Aspen is a place for leaders to lift their sights above the possessions which possess them. To confront their own nature as human beings, to regain control over their own humanity by becoming more self-aware, more self-correcting, and hence more self-fulfilling.

Walter P. Paepcke, Aspen Institute Co-Founder
Monica Adractas

Monica Adractas

Senior Advisor and Former Head of Growth Equity, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, Finance Leaders Fellowship

San Francisco, CA

Monica Adractas is senior advisor and former head of growth equity / venture capital for CPP Investments, a $750B+ global investment management organization. In 2019, Monica launched the Venture Capital and Growth investment program for CPP Investments and grew the program to ~$5B in assets, 15 investors, and established capital partnerships with 21 top tier GPs and ~30 leading tech/AI companies. She chaired the GEIC and served on the senior PE leadership team (spanning buyout, growth, and secondaries).

Previously, Monica was a tech executive and launched ‘Workplace by Facebook’ at Meta to over 10,000 paying enterprises. She was at enterprise company Box through IPO and launched new businesses at Starbucks Coffee Company. Monica started her career at McKinsey, serving clients on growth strategy for 10 years. Today, she serves as an advisor and board member for investment platforms and growth companies. She is also a board member for TechnoServe, an international development NGO. Monica earned her bachelor’s degree in economics from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA from the Harvard Business School. Monica has been in the SF Bay Area since 2006, where she resides with her husband and three children. She speaks three languages and enjoys cheese, yoga, slow travel, and coastline. Monica is a Fellow of the ninth class of the Finance Leaders Fellowship and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.