Omar Qarshi, CFA
Omar Qarshi is the Director of Venture Capital Services at UC Berkeley, where he leads efforts to manage the university’s expanding portfolio of equity ownership in startups. He works closely with incubators, accelerators, founders, and venture capital firms to align private equity interests with Berkeley’s long-term mission, ensuring the university benefits from the economic value it helps create.
Omar also oversees a range of revenue-generating initiatives, including the Berkeley Chancellor’s Fund—a new venture capital fund supporting startups founded by students, faculty, and entrepreneurs within the UC ecosystem.
A UC Berkeley alumnus and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Omar brings deep expertise in financial services and equity management, and is passionate about advancing innovation and entrepreneurship across the university community.
Raymund Santiago
Raymund Santiago is a seasoned financial professional on the Venture Capital Services team at UC Berkeley, where he helps manage the university’s startup equity portfolio and supports strategic investment initiatives that advance innovation and entrepreneurship on campus.
He brings extensive experience in the financial services industry, with expertise in fund operations, financial reporting, risk oversight, and alternative investments. Raymund plays a key role in revenue-generating efforts, including the Berkeley Chancellor’s Fund, and is a trusted advisor in evaluating early-stage opportunities and managing investment assets.
He holds a B.A. in Accounting from Golden Gate University and an M.B.A. in Finance from San Francisco State University.
Rafael Pacquing
Rafael Pacquing is a Principal Counsel with UC Legal and serves as Fund Counsel to the Berkeley Chancellor’s Fund. In these roles, he supports UC Berkeley’s innovation ecosystem by advising on startup equity, venture financing, and related transactions arising from licensing, incubator and accelerator activities, and other commercial arrangements. His work helps thoughtfully align founders and the University around structures that are mission-driven, transparent, and positioned for long-term impact.
Before joining UC, Rafael founded and led his own practice, serving as outside general counsel to emerging growth companies in the software, security, and consumer product sectors. He advised founders on preferred stock financings, SAFEs, debt offerings, and the commercial agreements that enable companies to scale responsibly. He previously practiced business law in San Francisco and began his career in business litigation in Los Angeles. Rafael holds a J.D. and M.A. from the University of British Columbia and a B.A. from York University.
Nathaniel Coghlan
Nathaniel Coghlan serves as a Senior Director on the Gifts Team within UC Berkeley's University Development and Alumni Relations (UDAR) office, where he partners with alumni, parents, and friends across the Bay Area to build meaningful and lasting philanthropic relationships within the university. He is deeply committed to connecting individual's passions, particularly in innovation and entrepreneurship, with opportunities to make a lasting impact at UC Berkeley. Over the years, Nathaniel has helped cultivate transformative partnerships with leaders and changemakers throughout the region's innovation ecosystem. His approach is personal and collaborative, grounded in listening and aligning each donor's vision with Berkeley's mission and potential. For Nathaniel, initiative such as the UC Berkeley Chancellor's Fund reflect the kind of lasting generational change that sits at the very heart of his work, bringing together visionary philanthropy and Berkeley's capacity to shape the future.
Nathaniel has worked in higher education for more than 15 years, beginning his career in enrollment management and admissions before transitioning into advancement, where he has focused on major gift philanthropy for the past decade. He holds a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of new Hampshire and a Master's in Higher Education Administration from Arizona State University.