

Stephanie Vaughan
Board Candidate
PHONE:
917-519-1370
EMAIL:
LOCATION:
West Hollywood
about stephanie
Stephanie is a business transformation expert and mission-driven leader focused on the future of finance. She has a successful history consistently scaling businesses by raising funds, redesigning operations, up-leveling compliance and driving growth. Stephanie improves profitability by adapting new business models rapidly and effectively at key inflection points in a company’s life cycle in order to execute and achieve the goals of the organization, a skill she acquired from the US Marine Corps and refined through her extensive business experience.
Stephanie is an accomplished C-Level executive with both broad and niche expertise around corporate structure, strategic funding arrangements, and launching businesses in Blockchain, Digital Asset, FinTech and Lending Space. Stephanie has a specific expertise in launching digital assets from compliance (KYC/AML), tax, corporate structure (including open-source foundations), token formation & distribution, secondary trading and public exchange listings. She has an engaging personality that establishes strong rapport quickly with all team members, serves as a trusted advisor to boards of directors and communicates effectively with all levels.
Board Experience
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BOARD MEMBER, Privategrity (Private Technology Company) | 2018 - 2020
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Compliance Committee
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Economic Substance Committee
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BOARD MEMBER, xx Network (Crypto Network distributed in worldwide auction) | 2018 - 2020
Corporate Experience
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Equa Global | Los Angeles, CA
2020 - Present
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
XX Network/Elixxir | Los Angeles, CA/Grand Cayman
2018 - 2020
HEAD OF CAPITAL MARKETS, DEVELOPMENT AND STRATEGY
Street Shares | Washington, D.C.
2017-2018
ASSOCIATE
Lunacap Ventures | New York, NY
2016-2017
INDUSTRIALS M&A
Houlihan Lokey | New York, NY
2014-2017
Fundraising: Organized, led and secured $2.0 million Seed Funding
SEC Transfer Agent: Manages digital transfer agent for both transfer and new issuance of securities
Product: Launched and manages issuance portal for existing organizations including KYC/AML and accreditation checks through a partnership with Tokensoft
Key Accomplishment: Developed, launched and manages NFT product, allowing organizations to claim their own NFT
Corporate Structure: Established Cayman company corporate structure and served as board member of xx Network, SEZC and Privategrity Corporation
Operations: Launched international xx collective meetup app and groups, hired and built marketing efforts and procedures
Compliance: Set up compliance processes including contracts for 200+ BetaNet nodes
Key Accomplishment: Formed and managed project strategy pre-launch, organized KYC fundraising round with over 1000 KYC’d investors at a $400 million valuation
Strategy: Developed strategy to achieve equity and debt goals alongside C-suite, ensuring priorities of executive team were acted upon and met
Fundraising: Worked with CEO advising on approach, and facilitating diligence with multiple equity investors for $23 million Series B raise
Product: Led first creation and sale of Mezzanine notes to meet short-term funding shortfall for debt
Development: Solely responsible for StreetShares Capital Markets, including CoC and an institutional reporting platform which facilitated future securitizations, lowering the CoC
Key Accomplishment: Led and negotiated two $30M debt deals for newly launched Government Contract financing product
Strategic Planning: Engaged with founders of portfolio companies on formulating strategies to achieve financial goals, utilizing problem solving and communications skills
Due Diligence: Identified opportunities for financial growth and portfolio expansion, performed due diligence and negotiated debt and equity investments
Development: Helped create Start Your Own Lender (SYOL) with George Popescu which encourages entrepreneurs to start their own lending companies
People Management: Led 10 analysts across multiple M&A deal teams, resulting in several multi-million dollar transactions
Subject Matter Expert: Knowledge in Environmental Services, Industrial Services, Industrial Technology and Building Products
Selected Transactions: TerraTherm sale to Cascade, Vertex Energy Nevada Facility sale to Clean Harbors
MILITARY EXPERIENCE
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS l 2007-2012
CAPTAIN
Country Vulnerability Assessment Officer, US Central Command Joint Security Office Forward
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Implemented over 175 anti-terrorism programs across multiple bases while in Afghanistan
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Developed relationships with Afghan Security forces, Afghan National Army and Jordanian and Kuwaiti Armed forces to improve their security measures protecting US citizens under their care
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Aide for Brigadier General Daniel O’Donohue​
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Worked on the Force Structure Review Group, a group responsible for downsizing the USMC, for Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter and Marine Corps leadership
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Prepared information for General O’Donohue’s Congressional Testimony
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Operations Officer, Marine Wing Communications Squadron 18
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Planned and designed communications architecture and operations, supporting over 300 Marines across multiple theatres including Operation Enduring and Iraqi Freedom
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Communications Officer, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, Aviation Command Element
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Selected by commanding officer as the first-ever 2nd Lt. to serve as a principal officer for the Communications Shop in the Aviation Command Element
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Multi-Channel Radio Platoon Commander, Marine Wing Communications Squadron 18
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Led, counseled and developed over 50 Marines, including peers
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Directed and coordinated over $7M of satellite equipment, including the deployment of Marines to multiple countries across the Pacific Command
EDUCATION
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MBA, FINANCE & ECONOMICS, Columbia Business School | New York, NY | 2014
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BS, QUANTITATIVE ECONOMICS, United States Naval Academy | Annapolis, MD | 2007