From the heroes dedicated to public service who we serve and support, to our employees new and tenured, our people make us who we are. By the numbers, women and people of color make up 70% of our executive team, 66% of our employees, and 75% of our board of directors. But we’re not just about numbers.
Our executive leaders come from an array of financial services backgrounds — more than 265 years of combined industry knowledge. Their diverse experience and shared focus on serving the retirement planning needs of public employees help make MissionSquare unique. A nonprofit founded by and for the public sector, MissionSquare is about people — on every level, at every life stage.
Executive Leadership
Andre Robinson
Chief Executive Officer
& President
25 years
in financial services
view bio
Deanna J. Santana
Senior Advisor to the
CEO & President
28 years
in public service
view bio
Karen Chong-Wulff
Acting
Chief Investment Officer
37 years
in financial services
view bio
Jeff Gibson
Chief Product & Strategy Officer
30 years
in financial services
view bio
Angela Montez
Chief Legal, Corporate &
Government Affairs Officer
29 years
in financial services
view bio
Dai Shi
Senior Vice President
Chief Financial Officer
28 years
in financial services
view bio
Lynne Smith
Senior Vice President, Chief Client Experience & Technology Officer
30 years
in financial services
view bio
Steve Summers
Managing Vice President
Chief Internal Auditor
28 years
in financial services
view bio
Andrew Whiting
Senior Vice President
Chief Sales Officer
18 years
in financial services
view bio
Kathleen Wilson
Acting
Chief Marketing Officer
18 years
in financial services
view bio
Andre Robinson
Chief Executive Officer & President
Andre Robinson is the Chief Executive Officer and President of MissionSquare Retirement.
With more than 25 years of experience in retirement services and investment management, Mr. Robinson is a seasoned leader known for driving high-performance businesses. Before joining MissionSquare, he served at Voya Financial for over 13 years, where he held several key positions, including President of Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. and Head of Retail Advisory Business Development. In these roles, he oversaw strategic initiatives, optimized technology platforms to enhance participant experiences and outcomes, and successfully launched new product offerings that provided participants with greater insights for their savings and investment decisions.
Prior to his tenure at Voya Financial, Mr. Robinson worked at BNY Pershing as a Relationship Manager, focusing on driving institutional adoption of advisory-sponsored products and technology solutions. He also served as a Director at Pershing Fund Processing Corporation (PFPC), where he contributed to various strategic initiatives.
Mr. Robinson’s deep passion for improving lives through financial wellness and his vision for innovation and growth drive his commitment to strengthening MissionSquare’s platform and building on its mission of helping public sector workers achieve retirement and financial security.
Mr. Robinson holds an Executive M.B.A. in Finance from Saint Joseph’s University, Erivan K. Haub School of Business, and a B.A. in Business Administration from Arcadia University. Additionally, he maintains FINRA series 4, 6, 7, 24, 63, and 65 licenses.
Karen Chong-Wulff, CFA®, CAIA®
Acting Chief Investment Officer
Karen leads MissionSquare Retirement’s investment team, overseeing fund investment management utilizing subadvisors or underlying funds, stable value investment management, fixed income investment management and credit research. Her fund/stable value investment management responsibilities include the due diligence of and mix of subadvisors/underlying funds; contract review and negotiations for stable value investment contracts; and risk management including credit research oversight for managed fixed income, stable value, and cash portfolios/funds. She also serves as lead portfolio manager for internally managed stable value portfolios including the MissionSquare PLUS Fund.
Karen has more than 37 years of experience in the investment industry. Prior to joining the firm in July 2007, she was Senior Portfolio Manager and Director for Stable Value Investments at DuPont Capital Management. Before that, she progressively served as Credit Analyst, Product Analyst and Portfolio Manager at Morley Capital Management.
Karen earned a Master of Business Administration from Washington State University and a Bachelor of Accountancy from the National University of Singapore. She holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA) designation and is a member of the CFA Society of Washington, D.C. She also holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst® (CAIA) designation and is a member of the Washington, D.C. Chapter of the CAIA Association. Karen has earned the CFA Institute Certificate in ESG Investing. Additionally, she is a member of the Stable Value Investment Association and currently serves on its board of directors (2024-2026).
