Mareilé advises senior leadership and our external directors on a wide range of legal and regulatory matters including advice regarding the investment adviser, investment company, broker-dealers, securities compliance, corporate and fund governance as well as SEC and FINRA examinations. In addition, Mareilé acts as board secretary for the investment adviser and broker-dealer. Mareilé joined Ariel in 2007, bringing over two decades of legal experience to the firm. Most recently, she worked at the Chicago Stock Exchange where she held the positions of associate general counsel and chief enforcement counsel. Additionally, she was the chief legal counsel for the Illinois Gaming Board and served as an attorney for the Securities and Exchange Commission and two Chicago-based law firms. Outside of Ariel, Mareilé serves on the boards for The Great Books Foundation and The Smart Museum. Additionally, she is a member of the Public Arts Advisory Committee for the State of Illinois. She holds a BA in European history and economics from the University of Pennsylvania where she graduated magna cum laude. She earned her JD degree from the University of Virginia School of Law.

Wendy joined Ariel in 2004 as chief compliance officer. In this capacity, she is responsible for regulatory risk oversight and administering the compliance programs for both the firm as well as its affiliated broker-dealer, Ariel Distributors, LLC. Wendy works closely with Ariel’s senior management team and external corporate directors, advising on compliance issues and managing regulatory examinations. Prior to joining Ariel, Wendy spent 16 years working for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Chicago Regional Office. During her tenure with the SEC, Wendy served in a number of leadership positions, including attorney-adviser for the Branch of Investment Management Examinations, ethics liaison officer and senior attorney for the Division of Enforcement. Beyond Ariel, Wendy serves on the board of trustees for Temple Beth Israel as well as the board of The ARK, a non-profit organization that provides free social and medical services to members of Chicago’s Jewish community. Wendy began her career as an attorney with a private practice in Chicago. She earned a BA in English literature from the University of Michigan and a JD from Washington University in St. Louis.

Maureen oversees a variety of administrative and operational functions such as account administration, reconciliation, account performance and composite reporting, proxy voting, corporate actions and auditing. Her additional responsibilities include strategic planning, process improvement and systems conversions. Prior to joining Ariel, Maureen worked at EnvestNetPMC, Inc. as operations manager, where her responsibilities included managing the account administration staff as well as developing additional custodial relationships. Additionally, she served as administration supervisor at EVEREN/First Union. Maureen is a graduate of Northern Illinois University where she earned a BS in business.

Roger joined Ariel in 1992 after a 13-year career at IBM Corporation where, as marketing manager of advanced technology solutions, he counseled small and medium-sized companies on computer systems that enhance productivity, customer service, and ultimately, bottom line business results. Roger’s strong computer systems and management background is well-suited for his responsibilities at Ariel, which include computer systems, phone systems and e-business initiatives. Outside of Ariel, Roger serves as a trustee and the financial secretary for Winnetka Covenant Church. Roger received a BSE in chemical engineering from Princeton University, where he was a member of the varsity basketball team, and an MBA with a specialization in finance from the University of Chicago.

Anita joined Ariel in October 2003 and was appointed chief compliance officer for Ariel Investment Trust in July 2004. In this capacity, she works closely with the board of trustees, external counsel and Ariel's executive management team on fund compliance issues and related programs and regulatory risk oversight. Additionally, in her role as senior vice president of fund administration, Anita is responsible for service provider oversight, including the sub-administrator, fund accountant, transfer agent, custodian, legal counsel, and auditor to the funds. Prior to joining Ariel, Anita spent four years as an independent financial services consultant and ten years at UMB Financial Services (formerly Sunstone) as the vice president of mutual fund services. She started her career at PricewaterhouseCoopers, specializing in financial services audits. Anita serves on various committees for the Investment Company Institute and is an active member of the Chicago CCO Group and the National Society of Compliance. She earned a BBA in finance and management from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master's degree in accounting from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Anita is also a Certified Public Accountant.