Christina Bechhold Russ

Christina Bechhold Russ is a prominent venture capitalist and the Head of Truist Ventures at Truist. She has established herself as a leader in a field traditionally dominated by men, focusing on investing in high-growth founders and funds that innovate within the financial services sector. Her journey in finance began with her selection for the business school honors program at Boston College, which sparked her interest in building new business models and technology's transformative potential.1

Before her current role, Russ co-founded Empire Angels, an angel investment group aimed at millennials, which was the first of its kind for that demographic. She has been recognized for her contributions to the industry, including being named a Woman to Watch in Venture Capital by Business Insider and featured as one of Britain’s 35 Women in Business Under 35 by the Daily Telegraph. Additionally, she has contributed articles to notable publications such as the Wall Street Journal and Entrepreneur, discussing startups and entrepreneurship.1

Russ is also an advocate for increasing female representation in venture capital, emphasizing that women currently make up only about 15% of decision-makers in the field. She has actively participated in discussions and events, such as TEDWomen, to promote women's roles in wealth creation and entrepreneurship.1