Mariah "Roman" Lichtenstern brings a distinctive perspective to venture capital, having grown up in foster care before becoming an investor focused on closing wealth, wage, and funding gaps through policy advocacy like modernizing accredited investor rules. As Managing Director of Founder Institute Sacramento, she normalizes family-forward entrepreneurship by creating child-friendly spaces during startup sessions and uses her cross-disciplinary background in technology, entertainment, and venture capital to blend storytelling with startup finance. Mariah "Roman" Lichtenstern brings a distinctive perspective to venture capital, having grown up in foster care before becoming an investor focused on closing wealth, wage, and funding gaps through policy advocacy like modernizing accredited investor rules. As Managing Director of Founder Institute Sacramento, she normalizes family-forward entrepreneurship by creating child-friendly spaces during startup sessions and uses her cross-disciplinary background in technology, entertainment, and venture capital to blend storytelling with startup finance.