Women in Web3: The Intersection of Fintech & Blockchain

Sophia brings a wealth of experience in capital advisory, corporate development, and operational optimization, establishing impactful collaborations with CXOs and Founders. With a diverse industry exposure encompassing cloud computing, mining and minerals, consumer goods, and Web3, Sophia has been at the forefront of transformative technologies. Since 2018, she has been immersed in the crypto universe, working at Galaxy Digital, Huobi US, and Crypto.com. In these roles, Sophia engaged with startups and institutional clients on capital raising and trading across the Americas, EU, and Asia regions.

Actively fostering innovation and mentorship, Sophia serves as a mentor and judge at prestigious institutions such as Yale’s Tsai City for Innovation, Berkeley’s Blockchain Xcelerator, Techstars, and Layer 1 protocols, including Ethereum, Algorand, and Solana. She maintains close ties with the blockchain communities at Stanford and Yale.

Driven by a passion for shaping the future through frontier technologies, Sophia is currently supporting AI data and applications deals within her team. She holds a BBA from Simon Fraser University, an MBA from the University of British Columbia, and an MAM from the Yale School of Management.

Lauren Abendschein leads Institutional Sales at Coinbase, where she is instrumental in helping organizations navigate the rapidly evolving cryptocurrency and blockchain landscape. With a deep understanding of both traditional finance and digital assets, Lauren specializes in bridging the gap between institutional investors and the crypto ecosystem.

Her work focuses on crafting strategic partnerships, providing tailored solutions for institutional adoption, and educating organizations on the benefits and challenges of blockchain technology. Lauren’s leadership has been pivotal in driving the mainstream acceptance of cryptocurrencies within institutional portfolios.

Passionate about innovation, Lauren is dedicated to guiding institutions toward the future of finance. Please find Lauren’s LinkedIn profile here.

Katherine Dowling is on the Executive Management team and is the General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of Bitwise Asset Management. She previously served in General Counsel, CCO, and COO roles at several financial and private equity firms, and was a co-founder, Managing Director and COO of Luminate Capital Partners, a software private equity firm in San Francisco. A Harvard Law School graduate, Ms. Dowling spent over a decade as a federal prosecutor, most recently in the Economic Crimes Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, where she worked with the FBI, SEC, IRS and other agencies to prosecute insider trading, fraud, and money laundering cases, among others. She serves on the boards of two non-profit organizations.

Lynne is the Co-Founder of Women in Digital Assets Forums and a global fintech and blockchain leader dedicated to empowering women and allies in the digital asset space. As an ambassador for the world’s largest blockchain association, she leverages her extensive experience in capital markets, fintech, and asset management—honed during her tenure as Managing Director and Group Head of Non-Bank Financial Services at BNY Mellon—to drive innovation and education in emerging financial technologies. Recognized as an Unstoppable Woman of Web3 and BeinCrypto Woman of 2024, Lynne is also a sought-after speaker, investor, and subject matter expert in digital assets, blockchain, AI, tokenization, and Web3. An Oxford Blockchain Strategy Program alumna, she continues to shape the future of financial services through her dynamic leadership and visionary approach.