Real Professionals
Our Team
Professionals with Operational and Investment Expertises
Our team members are professionals and masters of their crafts.
We Believe
Under-represented Alternative Asset Managers Excel
Our experiences span a wide range of vantage points within these sectors. Our team has former public and private healthcare CEOs, private equity leadership, M&A attorneys and senior leaders with established track records of building successful businesses from US$200 million to US$2.3 billion in enterprise value.
We commit to a long-term partnership with company leadership, and engineer a holding company structure that provides permanent capital and long-term security for strategic growth. Our longer-term horizon is tax-efficient, and generates superior compounding value for our investors. Ultimately, we believe private enterprise can be a powerful force to foster inclusive growth and shared prosperity.
Aimee Senour
Senior Operating Advisor
Aimee Senour is a Global Sales IT leader with years of experience in global strategic planning, process improvement, governance, and leading teams throughout the US, Asia, the UK, and South America. She has spent time as an underwriter for Inspire CIO Philadelphia, Advisory Board Member for PACT, and an advisor for Drexel University Presidents Parents Council. Aimee is committed to supporting Women in Technology and recently led the Webinar “Women in Technology a Reason for Optimism.” Within these commitments, Aimee discovered her passion for supporting professionals and organizations that promote DEI and professional growth.
Aimee is presently the President of Proactive Performance Solutions. Proactive is an IT Consulting firm established in 1993, headquartered in Delaware.
Liz Griggs
Chief Executive Officer & Founder
General Partner
Liz is responsible for transaction origination, fundraising, investment policy, investor relations and the general management of the firm.
Liz Griggs is a nationally known thought leader, visionary and senior executive in the Healthcare industry. In 1993 she launched One Call Medical which was the platform for what is currently the largest Workers’ Comp ancillary care company in the U.S. with over $1.5 billion in revenue and sold for $2.3 billion to a large PE firm. Ms. Griggs is also a leader in the corporate wellness marketplace as former Chairman & CEO of WorkWell Prevention & Care providing on site rehabilitation services to Fortune 500 companies including addressing the epidemic of obesity and opioid dependence in the workforce.
As the Managing Partner & Founder of Grantchester Group, Liz has built a team of leading CEO's and Senior Executives who have track records of building and operating highly profitable companies in the healthcare, energy, infrastructure and technology markets, with enterprise values between $200 million and $3 billion. The Grantchester team has developed several platforms with significant opportunities to improve and disrupt current business models in energy, healthcare and technology. This is achieved through new applications of technology, innovative new products, and driving growth in sales & improved operations. Some energy and healthcare transactions that require billions of dollars of equity are made possible through partnerships with large PE funds and co-investment with large LP’s, who value the high performance proven teams with innovative strategies built by Grantchester.
Prior to her Operating roles Ms. Griggs worked for the investment banking firm, Donaldson, Lufkin, and Jenrette in both New York and Boston.
Ms. Griggs was a Dean’s Scholar and graduate of the University Delaware, she also participated in the Owner/President Management program at the Harvard Business School.
Liz was an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist. She is a member of Women in Private Equity (WAVE), and Women Corporate Directors (WCD). She also mentors young women in their business careers and volunteers to help foster children.
Ms. Griggs currently serves on the advisory board of The Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She is also on the board of advisors of the University of Delaware's Horn Program in Entrepreneurship.
Andrea Alms
Chief Operating Officer
Andrea Alms has extensive investment management experiences as a partner, company founder, and board member. She founded BrookDell a boutique private equity management company for investor relations (LP-LP, LP-GP, GP-GP), evaluating portfolio companies/assets, divestures, and distressed assets. In addition, she served as an independent board of director and Trustee on public listed fund (CBOE: the Emerge EMPWR Exchanged Traded Funds). This ETF is run by an all-women portfolio management team. As former co-fund manager at the BioHealth Innovation and from this platform, it has about 110 client companies, holds equity in 28 companies and 5 realized exits. Andrea is recognized for her abilities in guiding venture capital, private equity, and mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and other transactions involving early-stage companies. She is co-founder of several life science companies. Andrea worked for 4 years in wet bench laboratory research at Harvard. Co-author >20 scientific journals and application notes. Over 15 years’ experience in technology transfer, intellectual property, and contract drafting on behalf of University of Virginia Patent Foundation (e.g., confidentiality, subscriptions, license, R&D, and MTA). Economics BA (Wellesley College), Pharmacology MS (University of Virginia), and MBA (Averitt).
