Previously the President and COO of the Maker Foundation, the entity that developed and deployed MakerDAO, and before that twenty years in investment banking, hedge funds, and private equity. Steven, now the CEO of UDHC, is looking to use that experience to bridge DeFi and TradFi
Alan is the Chief Public Policy Officer at the UDHC. He has an extensive background working with decision makers of all levels of the executive and legislative branches of government as well as key mainstream media influencers in the financial regulatory area. Alan has a unique skill set which is noteworthy when working with disparate parties to achieve results that would otherwise may seem unlikely give the priorities of a company, group, or individual. He also has an extensive background working with early stage companies as an investor and serving in executive and advisory roles. When not working in public policy he runs a farming operations in Kansas raising corn, soybeans, and Angus cattle
Brian C. Avello is the Chief Legal Officer for the UDHC, where he helps portfolio companies and projects on their legal and regulatory strategies. He was formerly the General Counsel at the Maker Foundation and in that position, he led the Legal and Compliance function from the Foundation’s creation to its dissolution (as part of the return to the complete decentralization of MakerDAO). Before Maker, Brian worked at several law firms and operated his own law firm servicing various blockchain projects and investment funds. When not working, he enjoys spending time with his family, practicing Brazilian jiu-jitsu and going to the beach in his native South Florida.
Coulter is a marketing specialist with over fifteen years of experience in go-to-market strategy, community building, and communications. In three years at the Maker Foundation, he developed branding, messaging, and the overarching marketing playbook. In a previous life, he worked at GoPro, Tesla, and Electronic Arts. His experience directly translates to the guidance he provides portfolio companies on their MarComms strategy. Coulter has been in crypto since 2013, and in his free time dabbles in NFTs, playing tennis, and reading sci-fi books.
John spent eight years in the litigation department of a top NYC-based, national law firm, eventually specializing in white collar and regulatory defense. John joined the Maker Foundation and entered the crypto industry in 2019. He has always had a special interest in the intersection of technology and law, and finds particular satisfaction partnering with UDHC’s portfolio companies to navigate that intersection, as well other legal and business challenges
Torben Jorgensen is the Chief Financial Officer for the UDHC. As the former Head of Finance at the Maker Foundation, Torben has been connecting the dots between DeFi and TradFi for the past 4 years – and counting. Before joining the Maker Foundation Torben held CFO positions within Investment Banking and Maritime Shipping. Having lived and worked in London, Madrid, Copenhagen and Sydney, Torben considers himself a bit of a globetrotter. He’s most passionate about early stage ventures and Crossfit
Katie got into the world of crypto in 2018 after being hired at the Maker Foundation. She was previously at Virgin America and Facebook and prefers the chaotic but innovative and exciting world of crypto. Katie enjoys skiing, running, going to the beach and spending time with her family and dog – Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Sandy came to Ticketmaster via the acquisition of UPGRADED, a blockchain ticket distribution system, where he was Founder/CEO. Previously, Sandy was CTO at InStadium, an ad network of 450+ sports venues. Sandy was Sr. Director at Turner Broadcasting from 2011-2014, leading the Emerging Technologies office in San Francisco and serving as a Director of Time Warner Media Camp, a startup accelerator for tech companies in the media space. From 2008-2011, Sandy started Irynsoft, bringing collaborative video-based learning to mobile devices. Before Irynsoft, Sandy was COO at Piczo, a teen social network with over 35M accounts (acquired in 2009). He spent six years at Microsoft as Director of the Community Technologies Team for microsoft.com and has held positions at Intel, the Boston Consulting Group, and Lockheed Martin. Sandy has a BSEE & M.Eng from Cornell, a BA in Physics from Ithaca College, and an MBA from Wharton
Comprised of former Maker Foundation executives instrumental in achieving MakerDAO's full decentralization, our team at UDHC brings hands-on experience and deep insights. We understand the journey from a mere idea to becoming an industry leader.
UDHC Team
Steven Becker
Alan Sobba
Brian Avello
Coulter Mulligan
John Yarwood
Torben Jorgensen
Katie Garcia
