properly educated on their 401(k) investments and understand their fiduciary responsibilities.

CERTIFICATION, EDUCATION & RELATED ORGANIZATIONS:

• Series 7, 63 and 66 registrations*
• CA Life & Health (CA Insurance Lic. #OB09303)
• CRPC
• BS in Marketing, SFSU

*Series 7 and 63 registrations held through LPL Financial. Series 66 held through LPL Financial and Sequoia Benefits & Insurance Services.
BrokerCheck

HOBBIES, INTERESTS & FAMILY:

• Golf
• Triathlons
• Traveling with wife and 2 kids

FAVORITE QUOTE:

“Damn the Torpedoes, full speed ahead” David Farragut

MOST INSPIRING ROLE MODEL(S):

My parents. They came to this country with nothing and worked hard every day so that I would never have to worry about anything.

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT:

Sending my daughters to college…I must have done something right.
Luciano Costantini is a Registered Representative with, and securities are offered through, LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advice offered through Sequoia Benefits & Insurance Services, a registered investment advisor. Sequoia, Sequoia Benefits & Insurance Services, and Sequoia Consulting Group are separate entities from LPL Financial. Luciano Costantini may only discuss and/or transact securities business with residents of the following states:: CA, OH, and WA.

Melissa Ellsworth, Director, Talent Development

As Director of Talent Development, Melissa is responsible for partnering with leadership to hire and support future Sequoia team members, leading the recruiting team, and supporting initiatives that continue to drive our client and employee-centric culture at Sequoia.

CERTIFICATION, EDUCATION & RELATED ORGANIZATIONS:

• BS in Business Administration, emphasis Marketing, San Diego State University

HOBBIES, INTERESTS & FAMILY:

• Spending time with my husband, family and friends
• Snowboarding, running, and anything outdoors
• Traveling

FAVORITE QUOTES:

“Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” Albert Einstein

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou

MOST INSPIRING ROLE MODEL(S):

Julie Sharp – My strong, caring and amazing mother.

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT:

Having the opportunity to build our team at Sequoia- in turn allowing me to have a positive impact on the individual, the team and the service that we provide to our clients.

George Redmond, Director, Employee Advocate Services

CERTIFICATION, EDUCATION & RELATED ORGANIZATIONS:

• BA, Public Policy & Management, University of Southern California
• MPA, University of Southern California

HOBBIES, INTERESTS & FAMILY:

• Travel and different cultures
• Photography
• Time with family and friends

FAVORITE QUOTE:

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” – Lao Tzu

MOST INSPIRING ROLE MODEL(S):

MLK, Mahatma Ghandi

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT:

Having the opportunity to travel extensively and explore different parts of the globe. And, my family, lovely wife, and beautiful young daughter.

Ruth Buel, Financial Analyst and Marketing Manager

As Marketing and Support Manager, Ruth Buel oversees the Market Analyst team responsible for compiling market analysis presentations, creating financial analysis, building carrier relationships, researching and compiling market trend data, benchmarking and responding to client inquiries. The Marketing team partners closely with the Client Service and Sales teams to search out ways to save our clients money while allowing them to maintain a competitive and robust benefit program. Ruth focuses on making sure things are done efficiently and accurately in our fun, fast paced environment.

CERTIFICATION, EDUCATION & RELATED ORGANIZATIONS:

• BS in Psychology, San Jose State University

HOBBIES, INTERESTS & FAMILY:

• Hiking and Biking
• Spending time with my husband and two children
• Watching the Giants play and win
• Traveling to broaden my view of the world

FAVORITE QUOTES:

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” Theodore Roosevelt

“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” Albert Einstein

MOST INSPIRING ROLE MODEL(S):

Warren Buffett, Albert Einstein, John Lasseter

Anne Yarovoy, General Counsel / Director, Compliance

Serving in both a legal and compliance capacity, Anne is responsible for all aspects of Sequoia legal affairs, and she provides leadership for the company’s compliance programs, serving both the internal organization and its clientele. One of her main goals is to function as an objective body that reviews and evaluates compliance issues and ensures that rules and regulations are properly followed.

CERTIFICATION, EDUCATION & RELATED ORGANIZATIONS:

• Golden Gate University School of Law (J.D., Certification in International Law, International Law Study at Rangsit University – Bangkok, Thailand)
• University of California at Santa Barbara (B.A., Philosophy, Minor in Russian)
• Member, California State Bar
• Member, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
• Member, Association of Corporate Counsel

HOBBIES, INTERESTS & FAMILY:

• Rock Climbing
• Travel
• Spending as much time in the ocean as possible

FAVORITE QUOTES:

“Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” Sun Tzu

“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” Marie Curie

MOST INSPIRING ROLE MODEL(S):

My brother; those who rise every day to do something good in the world.

Stephen Cahalan, Director of Finance

As Director of Finance, Stephen Cahalan is responsible for all aspects of the Finance and Accounting function at Sequoia. Stephen works closely with the founder and CEO to help keep the team focused on taking care of our clients, by taking care of the financial activities of the company. Stephen has 10+ years experience helping guide executive decision-making in acquisitions, divestitures, and business analytics in public accounting and industry for middle-market to large private and venture-backed companies.

CERTIFICATION, EDUCATION & RELATED ORGANIZATIONS:

• Certified Public Accountant (Inactive)
• BS in Accounting; University of San Francisco

HOBBIES, INTERESTS & FAMILY:

• Hunting, camping, and general outdoor enthusiast
• Spending quality time with my wife and our two sons
• Cooking

FAVORITE QUOTES:

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget the way you made them feel.”

MOST INSPIRING ROLE MODEL(S):

Steve Jobs, and other entrepreneurs who provide the vision and leadership required to constantly reinvent their companies for a better future.

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT:

My family, and being fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with great companies and business professionals during my career.