Jeffrey Gibson
Chief Product
& Strategy Officer
Jeffrey A. Gibson serves as the Chief Product and Strategy Officer at MissionSquare Retirement, a position that underscores his three-decade career in the retirement services industry. In his current role, Mr. Gibson leads the Corporate Strategy and Competitive Intelligence functions. He also oversees the Product Team, developing record keeping solutions as well as investment products and Managed Accounts. Finally, he leads the Proposal Management Team supporting the organization's retention and new business goals.
With over 30 years of experience, Mr. Gibson is a seasoned professional known for his strategic leadership in new business plan acquisition. He has successfully completed more than 800 plan conversions at MissionSquare Retirement. Mr. Gibson is highly regarded for his approach to meeting client needs and partnering with industry consultants to help deliver improved outcomes for plan sponsors and participants. He also emphasizes the importance of corporate culture in making strategies work effectively.
Prior to his current role, Mr. Gibson served as Vice President of Strategy & Competitive Intelligence at MissionSquare. In this capacity, he played a pivotal role in defining the strategic direction of the company, developing sales acquisition and retention strategies, and serving as the executive sponsor for key consulting relationships. Earlier roles at MissionSquare Retirement include Vice President of New Business Services, Director of New Business and Corporate Support Services, and Manager of the State Plan Services Team.
Before joining MissionSquare Retirement, Mr. Gibson held significant positions in the financial services industry, including roles at T. Rowe Price.
Mr. Gibson earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Towson University, Maryland, with dual concentrations in Human Resources Management and Strategic Operations Management. He also received certifications for Advanced Management Leadership and Professional Development from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
Angela Montez
Chief Legal, Corporate &
Government Affairs Officer
Angela Montez is Chief Legal, Corporate & Government Affairs Officer at MissionSquare Retirement. In this role, she leads Legal, Compliance, Risk, and Government Affairs functions and corporate governance for the company, including management of internal staff and external counsel relationships; direction on legal matters impacting the organization’s asset management; plan administration and advisory businesses; and oversight of Department of Labor, Internal Revenue Service, Securities and Exchange Commission, and state regulatory matters and litigation. Ms. Montez also serves as the chief legal advisor to the company’s President & Chief Executive Officer, members of senior management, and key internal and external stakeholders.
Before joining MissionSquare Retirement, Ms. Montez served as Special Counsel at Eversheds Sutherland (U.S.), where her practice focused on retirement and investment policy and products, including ERISA and related federal tax and securities law issues and collective investment trust matters.
Previously, Ms. Montez was Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Chief Legal Officer at ICMA Retirement Corporation (now MissionSquare Retirement). Earlier at the company as Managing Vice President & Deputy General Counsel, Ms. Montez was the senior legal advisor to clients and management regarding employee benefits, tax, legislative, regulatory, and general corporate matters. She also served as the Chief Legal Officer for the proprietary mutual fund complex, The Vantagepoint Funds.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Montez was an Associate with Groom Law Group, a preeminent benefits law firm serving clients in finance, retirement, healthcare, and the public sector. In addition, she served as a Special Assistant in the Office of the Majority Whip of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Ms. Montez has been an Advisory Board Member for the Society of Professional Asset Managers and Record Keepers (SPARK) Institute and a member of its Government Relations and Privacy Committees. She also has served as a member of the Executive Steering Committee for the Coalition of Collective Investment Trusts. She currently serves on the Boards of Directors of the D.C. Bar Foundation and the Gift of Adoption Fund. Her other professional affiliations include the Private Directors Association, the National Association of Corporate Directors, and the District of Columbia Bar Association.
Ms. Montez earned a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Pennsylvania and a Juris Doctor at Georgetown University Law Center. She is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia.
Dai Shi
Senior Vice President
Chief Financial Officer
Dai focuses on driving growth while maintaining sustainable profit margins for MissionSquare Retirement. She believes the financial services industry is the first responder to everyone’s financial health — an extraordinary responsibility to society.
She previously worked as business line Chief Financial Officer for Equitable Holdings and served on the core team for the 2018 IPO. She also assumed senior leadership roles with global companies such as AXA, Prudential, and CITI Group in the United States and emerging markets, supporting business through organic expansion and strategic acquisitions.
Dai serves on the Board of Trustees for The Well in New York City. She supports fundraising for several charities, including Hopes for New York, Restore NYC, and Autism Speaks.