Dick Murphy
Granchester Group
Lead Senior Advisor
Mr. Murphy spent most of his career consulting to global and U.S. multi-national corporations at c-suite levels, while building consulting partnerships resulting in client engagements across 30 countries throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific. Under Mr. Murphy’s leadership, clients experienced high-impact management consulting resulting in achievement of superior organizational performance through alignment of strategy, process and human capital in both public and private sectors.
As a founder and President of ODI International, his firm was named to INC Magazine’s List of 500 Fastest Growing Companies in the US for two years running. ODI was acclaimed for its ability to cascade client strategies through rapid deployment and alignment of strategy at all organizational levels. He lived and worked in Singapore expanding the firm’s footprint across Asia Pacific and the Middle East. The firm’s clients included broad industry representation across healthcare and life sciences, financial services, technology, professional services, industrial, consumer. Prior to his consulting career, Mr. Murphy held executive positions with CBS, and Control Data.
Mr. Murphy has served on numerous advisory boards, including; RSR Partners, Princeton University’s Faith and Work Initiative, a founding member of the Instructional Systems Association and the Greenwich Leadership Forum.
Mr. Murphy received his Bachelor’s degree in English Literature with a minor in Science from Windham College, and served active duty in the United States Marine Corps.
Dr. Mark Cooper
Grantchester Group
Operating Partner
Diplomat of the American College of Radiology
Dr. Cooper brings his deep expertise in Radiology, Medicine and strong business perspectives to the Grantchester Team. After receiving an M.B.A , he combined his expertise in Radiology and Interventional procedures with his business acumen to provide a myriad of services for many health care related ventures. He has performed due diligence for various private equity firms as well as participating in many healthcare related round tables.
Mark was the president of the Physician Advisory Board of a national medical malpractice company. His expertise in operations management was utilized as a physician consultant for Radiology Business Solutions, a national company that managed numerous Radiology practices in the U.S. His roll was to act as mentor to large practices and provide guidance in leadership as well as the business of medicine. His roll was also integral in contract negotiations, always looking to create a “win-win” result for the Hospital and practicing Radiologists.
He has lectured for the American College of Radiology on topics such as practice management, retirement planning and investment strategies. As a member of the Managed Care committee of the American College of Radiology, he has been involved in national contract negotiations for reimbursement and appropriate utilization as well as coding. This committee has been on the cutting edge of the evolution of medicine and its progress during these challenging times.
His expertise as a consultant for a National Utilization review company entailed interacting with various CMO’s in the U.S. His depth of knowledge of all aspects of medicine was integral in this roll.
As Chief Medical Officer of Next Image Medical, his roll was to develop best practices for thousands of imaging centers . This created an efficient model to have the most appropriate studies performed ,thus enabling the patient/employee to be able to return to work in a timely manner without negatively impacting their performance. The need to have all specialties of medicine work together seamlessly to provide the most appropriate medical care as the primary goal was the primary focus.
Mark was Chief Resident at Thomas Jefferson University for two consecutive years. He received a fellowship in Interventional Radiology at Thomas Jefferson University and was an Assistant Professor. He was also Chief of Body Imaging.
One of Mark’s passions is baseball, where he was one of only three people to have their collection exhibited in the Baseball Hall of Fame n Cooperstown N.Y. He authored, Baseball Games: Home Versions of the National Pastime and is considered the world’s expert on this topic.The Smithsonian Institute has acknowledged Mark as having one of the top twenty baseball memorabilia collections in the world. He is highly respected as a baseball historian and has sat on many panels related to his expertise and love of the game. He is currently employed by the Cincinnati Reds and was inducted into their Baseball Fantasy Camp Hall of Fame.
Gordon Clark
Senior Operating Advisor
Gordon Clark has an extensive and varied set of executive experiences as CEO, Company Founder and Board member. His leadership in healthcare, training, technology and services allows him to impact many of Grantchester’s target verticals.
Lori Van De Voort, PE, CPE
Senior Operating Advisor
President, The Van Lore Group
The Van Lore Group is an unsurpassed regional leader in providing strategic energy plans, engineering solutions, program/project management, and energy procurement consultation.
Peter Leeson
Grantchester Group
Partner
At Grantchester, Peter oversees Mergers & Acquisitions and serves a key role in deal generation and structuring transactions. His unique experience evaluating deals from multiple perspectives enables Grantchester to quickly identify opportunities to pursue and conversely to avoid.
Prior to Grantchester, Peter was the head of Mergers & Acquisitions and General Counsel at Canterbury Healthcare. Prior to Canterbury Healthcare, he was the managing partner of Leeson Law Group, P.C. and he was also a partner at another investment firm. Additionally, he was recognized by Super Lawyers® as a Rising Star from 2011 to 2014.
