Host Committee

Gala Chairs

At the heart of Maya's Hope Lotus Ball are the dedicated Gala Chairs, whose unwavering commitment and passion drive the success of the charitable ball. With their exceptional leadership and vision, the Gala Chairs ensure that the Maya’s Hope Lotus Ball shines as a beacon of hope and positive change.

  • Semanti is a Partner and Analyst at Gilead Capital, an investment firm with a concentrated, small-cap focused strategy. Before joining Gilead Capital, Semanti spent four years as an Analyst at Brandes Investment Partners, L.P., a value-strategy investment firm. She began her career with investment banking at Goldman, Sachs & Co. and private equity at Metalmark Capital.

    Semanti earned her M.B.A. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania, where she received a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School.

    Semanti has known Maya since 2007 and joined as a Director in March 2021. Having grown up in the Philippines, Semanti was particularly drawn to the mission of Maya’s Hope. She is excited to be part of an organization that directly impacts disadvantaged children by facilitating emergency medical care, including life-saving surgeries.

  • Simon Brandon is a Consultant/Owner of SEI Miami (Business and Technology Consulting firm) with over 24 years of experience in Project/Program Management and IT experience in multiple sectors, especially Financial Services/Insurance and Energy. Simon also has financial/mathematical modeling experience covering multiple sectors and geographies as well as deep experience in proprietary trading, investment banking, due diligence support, and asset valuation. His academic training is in the fields of Computer Science, Mathematics, and Operations Research, with a first-class honors degree from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Simon's involvement with Maya's Hope began back in 2015 with his joining the Host Committee, and he has been an enthusiastic supporter of Maya's Hope's mission since then. In his spare time, Simon enjoys golf and cycling.

Meet the Host Committee 2024