She has a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Illinois, and she holds certificates in Sustainability Development and International Organization Management from Columbia University and the University of Geneva.
Lynne Smith
Senior Vice President
Chief Client Experience & Technology Officer
Lynne is responsible for aligning technology offerings and building best-in-class client experiences that support MissionSquare Retirement’s customers and the communities they serve.
Her extensive background includes leading nonprofit health care and education plan administration focused on participant and plan sponsor experiences by market segment, as well as building participant financial wellness and retirement readiness programs.
Lynne joined MissionSquare from OneAmerica where she served as Head of Business Development and Strategy. She has also served as Chief Operating Officer for Bank of Montreal and has held leadership roles with VOYA and CitiStreet.
She has a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Cornell University, and a master’s degree in Business Administration from the Frank G. Zarb School of Business at Hofstra University. She is a FINRA Series 7, 24, and 63 registered representative.
Steve Summers
Managing Vice President
Chief Internal Auditor
Steve focuses on ensuring that MissionSquare Retirement complies with all relevant legal and regulatory requirements, and that the company’s board and management are aware of any material control weaknesses or potential risks. He also coordinates with external auditors and internal control and monitoring functions, such as Risk Management, Compliance, Information Security, and Legal, to evaluate the audit and oversight coverage of MissionSquare and its critical vendors.
A Certified Information Systems Auditor, he has more than 25 years of experience in financial services and over 20 years of experience as an auditor. Steve came to MissionSquare in 2008 from Vanguard where he managed integrated technology and operational audits in portfolio management, securities lending, compliance, mutual fund accounting, and pricing (and the technology used to support each), in addition to managing reviews of mutual fund subadvisors.
Prior to Vanguard, Steve was an Audit Manager at KPMG, LLP where he managed audits, performed data mining and analysis, and executed consulting engagements for banking institutions, mutual fund companies, REITs, and the Department of Defense. He has also worked with T. Rowe Price in various roles, including Mutual Fund Accountant, Pricing Analyst, and Business Systems Analyst.
Steve has a bachelor’s degree in Finance from The Pennsylvania State University and completed Harvard Business School’s Executive Education Program for Audit Committees in a New Era of Governance.
Andrew Whiting
Senior Vice President,
Chief Sales Officer
Andrew Whiting is Senior Vice President, Chief Sales Officer with MissionSquare Retirement. In this role, he is responsible for a broad range of retirement savings, financial planning, investment-only (DCIO) and advisory programs (including government, education, healthcare, and not-for-profit retirement plans), which deliver on the organization’s mission of “serving those who serve.” He has overall responsibility for all revenue and client-facing sales teams across the organization.
Mr. Whiting has more than 16 years of experience in the financial services industry. He brings extensive experience working with public sector and government sector retirement plans and has expertise across 457 and 403(b) retirement plans, and the Defined Contribution Investment Only markets. Throughout his career, Mr. Whiting has worked with plan sponsors, recordkeepers, consultants, and advisors specializing in the government retirement markets.
Before joining MissionSquare Retirement in November 2020, Mr. Whiting served as the Public Markets Client Advisor at JP Morgan Asset Management. He was responsible for Public Sector Investment Only business. He also served as National Sales Vice President for Government Markets at Lincoln Financial, responsible for leading the development of the tax-deferred business. Mr. Whiting also served as Regional Vice President of Governmental Employer-Sponsored Plans at AXA Equitable, and he was Regional Sales Director for Tax Exempt Markets with The Hartford. He began his career working for the Department of Public Works in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.
Mr. Whiting holds the role of Trustee for the New York State Troopers Police Benevolent Association Signal 30 Fund. Additionally, he has been bestowed an honorary lifetime membership in both the New Jersey Police Benevolent Association Local 265 and the Dade County Police Benevolent Association. Mr. Whiting has also served on the Industry Committee of the National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators.
Mr. Whiting earned a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing from Fairfield University, and he is a Registered Representative.
Kathleen Wilson
Acting Chief Marketing Officer
Kathleen Wilson currently serves as the Acting Chief Marketing Officer at MissionSquare Retirement, responsible for overseeing the company's brand, reputation, channel marketing, digital business, advertising, marketing operations, corporate communications, and public relations.
