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Silver Team

The Silver team asks the right questions and concentrates on real issues

Silver acts as an extension of each client’s team. We intuitively consider the direct and indirect business impact of each client’s compliance with specific regulations or investor demands. Silver takes on the heavy-lifting, carrying out the routine and most time-consuming tasks, and always probes for future implications.

Silver Team

  • Fizza Khan
    Fizza Khan
    Chief Executive Officer
  • Trysha Daskam-Smith
    Trysha Daskam-Smith
    Managing Director & Head of ESG Strategy
  • Nicholas Nunez
    Nicholas Nunez
    Managing Director, Chief Administrative Officer & Head of Regulatory Compliance
  • Abbey Sporio
    Abbey Sporio
    Analyst
  • Emily Schofield
    Emily Schofield
    Business Development Manager
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Fizza Khan
Chief Executive Officer

O: 646-838-1718
M: 646-939-5521
[email protected]
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A pioneer in providing outsourced compliance services to investment firms, Fizza Khan is an expert on regulations governing investment advisers, broker-dealers and registered and private funds. As a hands-on leader across the firm’s flagship service lines – Regulatory Compliance, ESG and Due Diligence Preparation – Fizza ensures Silver’s clients are fully prepared to withstand regulator and investor scrutiny.

Through leadership positions at compliance consultancies, in-house legal counsel and compliance roles at various financial institutions and law firm practice, Fizza developed an approach for her clients that calibrates best practices with their business realities. Having personally handled numerous SEC examinations while in-house and as a consultant, Fizza knows how to satisfy regulator and investor expectations without creating unmanageable complexity.

Prior to founding Silver, Fizza was the Chief Operating Officer for U.S. Compliance Consulting and a Managing Director at Duff & Phelps. She joined Duff & Phelps in January 2016 as a result of their acquisition of CounselWorks LLC where she was a Partner.  At both Duff & Phelps and CounselWorks, Fizza managed the day-to-day provision of compliance services to firm clients and built the foundations upon which advice was given.

Fizza developed her insider perspective from her experience at a wide range of financial institutions. As senior counsel and the U.S. Chief Compliance Officer for DKR Oasis Management, a global private investment fund manager, Fizza was responsible for all U S. regulatory matters and supervision of domestic employees.  As Chief Compliance Officer for the investment management business of Sandler O’Neill Advisors, Fizza registered the firm with the SEC as an investment adviser and developed and oversaw its compliance program. She also served as the Chief Compliance Officer for the Equities Group at Sandler O’Neill + Partners and, in that capacity, was responsible for the firm’s SEC and FINRA compliance programs.  In addition, Fizza managed a number of formal SEC and FINRA regulatory examinations for the Sandler firms.  As in-house counsel at Deutsche Banc, Fizza advised numerous registered and private fund managers as to fund and advisory entity structuring, prepared their SEC regulatory filings and, for the registered funds, performed analysis required by the Investment Company Act of 1940. As an associate in the investment fund practice at Kramer Levin, Fizza specialized in the formation and management of registered and private funds.

Fizza received a Bachelor of Science in Business from Drexel University, where she concentrated on Finance and Economics and published a thesis on the effects of derivative trading regulation. She earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland School of Law.

Trysha Daskam-Smith
Managing Director & Head of ESG Strategy

646-838-2180
[email protected]
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A seasoned sustainability practitioner and expert in policy writing and implementation of regulatory controls, Trysha Daskam-Smith advises investment firms on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and regulatory compliance. She specializes in interpreting the impact of global regulation on a firm’s ESG efforts and regulatory compliance program.

Trysha’s interest in ESG began during her graduate work building financial models that showed the social and financial returns of investment in international health initiatives. Bringing this experience to the financial services industry, Trysha develops and advises on investment firm ESG programs (including ESG policies and procedures), helps firms respond to investors’ ESG questions and designs their ESG reporting processes.

Prior to joining Silver, Trysha was a Vice President for U.S. Compliance Consulting at Duff & Phelps, where she served as a global point person addressing ESG issues and completing ESG projects for a wide base of clients across various industry sectors. Trysha also worked with CounselWorks clients on all aspects of their regulatory compliance programs. Trysha developed her in-house perspective at Universa Investments, as part of the team managing the firm’s business operations and was involved in both mock and actual SEC exams.

A frequent speaker and commentator on a wide range of ESG topics related to the investment management industry, Trysha is an officer of the Sustainability Investment Leadership Council and a member of the GWU Board of ESG Ambassadors. She received a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from the University of Denver and a Master’s of Public Health from The George Washington University where she dually concentrated on International Economics and Global Health Policy.

