Root Capital is excited to announce that Scott Amero and Sophie Romana have been elected the new co-chairs of our board of directors! We’re immensely grateful to Ana Zacapa who has completed her term as board chair but will remain a member of the board of directors. Ana has served on the board since 2017 and became board chair in 2019. Since then, she has successfully led the board through many challenges and triumphs, always maintaining an unwavering focus on the need for Root Capital to drive impact and take a balanced, responsible approach to risk management. Root Capital wouldn’t be where it is today without Ana and her many years of service leading our board!
“We're delighted to have Sophie and Scott taking on the role of board co-chairs. I know they'll continue the tradition of excellence in the role as exemplified by outgoing chair Ana Zacapa.”- Willy Foote, Root Capital's founder and CEO
Scott and Sophie’s passion for Root Capital runs deep. Together, they bring a wealth of combined experience in private equity, financial innovation, climate and conservation, and gender inclusion—and their skill sets complement each other well. By sharing the workload and time commitment amongst two co-chairs, Scott and Sophie will be able to ensure that every board member’s voice is heard and everyone’s talents are used. They are both excited to partner together to further Root Capital’s impact.
In the years to come, they will lead the board in setting Root Capital’s strategic goals, advising on the new strategic plan, introducing new partners and funders to our work, and ensuring that we scale our impact in a sustainable manner. It’s clear they have a shared vision for how the board can support Root Capital in expanding its network of supporters.
Scott and Willy Foote have known each other for nearly eight years, having first connected over common interests and mutual friends. Scott has been a Root Capital donor for many years and is passionate about conservation issues. In fact, he is a current or former board member of several conservation organizations, including Rare, The Nature Conservancy Massachusetts chapter, and Adventure Scientists. He has served on Root Capital’s board since 2022. He has an extensive background in investment management; his career at BlackRock, where he was Vice Chairman and global Chief Investment Officer for Fixed Income, spanned 20 years from 1990 to 2010.
On co-chairing with Sophie, Scott says:
“I think we have complementary skills and backgrounds. We both really want to dig in and help the organization. So I think it’s going to be a great partnership, and I think we’re both pretty excited about it.”
Sophie has served on the board of directors since 2019. She was approached by a former Root Capital board member, Jan-Maarten Mulder (by way of Nurole), who suggested she join the board given her interest and expertise in innovative finance. Sophie has a diverse background in private equity, women’s empowerment consulting and strategy, and humanitarian relief. She began her career as a humanitarian relief worker in Rwanda, working primarily with women and children, and then transitioned to the private equity sector. She is passionate about doing work in the social finance space and admires how Root Capital uses financial markets for the greater good.
On co-leading with Scott, Sophie notes:
“I love the idea of working with someone else, thinking through things with them, and bouncing ideas off of them. Scott and I have different backgrounds and approaches, which makes it complementary.”
Root Capital is incredibly lucky to benefit from Scott and Sophie’s leadership as we strive to build prosperity and resilience in rural communities in the years to come.
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