With nearly two decades of dedicated service to MissionSquare, Ms. Wilson possesses a wealth of experience in diverse marketing and client-facing roles. Her expertise and leadership have played a pivotal role in shaping the marketing landscape of MissionSquare. As the Vice President of Client Engagement in Washington, DC, she leveraged interactive client advisory forums focused on public sector retirement solutions. Additionally, she supervised national conferences and sponsorship strategies in alignment with the organization's mission.
During her tenure as the Director of Key Client Relations, Ms. Wilson managed MissionSquare's largest state retirement plan, overseeing assets exceeding $6.7 billion and more than 480,000 participant accounts. Beyond mere numerical achievements, her strategies were centered on ensuring the secure retirement of numerous public sector employees.
Ms. Wilson's versatility and strategic acumen were further demonstrated during her roles as the Interim Executive Director and Deputy Executive Director for the Educational Employees’ Supplemental Retirement System of Fairfax County (ERFC). In these positions, she assumed responsibility for all functions, personnel, and resources of ERFC. Emphasizing member engagement and operational excellence, she developed strategic initiatives to enhance the member experience from new hires to retirees, including beneficiaries. Ms. Wilson also managed investment programs valued at over three billion dollars, showcasing her ability to lead complex financial operations and maintain robust stakeholder relationships.
Ms. Wilson's leadership is demonstrated in her management of diverse teams comprising strategists, designers, editors/content developers, auditors, and project managers. Her proficiency is evident in the successful development of creative campaigns and the oversight of the production of a wide range of print and electronic materials for MissionSquare Retirement and its premier clients. These accomplishments have garnered Ms. Wilson and her teams recognition through more than 35 industry, marketing, and international awards. Ms. Wilson is also engaged in the National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators (NAGDCA), where she has served on various committees and boards.
Kathleen Wilson holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Loyola University Maryland and is Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certified.
From the heroes dedicated to public service who we serve and support, to our employees new and tenured, our people make us who we are. By the numbers, women and people of color make up 70% of our executive team, 66% of our employees, and 75% of our board of directors. But we’re not just about numbers.
Our executive leaders come from an array of financial services backgrounds — more than 265 years of combined industry knowledge. Their diverse experience and shared focus on serving the retirement planning needs of public employees help make MissionSquare unique. A nonprofit founded by and for the public sector, MissionSquare is about people — on every level, at every life stage.
Executive Leadership
Andre Robinson
Chief Executive Officer
& President
25 years
in financial services
view bio
Deanna J. Santana
Senior Advisor to the
CEO & President
28 years
in public service
view bio
Karen Chong-Wulff
Acting
Chief Investment Officer
37 years
in financial services
view bio
Jeff Gibson
Chief Product & Strategy Officer
30 years
in financial services
view bio
Angela Montez
Chief Legal, Corporate &
Government Affairs Officer
29 years
in financial services
view bio
Dai Shi
Senior Vice President
Chief Financial Officer
28 years
in financial services
view bio
Lynne Smith
Senior Vice President, Chief Client Experience & Technology Officer
30 years
in financial services
view bio
Steve Summers
Managing Vice President
Chief Internal Auditor
28 years
in financial services
view bio
Andrew Whiting
Senior Vice President
Chief Sales Officer
18 years
in financial services
view bio
Kathleen Wilson
Acting
Chief Marketing Officer
18 years
in financial services
view bio
Andre Robinson
Chief Executive Officer & President
Andre Robinson is the Chief Executive Officer and President of MissionSquare Retirement.
With more than 25 years of experience in retirement services and investment management, Mr. Robinson is a seasoned leader known for driving high-performance businesses. Before joining MissionSquare, he served at Voya Financial for over 13 years, where he held several key positions, including President of Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. and Head of Retail Advisory Business Development. In these roles, he oversaw strategic initiatives, optimized technology platforms to enhance participant experiences and outcomes, and successfully launched new product offerings that provided participants with greater insights for their savings and investment decisions.
Prior to his tenure at Voya Financial, Mr. Robinson worked at BNY Pershing as a Relationship Manager, focusing on driving institutional adoption of advisory-sponsored products and technology solutions. He also served as a Director at Pershing Fund Processing Corporation (PFPC), where he contributed to various strategic initiatives.