Trysha holds the CFA Certificate in ESG Investing.

Nicholas Nunez
Managing Director, Chief Administrative Officer & Head of Regulatory Compliance

646-838-1687
[email protected]
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With over a decade of regulatory compliance experience, Nicholas Nunez works with investment advisers and broker dealers to register with regulatory authorities, develop and maintain their compliance programs and withstand scrutiny under both regulator examination and investor due diligence. In addition, Nicholas works with the CEO to manage the operations of Silver.

Prior to joining Silver, Nicholas served as the Deputy Director of Compliance at Commonwealth Opportunity Capital (CWOC), an SEC and CFTC-registered adviser that employed global macro strategies. At CWOC, he ensured implementation of numerous aspects of the compliance program, including development and execution of policies and procedures, administration of forensic testing and management of compliance trainings and also served as the firm’s cybersecurity responsible officer. Prior to CWOC, Nicholas was an Associate Director at CounselWorks LLC, a regulatory and business strategy consulting firm to investment advisers and broker dealers.

Nicholas holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Saint Joseph’s University and is proficient in Italian.

Benny Armstrong
Director

913-645-4494
[email protected]
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Leveraging experience in regulatory investigations involving potential market abuse and rule violations, Benny Armstrong works with Silver clients on the implementation, execution and maintenance of their compliance programs.

Prior to joining Silver, Benny was a Cboe Global Markets investigator for over four years. In that role, Benny conducted complex regulatory reviews of various types of market activity by Cboe’s member firms, including reviews of supervisory procedures and the potential for, or actual occurrences of, rule violations.

Benny received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from DePauw University and earned a Juris Doctor from Washburn University School of Law, where he concentrated on Business and Transactional Law.

Christopher Murphy
Director

315-512–1413
[email protected]
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Combining investment firm and compliance consulting experience, Chris Murphy works with Silver clients to implement, maintain and manage all aspects of their compliance programs.

Prior to joining Silver, Chris was a Legal and Compliance Associate at Bienville Capital Management. Chris’ responsibilities included reviewing and revising regulatory filings, compliance policies and procedures and marketing materials. Chris also managed Bienville’s SEC mock exams and performed routine, ongoing compliance functions such as code of ethics monitoring and participation in committee meetings. Previously, Chris was a Director at Foreside Financial Group, which was acquired by ACA in 2022. While at Foreside, Chris provided similar compliance services on an outsourced basis as well as support during investment advisers’ SEC regulatory exams.

Chris received a Bachelor of Science, cum laude, from Marist College and a Juris Doctor from Brooklyn Law School.

Patrick Billie
Associate Director

315-512-1060
[email protected]
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Applying his compliance expertise acquired over the last decade working as both a compliance consultant to investment advisers and a former regulator, Patrick Billie advises and collaborates with Silver clients to support the development, implementation and execution of their compliance programs.

Prior to joining Silver, Patrick was a Regulatory & Compliance Manager at IQEQ, a compliance consulting firm, supporting  hedge fund, private equity and venture capital clients by administering all aspects of their compliance programs.  Patrick also worked as a Regulatory Specialist at Northern Trust providing dedicated regulatory support to one of the largest private hedge fund managers in the world.  Before starting his career in compliance consulting, Patrick was a Supervisor in the Examinations department of the National Futures Association (NFA), with responsibilities including examining of NFA members.  Patrick then became a Senior Analyst in the NFA’s Financial Surveillance department, where he managed a team of NFA professionals, reviewed and analyzed regulatory filings and investigated claims of fraud and rule violations.

Patrick holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.  Patrick also holds a CFE designation from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

Josh Burton
Associate Director

315-543-8988
[email protected]
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Leveraging extensive regulatory compliance consulting experience, Josh partners with Silver clients to create and implement robust compliance frameworks tailored to the specific needs and regulatory risks of their businesses.

Prior to joining Silver, Josh was a Senior Manager at IQ-EQ, a compliance consulting firm, where he assisted investment advisers of various sizes and strategies across the alternative asset industry – ranging from new launches to large global asset managers – with developing and maintaining their regulatory compliance programs. As a Senior Manager, Josh researched and consulted with clients on a wide range of regulatory topics; assisted with reviewing and preparing regulatory filings; conducted in-depth forensic testing of compliance policies and procedures; and provided support for numerous regulatory examinations.