Russell Read
Grantchester Group
Senior Advisor
Dr. Russell Read brings a wealth of experience as a prestigious leader in the financial services industry. Recognized on Institutional Investor’s top 75 list as one of most effective chief executives, Russell’s proven resume includes leading the investment strategy for the California Public Employee’s Retirement System (CalPers), Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation, and the Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC). His experience has been sought out as a resource for regulatory agencies internationally, the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Senate for more than two decades, and served as Chairman of the Investor’s Committee of the President’s Working Group on Financial Markets under Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. Named as one of America’s 30 most influential players in business and finance by SmartMoney, Russell’s experience will contribute to the growth and expansion of GCC’s investment strategy.
Scott Bontempo
Granchester Group
Partner
Scott is a General Partner of Grantchester Group. He joins with over 30 years of experience as an accomplished business leader with a unique and deep expertise creating value through Strategic Talent and Human Capital & Operations leadership in Fortune 50 companies, private equity business, and small cap operations. At Grantchester, he oversees all senior talent sourcing, assessment, and development of high performance portfolio company leaders and Grantchester Sr. Advisors. Scott’s ability to seamlessly influence leaders in multiple industries, at the intersection of C-suites and Boards provides a clear advantage to create value in the marketplace.
Prior to Grantchester, Scott was the Sr. Operating Executive – Human Capital at Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe. At WCAS, he was responsible for developing, implementing and leading human capital initiatives across a portfolio of 30 companies with revenue of $24 billion and 100,000 employees. Prior to WCAS, Scott served as a Lead Human Resource Executive at Cerberus working with investment professionals on diligence, integration, organizational re-design, business transformation.
Previously Scott was: CHRO at Dex Media throughout its carve out, IPO and subsequent acquisition; Vice President, Human Resources at Frito-Lay/PepsiCo where he led U.S. Operations; He started his career at Kraft General Foods with multiple roles in human resources, operations & new product development.
Scott is a Governance Fellow of the National Association of Corporate Directors, serving as the lead advisor or board member to multiple healthcare and HR technology focused businesses.
He earned a Master of Science in Management and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Ashland University.
Steve Siddal
General Partner
Michael Woodfolk
Partner
Michael J. Woodfolk has joined Grantchester Growth as a Partner, leveraging his extensive leadership experience, with his most recent role as President at the Darden School Foundation. Michael will be leading the University Alumni Engagement Program for Grantchester.
At Darden’s nonprofit organization, he was entrusted with the task of raising and managing philanthropic funds for the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business. Beyond its fundraising responsibilities, the Darden School Foundation oversees highly regarded executive education programs and operates a world-class boutique hotel and events venue that benefits the school. In his capacity, Woodfolk assumed responsibility for the Foundation's daily operations and collaborated closely with the leadership boards of the Darden School, including the Darden School Foundation Board of Trustees. In this capacity, Woodfolk held a key relationship role with stakeholders throughout the Darden community, encompassing alumni, corporate leaders, and government officials.
With nearly three decades of experience in educational advancement across higher education and independent schools, Woodfolk established a track record of igniting robust alumni engagement, resulting in groundbreaking fundraising achievements and significant shifts in institutional sentiment.
Commencing his journey as Darden's Director of Alumni Affairs in 2000, Woodfolk moved to the position of the School's inaugural Vice President of Alumni Affairs and later Senior Executive Director of Engagement before assuming the role of President of the Darden School Foundation in 2017. Through Woodfolk's leadership, Darden boasts one of the most engaged MBA alumni networks globally, comprising over 18,000 alumni across more than 90 countries.
Prior to his tenure at Darden, Woodfolk dedicated a decade to St. Anne's-Belfield School, an independent educational institution in Charlottesville, Virginia, serving students from preschool through 12th grade. This institution holds a special place in Woodfolk's heart as it was his alma mater during his formative years. At St. Anne's-Belfield, he enhanced the school's reputation among independent institutions, fulfilling roles as a history teacher, coach in three sports, and the head of a prestigious summer lacrosse camp that attracted talent from across the nation. Eventually, Woodfolk assumed the position of the school's inaugural head of alumni engagement, catalyzing meaningful connections with alumni from the institution's two precursor schools, which merged in the 1970s.