Mr. Robinson’s deep passion for improving lives through financial wellness and his vision for innovation and growth drive his commitment to strengthening MissionSquare’s platform and building on its mission of helping public sector workers achieve retirement and financial security.
Mr. Robinson holds an Executive M.B.A. in Finance from Saint Joseph’s University, Erivan K. Haub School of Business, and a B.A. in Business Administration from Arcadia University. Additionally, he maintains FINRA series 4, 6, 7, 24, 63, and 65 licenses.
Deanna J. Santana
Senior Advisor to the CEO & President
Deanna J. Santana serves as the Senior Advisor to the CEO and President. With eight years of service on the company's Board of Directors, including her appointment as Board Chair, Ms. Santana possesses deep expertise in public sector retirement, backed by her experience as a retirement plan administrator and participant.
Throughout her nearly thirty-year career,
Ms. Santana has built a reputation as a collaborative and purposeful leader who is successfully able to lead complex organizations that provide multifaceted services. Her commitment to public service is evidenced through her past roles as City Manager for Santa Clara and Sunnyvale, City Administrator for the City of Oakland, and Deputy City Manager for the City of San Jose. In these cities, she successfully led various services beyond conventional municipal services, such as the production and distribution of electric power serving residents, global Silicon Valley businesses, and the Bay Area’s public rail utility; oversight of professional sports teams through Joint Power Authority structures providing for stadium and arena support service for Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, and National Football League; support, coordination, and oversight of the Port of Oakland’s (City Charter designated department) labor needs (nation’s fifth largest port); and, oversight of redevelopment agencies and implementation of large real estate, housing, and commercial developments.
Notably, she is distinguished as the only public service professional to have held high-ranking executive roles in the Silicon Valley cities that comprise the nation’s Largest Tech Hub, as ranked by Forbes, and in support of California ranking as the world’s 4th largest economy.
As City Manager for the City of Oakland, Ms. Santana made history as the first Latina to lead a major and large U.S. city. Her accomplishments have earned her numerous honors and awards, including the Career Excellence Award from Women Leading Government and Municipal Managers of Northern California (2022), VIP Woman of the Year recognition from the National Association of Professional Women (2015), and the Most Influential Women in Business Award from the San Francisco Business Times (2012). Additionally, she has been honored with the Silicon Valley YWCA Tribute to Women Award and the Powerful Women of the Bay Area Award, presented by Congresswoman Barbara Lee.
Ms. Santana holds two Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of California at Berkeley and a Master of City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Additionally, she earned a Corporate Director Certificate from Harvard Business School, focusing on Governance, Finance, Audit, and Compensation.
Karen Chong-Wulff,CFA®, CAIA®
Acting Chief Investment Officer
Karen leads MissionSquare Retirement’s investment team, overseeing fund investment management utilizing subadvisors or underlying funds, stable value investment management, fixed income investment management and credit research. Her fund/stable value investment management responsibilities include the due diligence of and mix of subadvisors/underlying funds; contract review and negotiations for stable value investment contracts; and risk management including credit research oversight for managed fixed income, stable value, and cash portfolios/funds. She also serves as lead portfolio manager for internally managed stable value portfolios including the MissionSquare PLUS Fund.
Karen has more than 37 years of experience in the investment industry. Prior to joining the firm in July 2007, she was Senior Portfolio Manager and Director for Stable Value Investments at DuPont Capital Management. Before that, she progressively served as Credit Analyst, Product Analyst and Portfolio Manager at Morley Capital Management.
Karen earned a Master of Business Administration from Washington State University and a Bachelor of Accountancy from the National University of Singapore. She holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® (CFA) designation and is a member of the CFA Society of Washington, D.C. She also holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst® (CAIA) designation and is a member of the Washington, D.C. Chapter of the CAIA Association. Karen has earned the CFA Institute Certificate in ESG Investing. Additionally, she is a member of the Stable Value Investment Association and currently serves on its board of directors (2024-2026).
Jeffrey Gibson
Chief Product & Strategy Officer
Jeffrey A. Gibson serves as the Chief Product and Strategy Officer at MissionSquare Retirement, a position that underscores his three-decade career in the retirement services industry. In his current role, Mr. Gibson leads the Corporate Strategy and Competitive Intelligence functions. He also oversees the Product Team, developing record keeping solutions as well as investment products and Managed Accounts. Finally, he leads the Proposal Management Team supporting the organization's retention and new business goals.
