Blake J. Stanfill is an investor, change agent, strategist, and accomplished leader who is passionate about making positive and long-lasting impacts on institutions, enterprises, and society.

Currently, Blake is Principal at Okwata Group, a financial services firm that provides outsourced chief investment officer services to impact venture capital, private equity funds, and green banks. Stanfill advises seed-stage ventures, providing growth and channel partnership strategy.

Blake co-founded an alternative lending fintech start-up, LendStand, which provided working capital solutions to underserved businesses working on public contracts. Additionally, he was the Entrepreneur-In-Residence at the New Orleans Startup Fund where he spearheaded an accelerator program that provided business coaching and technical assistance to minority-owned businesses. Recently, Stanfill was the Director of Growth at Trepwise, where he guided the firm’s business development and expansion strategy. He was also a Mayoral Fellow with the City of New Orleans, where he played an integral role in the formation of the City’s first public-private economic development partnership. Additionally, Blake spent time in the private sector as a credit-risk analyst at Bank of America. Blake began his professional career as a teacher and administrator at a historic New Orleans high school.

Blake is a fifth generation Louisianian—born and raised in his favorite city in the world, New Orleans. He serves on the governing boards of Brothers Empowered To Teach, BioDistrict New Orleans, Bureau of Governmental Research, and Bricolage Academy. Blake earned an M.B.A. from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Finance from Tulane University, and his B.A. from Duke University—where he joined the Iota Xi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Stanfill resides in New Orleans with his wife, Jennifer, a local physician. The couple has three sons –Blake Jr. (14), Parker (11), and Toussaint (7).