William T. Whitaker
meet william
Lee Blackwell
meet lee
Andreas Jaeger
meet andreas
Leadership Team
COO
Founder & CEO
CFO
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William T. Whitaker
Founder & CEO
William's journey to AriaNova includes diverse experiences, from being an award-winning instructor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong to leading a publishing company on Hong Kong Island. He later moved to the U.S., where he held leadership positions in big-data startups, consulting, and enterprise sales for international marketing & technology agencies.
A graduate of Yale University with dual degrees in Political Science and International Studies, William is also a lifelong musician who enjoys creating melodies on his violin whenever time allows.
Founder of the Connexus Capital Group, William T. Whitaker is also the Founder & CEO of AriaNova Global LLC, a company born from his dedication to - and frankly, joy of - the process of building businesses. Based in New York, AriaNova serves clients across various sectors, including financial services, renewable energy, law, education, and not-for-profit.
Under William's leadership, AriaNova has undertaken notable engagements, such as custom technology development for one of the world's largest private equity/asset management firms, technical diligence and advisory services in the realm of deep-learning AI/ML cybersecurity, and strategic oversight for an initiative installing electric-vehicle charging stations across the Upper Midwest.
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Andreas Jaeger
coo
Andreas is fluent in German, English, and French, a reflection of his international upbringing and general love for travel. He is also a lifelong martial artist and a strong advocate for marine conservation.
Andreas Jaeger brings a rich and diverse background to his role as Chief Operating Officer (COO). With roots in life science and marine biology, he transitioned into SaaS/IT Operations and Customer Support over 15 years ago. From swimming with sharks and wrangling snakes to implementing corporate-wide operational initiatives, Andreas’ journey includes both startups and large corporations, giving him a deep understanding of business and client/customer needs at every level.
Andreas excels in process design and optimization. As COO, he is responsible for orchestrating the company’s operations, maintaining clear communication, collaboration, and coherence in all of its activities.
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Lee Blackwell
cfo
Lee Blackwell has 30+ years working with various large companies as well as private equity and venture capital backed companies. He has held various management positions from Corporate Controller, Chief Financial Officer to Chief Operating Officer. Some career highlights include The New York Times Company, State Farm Insurance, Kemper Group and Cushman & Wakefield, Inc. His career has been a consistent change agent with being part of the turnaround management of underperforming divisions/business units, to upgrading processes, enhancing management reporting, upgrading technology, implementing cost containment measures, to changing strategic direction. Lee’s experiences include global companies as well as domestic companies with a presence in every state in the lower forty-eight states.
Lee holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Illinois State University and a MBA from University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. He is also a certified public accountant (CPA).
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Christine Dawson
Director of Daily Digest Operations
Sr. Consultant
Lee Blackwell has 30+ years working with various large companies as well as private equity and venture capital backed companies. He has held various management positions from Corporate Controller, Chief Financial Officer to Chief Operating Officer. Some career highlights include The New York Times Company, State Farm Insurance, Kemper Group and Cushman & Wakefield, Inc. His career has been a consistent change agent with being part of the turnaround management of underperforming divisions/business units, to upgrading processes, enhancing management reporting, upgrading technology, implementing cost containment measures, to changing strategic direction. Lee’s experiences include global companies as well as domestic companies with a presence in every state in the lower forty-eight states.
Lee holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Illinois State University and a MBA from University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. He is also a certified public accountant (CPA).
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Kayla Chapman
THE HEART OF OPERATIONS AT ARIANOVA
OPERATIONS ADMIN
Joining the AriaNova team in July 2022, Kayla brings a wealth of experience and a passion for helping people to her role as Operations Admin. Her journey began with 15+ years in retail, starting as a Cashier and progressing to Human Resource Manager, where she honed valuable skills and a dedication to building meaningful relationships.
Life took a transformative turn when Kayla became a mother, motivating her to pursue her true passion. She cherishes spending time with her family and creating precious memories with them. Kayla's commitment to people and her role as Operations Admin exemplify her dedication to enhancing the AriaNova experience for all.
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