With over 30 years of experience, Mr. Gibson is a seasoned professional known for his strategic leadership in new business plan acquisition. He has successfully completed more than 800 plan conversions at MissionSquare Retirement. Mr. Gibson is highly regarded for his approach to meeting client needs and partnering with industry consultants to help deliver improved outcomes for plan sponsors and participants. He also emphasizes the importance of corporate culture in making strategies work effectively.
Prior to his current role, Mr. Gibson served as Vice President of Strategy & Competitive Intelligence at MissionSquare. In this capacity, he played a pivotal role in defining the strategic direction of the company, developing sales acquisition and retention strategies, and serving as the executive sponsor for key consulting relationships. Earlier roles at MissionSquare Retirement include Vice President of New Business Services, Director of New Business and Corporate Support Services, and Manager of the State Plan Services Team.
Before joining MissionSquare Retirement, Mr. Gibson held significant positions in the financial services industry, including roles at T. Rowe Price.
Mr. Gibson earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Towson University, Maryland, with dual concentrations in Human Resources Management and Strategic Operations Management. He also received certifications for Advanced Management Leadership and Professional Development from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
Angela Montez
Chief Legal, Corporate & Government Affairs Officer
Angela Montez is Chief Legal, Corporate & Government Affairs Officer at MissionSquare Retirement. In this role, she leads Legal, Compliance, Risk, and Government Affairs functions and corporate governance for the company, including management of internal staff and external counsel relationships; direction on legal matters impacting the organization’s asset management; plan administration and advisory businesses; and oversight of Department of Labor, Internal Revenue Service, Securities and Exchange Commission, and state regulatory matters and litigation. Ms. Montez also serves as the chief legal advisor to the company’s President & Chief Executive Officer, members of senior management, and key internal and external stakeholders.
Before joining MissionSquare Retirement, Ms. Montez served as Special Counsel at Eversheds Sutherland (U.S.), where her practice focused on retirement and investment policy and products, including ERISA and related federal tax and securities law issues and collective investment trust matters.
Previously, Ms. Montez was Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Chief Legal Officer at ICMA Retirement Corporation (now MissionSquare Retirement). Earlier at the company as Managing Vice President & Deputy General Counsel, Ms. Montez was the senior legal advisor to clients and management regarding employee benefits, tax, legislative, regulatory, and general corporate matters. She also served as the Chief Legal Officer for the proprietary mutual fund complex, The Vantagepoint Funds.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Montez was an Associate with Groom Law Group, a preeminent benefits law firm serving clients in finance, retirement, healthcare, and the public sector. In addition, she served as a Special Assistant in the Office of the Majority Whip of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Ms. Montez has been an Advisory Board Member for the Society of Professional Asset Managers and Record Keepers (SPARK) Institute and a member of its Government Relations and Privacy Committees. She also has served as a member of the Executive Steering Committee for the Coalition of Collective Investment Trusts. She currently serves on the Boards of Directors of the D.C. Bar Foundation and the Gift of Adoption Fund. Her other professional affiliations include the Private Directors Association, the National Association of Corporate Directors, and the District of Columbia Bar Association.
Ms. Montez earned a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Pennsylvania and a Juris Doctor at Georgetown University Law Center. She is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia.
Dai Shi
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer
Dai focuses on driving growth while maintaining sustainable profit margins for MissionSquare Retirement. She believes the financial services industry is the first responder to everyone’s financial health — an extraordinary responsibility to society.
She previously worked as business line Chief Financial Officer for Equitable Holdings and served on the core team for the 2018 IPO. She also assumed senior leadership roles with global companies such as AXA, Prudential, and CITI Group in the United States and emerging markets, supporting business through organic expansion and strategic acquisitions.
Dai serves on the Board of Trustees for The Well in New York City. She supports fundraising for several charities, including Hopes for New York, Restore NYC, and Autism Speaks.
She has a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Illinois, and she holds certificates in Sustainability Development and International Organization Management from Columbia University and the University of Geneva.
