Investor Relations
Have a bias toward action – let's see something happen now. You can break that big plan into small steps and take the first step right away.
Kari was born and raised in Northern Indiana's Michiana region. She earned a B.A. in Communications with Honors and a B.A. in Art (Graphic Design) from the University of Missouri, and an M.S. in Project Management from The George Washington University. From 2006 to 2021, she lived in Missouri and ran two small businesses, including a boutique international tour operator that designed custom experiences for botanical garden donors and Master Gardener programs. That work was relationship management at its core, built on understanding what a group wanted and then delivering it end to end. Along the way she built deep roots in the Columbia and Kansas City communities, earning recognition as an Emerging Businesswoman of the Year finalist and a Top 20 Under 40 honoree.
In addition, Kari spent eight years at Lendio, a Mercato Fund III portfolio company, giving her firsthand knowledge of what happens inside a Mercato investment. She moved through roles in events marketing, communications, lead generation, and partnerships before joining the executive office. Most recently she served in an Executive Operations role supporting the President and CRO, working closely with senior leadership on revenue growth, data integrity, and the clear communication that keeps stakeholders aligned. She brings that same care to investor relationships at Mercato, where the work is helping the people who back the firm see how their capital is put to work in building better.
