Emily Vennerstrom is senior director of mergers and acquisitions at CAPTRUST, based in Minnetonka, MN.

In this role, Emily helps drive CAPTRUST’s inorganic growth strategy—sourcing and cultivating acquisition opportunities, strengthening referral relationships with centers of influence, and leading transactions from initial outreach through diligence, deal structuring, and close. She partners closely with firm leaders on strategic business development, helping expand CAPTRUST’s presence in the marketplace while serving as an ambassador for the firm’s differentiators to prospective partners.

Emily brings more than 15 years of enterprise leadership experience to the role. Before joining CAPTRUST, she served as chief operating officer and partner at NorthRock Partners, where she oversaw firm operations and led significant organizational growth. Earlier at NorthRock, as chief impact officer, she integrated philanthropic advice into the firm’s core family office solutions and founded Foundation X, a philanthropic advisory and foundation management business. Under her leadership, Foundation X grew into a profitable social enterprise supporting high-net-worth families, corporations, and nonprofits through donor-advised funds, private foundations, and strategic grantmaking. She also held leadership roles at UnitedHealth Group and Medtronic, rebuilding health systems and supporting community development.

Emily earned her Bachelor of Arts in marketing from Bethel University.

Outside of work, Emily enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, being active, golfing, and watching her three daughters do the things they love.