2025 Pensions, Benefits & Investments Fiduciaries' Forum
Attendance for this annual event is by invitation only.
We hosted our 2025 Pensions, Benefits & Investments Fiduciaries' Forum in Sacramento, CA on August 21-22, 2025. This annual two-day event is designed to provide institutional plan trustees, executive staff, investment officers and in-house counsel with invaluable knowledge and connections in the ever-evolving landscape of pension systems.
August 21, 2025
5:00 – 6:30 p.m. | Reception
6:30 – 9:30 p.m. | Dinner & Keynote Presentation
Heather Traeger, General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer, Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS)
August 22, 2025
8:00 – 8:30 a.m. | Registration
8:30 – 9:45 a.m. | Fireside Chat with Institutional Investor Chief Investment Officers
Yuliya Oryol, Partner & Co-Chair of Pensions, Benefits & Investments Group, Nossaman LLP
Steve Davis, Chief Investment Officer, Sacramento County Employees' Retirement System (SCERS)
Dan Gallagher, Chief Investment Officer, Ventura County Employees' Retirement Association (VCERA)
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. | Investment Conflicts of Interest
Courtney Krause, Partner, Nossaman LLP
Emily Smith, Partner, Nossaman LLP
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. | Hot Topics in Tax Compliance for Public Plans
Michelle McCarthy, Partner, Nossaman LLP
Michelle Mellon-Werch, Partner, Nossaman LLP
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. | Lunch
1:00 – 2:00 p.m. | Fireside Chat with Public Plan Executive Directors
Ashley Dunning, Partner & Co-Chair of Pensions, Benefits & Investments Group, Nossaman LLP
Renee Ostrander, Chief Executive Officer, San Joaquin County Employees’ Retirement Association (SJCERA)
Eric Stern, Chief Executive Officer, Sacramento County Employees' Retirement System (SCERS)
Jeff Wickman, Retirement Administrator, Marin County Employees’ Retirement Association (MCERA)
2:00 – 2:15 p.m. | Break
2:15 – 3:15 p.m. | Hot Topics in Employment Law for Retirement Systems
Allison Callaghan, Partner & Co-Chair of Employment Group, Nossaman LLP
3:15 – 4:15 p.m. | Pending and Recent Fiduciary Litigation Against Public and Private Plans
Ashley Dunning, Partner & Co-Chair of Pensions, Benefits & Investments Group, Nossaman LLP
Alex Westerfield, Partner, Nossaman LLP
4:15 – 4:30 p.m. | Closing Remarks