Lynne Smith
Senior Vice President, Chief Client Experience
& Technology Officer
Lynne is responsible for aligning technology offerings and building best-in-class client experiences that support MissionSquare Retirement’s customers and the communities they serve.
Her extensive background includes leading nonprofit health care and education plan administration focused on participant and plan sponsor experiences by market segment, as well as building participant financial wellness and retirement readiness programs.
Lynne joined MissionSquare from OneAmerica where she served as Head of Business Development and Strategy. She has also served as Chief Operating Officer for Bank of Montreal and has held leadership roles with VOYA and CitiStreet.
She has a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Cornell University, and a master’s degree in Business Administration from the Frank G. Zarb School of Business at Hofstra University. She is a FINRA Series 7, 24, and 63 registered representative.
Steve Summers
Managing Vice President, Chief Internal Auditor
Steve Summers is the Managing Vice President of Internal Audit and Chief Internal Auditor at MissionSquare Retirement. He reports directly to the Audit Committee Chair of the MissionSquare Retirement Board of Directors with respect to the substance of work performed, and indirectly to MissionSquare Retirement’s Chief Financial Officer with regards to administrative matters. In his role as Chief Internal Auditor, he endeavors to ensure that MissionSquare Retirement is in compliance with all relevant legal and regulatory requirements, and that the Board and Management are aware of any material control weaknesses or potential risks to the corporation or its clients. In addition, Steve coordinates with MissionSquare Retirement’s external auditors and other internal control and monitoring functions (e.g. Risk Management, Compliance, Information Security, and the Legal division) to evaluate the completeness of audit and oversight coverage of the corporation as well as its critical vendors.
Steve came to MissionSquare Retirement in February 2008, from Vanguard where he managed integrated technology and operational audits of areas such as portfolio management, securities lending, compliance, mutual fund accounting, pricing, and the technology used to support each, in addition to reviews of the mutual fund subadvisors. Prior to going to work at Vanguard, Steve was an Audit Manager at KPMG, LLP where he managed audits, performed data mining and analysis in support thereof and executed consulting engagements for banking institutions, mutual fund companies, REITs, and the Department of Defense. Prior to joining KPMG, Steve was employed by T. Rowe Price in various roles, including: Mutual Fund Accountant, Pricing Analyst, and finally as a Business Systems Analyst.
Steve is a Certified Information Systems Auditor with more than 25 years of experience working in financial services and over 20 years of experience as an auditor.
Steve has a bachelor’s degree in Finance from The Pennsylvania State University and completed Harvard Business School’s Executive Education Program for Audit Committees in a New Era of Governance.
Andrew Whiting
Senior Vice President, Chief Sales Officer
Andrew Whiting is Senior Vice President, Chief Sales Officer with MissionSquare Retirement. In this role, he is responsible for a broad range of retirement savings, financial planning, investment-only (DCIO) and advisory programs (including government, education, healthcare, and not-for-profit retirement plans), which deliver on the organization’s mission of “serving those who serve.” He has overall responsibility for all revenue and client-facing sales teams across the organization.
Mr. Whiting has more than 16 years of experience in the financial services industry. He brings extensive experience working with public sector and government sector retirement plans and has expertise across 457 and 403(b) retirement plans, and the Defined Contribution Investment Only markets. Throughout his career, Mr. Whiting has worked with plan sponsors, recordkeepers, consultants, and advisors specializing in the government retirement markets.
Before joining MissionSquare Retirement in November 2020, Mr. Whiting served as the Public Markets Client Advisor at JP Morgan Asset Management. He was responsible for Public Sector Investment Only business. He also served as National Sales Vice President for Government Markets at Lincoln Financial, responsible for leading the development of the tax-deferred business. Mr. Whiting also served as Regional Vice President of Governmental Employer-Sponsored Plans at AXA Equitable, and he was Regional Sales Director for Tax Exempt Markets with The Hartford. He began his career working for the Department of Public Works in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.
Mr. Whiting holds the role of Trustee for the New York State Troopers Police Benevolent Association Signal 30 Fund. Additionally, he has been bestowed an honorary lifetime membership in both the New Jersey Police Benevolent Association Local 265 and the Dade County Police Benevolent Association. Mr. Whiting has also served on the Industry Committee of the National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators.
Mr. Whiting earned a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing from Fairfield University, and he is a Registered Representative.
