our team

Neil Gagnon founded Gagnon Securities LLC in January 2000 and is the Managing Member. He is also the Portfolio Manager of the Gagnon Securities Partners Fund LLC, the Manager of Gagnon Investment Associates LLC, and the Managing Member of Gagnon Advisors, LLC, the Investment Manager of Gagnon Investment Associates Offshore Ltd. and GIS Fund of Funds LLC. Neil is also a principal decision-maker of GagnonLee Management, LLC. Neil was previously a Senior Partner at Gilder, Gagnon, Howe & Co. for over twenty-five years, after joining the firm in 1974 as an analyst and portfolio manager. Prior to this, he was an early partner at Hambrecht & Quist, a West Coast investment banking firm. Neil began his career as a research analyst at Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company and then moved to Argus Research. Neil has a BS in Engineering Physics from Pratt Institute and an MBA in Economics from New York University.

Maureen Drew is a member of the founding Gagnon Securities team, having joined the firm in 2000. She is a Senior Partner of the firm and a Portfolio Manager. Maureen is also a Senior Analyst to the Gagnon Securities Partners Fund LLC, the Manager of Gagnon Investment Associates LLC and Gagnon Investment Associates Offshore Ltd. Maureen was previously an Analyst and Portfolio Manager at Gilder, Gagnon, Howe & Co, which she joined in 1994, and utilized the same fundamental approach to investing. Maureen achieved her B.A. from Boston College.

Brian Gagnon is a founding member of Gagnon Securities, and is a Senior Partner and Portfolio Manager. He is also a Senior Analyst and Advisor to the Gagnon Securities Partners Fund LLC, the Manager of Gagnon Investment Associates LLC and Gagnon Investment Associates Offshore Ltd. Brian began his investment career in 1987 as an Associate in Investment Banking at Wheat, First Securities in Richmond, VA. In 1991, he joined Bear, Stearns & Co. in New York as a Vice President in Investment Banking, following which he joined Gilder, Gagnon, Howe & Co. in 1992 as an Analyst and Portfolio Manager. Brian has a B.S. in Finance from the University of Richmond.

Willis Taylor joined Gagnon Securities in 2005 and is a Senior Partner and Portfolio Manager of the firm. Willis is also a Senior Analyst to the Gagnon Securities Partners Fund LLC, the Manager of Gagnon Investment Associates LLC and Gagnon Investment Associates Offshore Ltd. In addition, he is a Principal Executive Officer of WGT Capital LLC, the Manager of Old Growth Partners LLC, and a principal decision-maker of GagnonLee Associates LLC, the General Partner of The Darwin Partnership, L.P. Willis was previously a research analyst and Vice President at Knowlton Brothers, Inc., an investment advisory firm focused on growth stocks. While at Knowlton Brothers, he participated in the firm’s research efforts, assisted in the oversight of the firm’s investment portfolios and managed individual brokerage accounts. Willis has a B.A. from Connecticut College.

Hank Beinstein has been a member of the Gagnon Securities team since 2002, and is a Partner and Portfolio Manager. Hank’s career began in 1964 at Lybrand Ross Bros. & Montgomery, where he was an accountant. In 1969, he joined Fanning Enterprises and was Chief Financial Officer. He rejoined Coopers & Lybrand in 1977 as a Partner and Chief Financial and Administrative Officer. Hank also served as Executive Director of Proskauer Rose LLP, and later Milbank Tweed Hadley McCloy LLP and Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP. Hank has a B.A. and M.B.A. from Pace University. He is also a Certified Public Accountant licensed in the states of New York and New Jersey.

Jamey Cappello joined Gagnon Securities in 2017, and is a Portfolio Manager focused on the technology sector. Prior to joining the firm, Jamey was Co-Portfolio Manager at Invicta Capital, LLC, a technology-focused hedge fund investing primarily in small- and mid-cap equities. Between 2008-2013, he was Vice President and Senior Research Analyst on the Small-SMID-Midcap team at Columbus Circle Investors, LLC, investing in technology-, services-, and industrial-related equities. Jamey began his buy-side career in 2001 at Kern Capital Management, LLC, a small-cap asset manager, starting as an analyst and becoming a Principal and Senior Investment Adviser. Jamey earned his B.S. from Fairfield University and an M.B.A from Hofstra University and Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University.

Jake Colby joined Gagnon Securities in 2020 as an Analyst with six years of equity research experience focused on biotechnology. Prior to joining Gagnon Securities, he was most recently a Vice President at BTIG, LLC. Jake received his B.A. from Connecticut College.