Josh received a B.B.A. in Economics from Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business, where he also completed the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core honors program. Josh holds the CFA Institute’s Certificate in ESG Investing.

Tyler Schoenberg
Compliance Manager

209-387-9422
[email protected]
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A former regulator who investigated investment firms, Tyler Schoenberg works with Silver clients to prepare for and manage SEC exams, develop and forensically test compliance policies and procedures and train client employees in compliance matters.  Tyler’s understanding of enforcement objectives and priorities and how securities laws are applied to real world scenarios allow him to hone in on issues material to regulators.

Prior to joining Silver, Tyler worked as a contract attorney at the SEC’s Division of Enforcement Asset Management Unit, developing cases against investment advisers, broker dealers, registered investment companies and private funds. Previously, at the United States Attorney’s Office, Tyler worked on civil fraud and white-collar crime investigations, including a 2014 case against Bank of America and its subsidiary Countrywide Financial Corporation, which settled for $16.65 billion and is the largest civil fraud settlement against a single entity in United States history.

Tyler holds a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Los Angeles and a Juris Doctor from Chapman University School of Law.

 

Jarod Riedl
ESG Manager

332-223-6822
[email protected]
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Leveraging experience in analyzing and managing environmental, regulatory and legislative risk, Jarod Riedl advises Silver clients on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and regulatory compliance issues.

Prior to joining Silver, Jarod was at Woodbridge International, a mid-market sell-side advisory firm. At Woodbridge, he was responsible for evaluating environmental and regulatory impact on client companies. Previously, Jarod worked at the Connecticut Group, a government relations and legislative research firm. There, he helped identify, research and mitigate legislative risks to a variety of financial, energy and technology firms.

Jarod received a M.S. in Financial Risk Management, as well as Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science from the University of Connecticut. His academic work focused on econometric analysis and sustainability issues. He also minored in Analytics and was a four-year letter winner for UConn’s NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Team. Jarod holds the CFA Certificate in ESG Investing.

Jennifer McElwain
ESG Manager

O: 315-537-2240
[email protected]
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Utilizing extensive experience in environmental, social and governance (ESG) due diligence and portfolio oversight, Jennifer McElwain advises Silver clients on ESG and sustainability policy and reporting, as well as diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) plans.

Prior to joining Silver, Jennifer was the ESG Lead Consultant with ACA Group, a regulatory consulting firm, where she directed ESG program management for firms in the financial services sector, including hedge funds, private equity firms and asset managers.  While at ACA, Jennifer created and customized ESG and DE&I policies, due diligence questionnaires and ESG marketing materials, as well as other ESG initiatives. Jennifer also developed disclosures and provided reporting guidance with respect to the UN Principles for Responsible Investing (UN PRI) and Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), among others.

Jennifer received an M.S. in Environmental Science and Policy from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF). Jennifer’s academic work focused heavily on environmental analysis and performance measurement, in addition to environmental policymaking and policy analysis.

Henry Trinh
Associate

646-847-2770
[email protected]
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Leveraging experience in Anti-Money Laundering compliance and consumer finance compliance, Henry Trinh specializes in the implementation, maintenance and management of compliance monitoring programs for Silver’s clients.

Prior to joining Silver, Henry was a Compliance Officer at Omni Financial of Nevada, working with the Chief Compliance Officer and other departments to carry out the company’s Compliance Management System. Henry’s responsibilities included reviewing and revising corporate policies and procedures, reviewing marketing materials for conformance with FTC guidelines and developing the company’s business record retention program. Previously, Henry worked at AML RightSource where he investigated suspected cases of fraud and money laundering on a fintech platform.

Henry received a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from UCLA and a Juris Doctor from the University of San Francisco School of Law. Henry also holds a Certificate in Deposit Compliance from the American Bankers Association (ABA) and is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS) under the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists (ACAMS).

Alex Zollinger
Senior Associate

208-709-2323
[email protected]
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Drawing from both financial services and litigation experience, Alex Zollinger works with Silver clients to  implement, maintain and manage their compliance programs.

Prior to joining Silver, Alex was a Legal Compliance Associate at Assure, a leading provider of outsourced administrative and transactional services for the private investment marketplace where he was responsible for managing the compliance programs of a high volume of Assure’s private investment fund manager clients.  In this role, Alex was primarily tasked with customizing fund documents, preparing regulatory filings for exempt reporting advisers, conducting general legal and/or compliance reviews and providing regulatory updates to clients. Previously, Alex worked in a boutique law firm focused on civil and criminal litigation for both governmental and private clients.