Michael Woodfolk is deeply committed to volunteer service and serves as an advisor to Harlem Lacrosse, a nonprofit based in New York City, and The House Inc., a nonprofit in Washington, D.C. Additionally, he holds a position on the Board of Visitors & Governors at his undergraduate alma mater, Washington College, located in Chestertown, Maryland. Previously, he contributed his expertise to the Board of Trustees at St. Anne's-Belfield and the Board of Directors of the Boy & Girls Clubs of Central Virginia.
Michael earned his bachelor's degree in American History from Washington College. He also completed The Executive Program, the flagship advanced management program for senior leaders offered by Darden Executive Education & Lifelong Learning. Woodfolk and his wife, Dr. Judith A. Woodfolk, a Professor of Medicine at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, reside in the greater Charlottesville area and are the proud parents of three children.
Shona Kerr
Granchester Group
Senior Advisor
Shona Kerr is a distinguished squash coach, former professional player, and businesswoman. She has presented on female athlete coaching at the World Squash Federation conference in Egypt and competed internationally in Malaysia, Sweden, Holland, and the UK. Kerr now focuses on Pickleball as a professional team owner and facility developer.
Originally from South London, Kerr has coached the world's number 2 player Hiddy Jahan and was ranked number 1 in her age group in the USA last year. She represented the USA in Racketlon at the 2018 World Championships and helped establish the USA Racketlon governing body.
As head coach of Men's and Women's Squash at Wesleyan University, CT, for 19 seasons, Kerr is the all-time winningest coach in the program's history and a two-time NESCAC Men’s Squash Coach of the Year. She previously led World Class Squash summer camps with top players and served as President of the Women's College Squash Association, where she played a key role in revamping college squash.
Beyond sports, Kerr is an accomplished musician, performing with the Basukes duo, The Reanimators, and the Middletown PBA Pipes and Drums. Shona is dedicated to excelling in Pickleball and advocating for the sport.
Ghentry Pace
Operating Partner
Ghentry Pace has been in leadership for more than 25 years working for some of the most well respected healthcare organizations in the country such as Intermountain Healthcare, Apria Healthcare, Conifer Health Solutions and Fresenius North America. His career started in the US Army as a Respiratory Therapist and has progressed through multiple senior leadership opportunities in clinical management, finance and operations. Ghentry has led teams of more than 40 00 people, been responsible for more than $12B in net patient revenue and most recently was the CEO of the largest full service Sleep Diagnostic provider in the country. He has been very successful leading large teams in the not for profit, publicly trade d and Private equity space. Ghentry is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare executives and still maintains his clinical license as a Respiratory Therapist. He has three sons and lives in Texas with his wife, the boys, and a menagerie of animals on a small ranch.
Rob DeSantis
Senior Operating Advisor
Rob began his career as a structural engineer for Hughes Aircraft Company. Leveraging his technology experience, he entered software sales. In 1990 Rob joined start up, Rasna Corporation, where he spent five years building field operations in the US and internationally, while living in Germany. After Rasna was acquired by Boston-based Parametric Technology Corporation, Rob spent the next year consulting in the venture capital industry in Silicon Valley.
In 1996, Rob co-founded Ariba, Inc. By leveraging web-based technology, the founders automated the traditional purchasing process in large organizations, revolutionizing commerce between companies. Rob led sales of Ariba taking them from zero to $250 million in four years, making them the fastest growing software company in the industry. In 1999, while living in Holland setting up international operations and customers, Ariba went public and was cited as one of the top 10 IPO’s of all time, reaching a 42-Billion-dollar market cap nine months after the IPO. Rob retired from Ariba as EVP and CMO in late 2000 where he architected key relationships with companies like Dell, Microsoft, Bank of America and American Express.
Since 2001, Rob has developed a portfolio of technology companies. In 2003, he invested alongside Sequoia Capital in LinkedIn, and became a board member. In 2007 he became one of the largest personal investors in Bloom Energy where he serves as a Sr. Advisor to the CEO and his team.
Rob lives in California with his wife Rebecca and five children.
Increase returns, and extend your investment community reach by joining the Grantchester Growth platform.
Industry-focused executives facilitate the recruitment of the under-represented leaders to help firms meet Grantchester Specialty Investment Fund requirements
Grantchester Growth will:
Together, through Equity25, we offer compelling investment opportunities with under-represented alternative asset managers
We organize and develop investment syndicates for university endowments
We work with a select group of established private equity management companies that mentor and provide investment support
We recruit and build world class Fund Management teams for each specialty fund with focus on women and minorites
We build an enterprise system to
- Support the fund management team launch process.
- Oversee the funds and portfolio companies.
- Allow rapid scaling of the business model.