Marianne D’Alessandro has been a member of the Gagnon Securities team since 2005. She is a Partner, the Chief Financial Officer and Financial and Operations Principal. Marianne’s career began in 1997 at Grant Thornton LLP, where she was an accountant in the audit department. She has over 20 years of financial services experience, and received her B.S. in Accounting from St. John’s University.

Lisa Ferrante joined Gagnon Securities shortly after its founding in 2001. She is a Partner and the Chief Compliance Officer. Before joining Gagnon Securities, Lisa worked with Citigroup from 2000 to 2001 as a client service representative for its online brokerage product. Prior to that, she worked at Gaines Berland, a broker/dealer, from 1998-2000 as an agency trader and provided trade support to market makers. Lisa has over 20 years of experience in the financial industry, has six industry licenses and holds a degree in Business Administration.

Adrienne Garofalo, Partner, joined Gagnon Securities in 2012 and is Head of Business Development and Client Management. Adrienne was previously the Director of Investor Relations at Seven Locks Capital, a long/short equity hedge fund, where she managed the marketing and investor relations process for the firm. Her prior client development experience includes a hedge fund seeding platform, across an array of strategies, and a hedge fund of funds. She began her career in Equity Capital Markets at Prudential Securities and Smith Barney. Adrienne received her MBA from the Graduate School of Business at Columbia University and her BA from Manhattanville College.

Matt Jampole is a Partner and Head Trader at Gagnon Securities. He has over 20 years of industry experience, and began his career in 1998 at Bear, Stearns & Co. prior to joining Gagnon Securities in 2000. Matt has a B.A. from the University of Miami and a M.B.A. in Finance from the University of Connecticut.

Sarah Jilla joined Gagnon Securities in 2011. She is a Partner and an Allocator in our Operations Department. Sarah has B.A. in Economics from Fordham University.

Dwight Lee joined Gagnon Securities in 2005 and is a Partner and Portfolio Manager at the firm. Dwight is a principal decision-maker of GagnonLee Management, LLC, the General Partner of The Darwin Partnership, L.P. and the Managing General Partner of Upland Asset Management, L.P. Prior to 2005, Dwight formed a joint venture investment partnership in 1996 with Knowlton Brothers, Inc. From 1980 to 1999, he was a Partner at Robert R. Barker & Co., which later became Barker, Lee & Co., at which point he became Managing Partner. Dwight formed First Arbitrage Management Company in 1973, and acted as its Managing Partner and later President. Prior to this, he was a General Partner at The Shoreline Group since 1972, and began his career in 1969 as a research analyst at Goodnow, Gray & Co. Dwight has a B.A. and M.B.A. from Columbia University.

Cynthia Roberts became a member of the Gagnon Securities team in 2010 and is a Partner and an Allocator in our Operations Department.  She began her career in 1996 working for MJ Whitman, Inc. in the Research Department. In 2004 she moved to Morgan Joseph & Co. Inc. as the Operation Administrator. Cynthia has a BBA in Finance from Baruch College.

Jonathan Robohm joined Gagnon Securities in 2001 and is a Partner and Portfolio Manager at the firm. His career began in 1999 as a research analyst and, later, portfolio manager at Gilder, Gagnon, Howe & Co. Jonathan has a B.A. from Skidmore College.

Gabi Rosenfeld joined Gagnon Securities in 2019. Prior to the firm, Gabi was an Analyst at Third Bridge Group, a financial research company, where she focused on listed equities performance, market-related events, merger activity, and due diligence of operational, strategic, financial and technological trends for global public equity clients. Gabi received a B.A. in Economics from Bucknell University.

Michelle Simmons joined Gagnon Securities in 2012, and is a Portfolio Manager with an emphasis on the consumer sector. Michelle is also the Portfolio Manager of Runway Capital, LP and the Managing Member of its Investment Manager, Simmons Ventures, LLC. Michelle began her Wall Street career in 2003, managing a long/short consumer portfolio for Cougar Capital, LLC followed by Exis Capital Management. Earlier in her career, Michelle worked in the apparel industry both in retail and in wholesale. Michelle earned her B.S. from the University of California, Berkeley and her M.B.A. from the University of Chicago.

Alison Tranchida has been a member of the Gagnon Securities team since 2003.  She is a Partner and the Operations Manager.  Her career began in 2000 at UBS Financial Services Inc., where she was a Client Services Liaison.  Alison received her B.S. degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Marist College.

Jessica Vingiello joined Gagnon Securities in 2020 as an Allocator on our Operations Team. Prior to joining the firm, she earned her B.S. in Business Administration from Boston University.