Alex received a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration from Brigham Young University – Idaho. Alex also holds a Master of Public Administration and a Juris Doctor, both from the University of Idaho.

 

Caroline Benson
Associate

315-498-1433
[email protected]
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Applying her experience with investment advisers in both the public and private sectors, Caroline Benson works with Silver to develop, implement and support clients’ regulatory compliance programs. 

Prior to joining Silver, Caroline was a Compliance Associate at IQEQ. At IQEQ, Caroline focused on maintaining robust compliance programs for fund managers, family offices and private clients operating worldwide. Caroline also helped lead projects that oversaw the development and maintenance of compliance platforms and was a member of IQEQ’s AML KYC project team.

Caroline received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Spanish from Texas A&M University. Caroline also holds a Masters of International Affairs from the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University.

Brad Caswell
Analyst

332-223-6799
[email protected]
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As an Analyst on the compliance team, Brad Caswell advises Silver’s clients on the implementation, maintenance and management of all aspects of their compliance program.

Prior to joining Silver, Brad has worked as a Digital Marketing Consultant and Digital Marketing Specialist in the food/beverage industry utilizing skills he developed through a Digital Marketing & Storytelling certificate he received through the University of Pennsylvania’s Experience Lab at Penn program.

Brad received a Bachelor of Arts in Marine Science with minors in Environmental Analysis & Policy and Chinese from Boston University. He utilizes skills from past environmental and marketing experiences to assist with Silver’s ESG and Marketing efforts as well.

Michael Pizzani
ESG, Analyst

332-223-6833
[email protected]
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As an Analyst on Silver’s ESG team, Michael advises the firm’s clients on the integration of Environmental, Social and Governance concerns.

Prior to joining Silver in January 2024, Michael received a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Economics with a minor in Environmental Studies from Northeastern University. While at Northeastern University, Michael worked at the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, specializing in grant funding to cleantech incubators; and at Boston Consulting Group, focusing on internal global learning and development.

Michael is ESG Certified by Bloomberg, a certification focused on implementing ESG strategies and preparing ESG reports through the lens of a buy-side asset management firm, with areas of study including: fixed income and equities ESG integration; shareholder activism and corporate governance; and reporting sustainability activities

Abbey Sporio
Analyst

(332) 237-6260

[email protected]

As an Analyst on the compliance team, Abbey Sporio advises Silver’s clients on the implementation, maintenance, and management of all aspects of their compliance program.

Prior to joining Silver, Abbey was a Compliance Analyst at ACA Group, a leading governance, risk, and compliance advisor in the financial services sector. While at ACA, she was responsible for supporting clients with regulatory obligations and managing their corresponding compliance programs. Her responsibilities also included drafting reports and summarizing findings, setting up brokerage agreements, statement reviews, and conducting investigations and internal audits.

Previously, Abbey worked as an Assistant Bank Manager at Dollar Bank, where she executed and scheduled branch audits, performed confidential duties requiring knowledge of bank and federal polices, and administered loan applications.

Abbey received a Bachelor of Science in Finance with a double minor in Accounting and Management from California University of Pa. She also holds a Notary Public Liscense in Pennsylvania (Jan 2021-Jan 2025).

Emily Schofield
Business Development Manager

646-838-0561
[email protected]
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Having held a variety of legal, compliance and risk management roles at law firms and compliance consulting firms, Emily Schofield is responsible for developing, on boarding and maintaining client relationships at Silver. Leveraging her field experience, Emily ensures client relationships are set up for success and that Silver is meeting client expectations.

Prior to joining Silver, Emily was a Vice President for U.S. Compliance Consulting at Duff & Phelps, which she joined in January 2016 as a result of their acquisition of CounselWorks LLC. At both Duff & Phelps and CounselWorks, Emily advised private equity and hedge fund firms and other investment advisers on a wide array of matters, conducted risk assessments, prepared SEC filings and compliance policy and procedures documents and provided support during SEC examinations.

Emily developed her diverse perspective through a variety of legal and compliance roles. As regulatory counsel at MarketCounsel and its affiliated law firm, Emily provided legal and compliance counsel to registered investment advisers. In the Office of General Counsel at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, she devised and implemented risk management strategies for the firm. Prior to law school, Emily was a legal assistant at Gibson Dunn assisting in the representation of major financial institutions and investment companies in securities litigation and SEC enforcement actions.

Emily received a Bachelor of Arts in English, with a minor in Government, from Georgetown University. She earned a Juris Doctor from Fordham University School of Law.