Kathleen Wilson
Acting Chief Marketing Officer
Kathleen Wilson currently serves as the Acting Chief Marketing Officer at MissionSquare Retirement, responsible for overseeing the company's brand, reputation, channel marketing, digital business, advertising, marketing operations, corporate communications, and public relations.
With nearly two decades of dedicated service to MissionSquare, Ms. Wilson possesses a wealth of experience in diverse marketing and client-facing roles. Her expertise and leadership have played a pivotal role in shaping the marketing landscape of MissionSquare. As the Vice President of Client Engagement in Washington, DC, she leveraged interactive client advisory forums focused on public sector retirement solutions. Additionally, she supervised national conferences and sponsorship strategies in alignment with the organization's mission.
During her tenure as the Director of Key Client Relations, Ms. Wilson managed MissionSquare's largest state retirement plan, overseeing assets exceeding $6.7 billion and more than 480,000 participant accounts. Beyond mere numerical achievements, her strategies were centered on ensuring the secure retirement of numerous public sector employees.
Ms. Wilson's versatility and strategic acumen were further demonstrated during her roles as the Interim Executive Director and Deputy Executive Director for the Educational Employees’ Supplemental Retirement System of Fairfax County (ERFC). In these positions, she assumed responsibility for all functions, personnel, and resources of ERFC. Emphasizing member engagement and operational excellence, she developed strategic initiatives to enhance the member experience from new hires to retirees, including beneficiaries. Ms. Wilson also managed investment programs valued at over three billion dollars, showcasing her ability to lead complex financial operations and maintain robust stakeholder relationships.
Ms. Wilson's leadership is demonstrated in her management of diverse teams comprising strategists, designers, editors/content developers, auditors, and project managers. Her proficiency is evident in the successful development of creative campaigns and the oversight of the production of a wide range of print and electronic materials for MissionSquare Retirement and its premier clients. These accomplishments have garnered Ms. Wilson and her teams recognition through more than 35 industry, marketing, and international awards. Ms. Wilson is also engaged in the National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators (NAGDCA), where she has served on various committees and boards.
Kathleen Wilson holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Loyola University Maryland and is Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certified.
Deanna J. Santana
Senior Advisor to the
CEO & President
Deanna J. Santana serves as the Senior Advisor to the CEO and President. With eight years of service on the company's Board of Directors, including her appointment as Board Chair, Ms. Santana possesses deep expertise in public sector retirement, backed by her experience as a retirement plan administrator and participant.
Throughout her nearly thirty-year career, Ms. Santana has built a reputation as a collaborative and purposeful leader who is successfully able to lead complex organizations that provide multifaceted services. Her commitment to public service is evidenced through her past roles as City Manager for Santa Clara and Sunnyvale, City Administrator for the City of Oakland, and Deputy City Manager for the City of San Jose. In these cities, she successfully led various services beyond conventional municipal services, such as the production and distribution of electric power serving residents, global Silicon Valley businesses, and the Bay Area’s public rail utility; oversight of professional sports teams through Joint Power Authority structures providing for stadium and arena support service for Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, and National Football League; support, coordination, and oversight of the Port of Oakland’s (City Charter designated department) labor needs (nation’s fifth largest port); and, oversight of redevelopment agencies and implementation of large real estate, housing, and commercial developments.
Notably, she is distinguished as the only public service professional to have held high-ranking executive roles in the Silicon Valley cities that comprise the nation’s Largest Tech Hub, as ranked by Forbes, and in support of California ranking as the world’s 4th largest economy.
As City Manager for the City of Oakland, Ms. Santana made history as the first Latina to lead a major and large U.S. city. Her accomplishments have earned her numerous honors and awards, including the Career Excellence Award from Women Leading Government and Municipal Managers of Northern California (2022), VIP Woman of the Year recognition from the National Association of Professional Women (2015), and the Most Influential Women in Business Award from the San Francisco Business Times (2012). Additionally, she has been honored with the Silicon Valley YWCA Tribute to Women Award and the Powerful Women of the Bay Area Award, presented by Congresswoman Barbara Lee.
Ms. Santana holds two Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of California at Berkeley and a Master of City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Additionally, she earned a Corporate Director Certificate from Harvard Business School, focusing on Governance, Finance, Audit, and Compensation.