Maria D. Toler is the visionary Founding Partner of SteelSky Ventures, a trailblazing venture capital fund with a dedicated focus on women's healthcare. Under Maria's strategic stewardship, SteelSky has coalesced a strong portfolio of category-leading companies and forged a rich ecosystem of strategic LPs and advisors, committed to innovating in markets that were once overlooked. A recognized luminary in a burgeoning investment category, Maria is a sought-after speaker at prestigious forums such as the Milken Institute, the Aspen Institute, and the American Hospital Association. This year she was tapped to work with the first-ever White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research, traveling with the First Lady of the United States to announce the new $100M program. She was also recently invited to join the UNFPA Leadership Council, where she will carry the UN torch to promote women’s health globally. Maria's accolades include being named a 2022 USA Justice Fellow by Eisenhower Fellowships, receiving the 2023 Atlanta Women of Influence Award, and earning a spot on Forbes' list of top VCs to watch. Her journey has been showcased on ABC News and The Today Show, and she was honored with the 2020 NYU Stern Alumni Changemaker award. Business Insider has also recognized Maria on its list of Rising Stars in Venture Capital. Maria earned a B.S. in Information Systems from Wake Forest University, an MBA in Finance and Entrepreneurship from the Stern School of Business at New York University, and a certificate from the exclusive Venture Capital Unlocked Program at Stanford.
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Leadership
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Centers and Practice Areas
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Asia Center
Extends the reach and impact of the Milken Institute to the Asia-Pacific region
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Center for Financial Markets
Conducts research and constructs programs designed to facilitate smooth and efficient operation of financial markets
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Center for the Future of Aging
Advances healthy longevity and financial security for all through high-impact policies, research, convenings, and multisector partnerships.
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Center for Public Health
Develops research, programs, and initiatives designed to envision and activate sustainable solutions leading to better health for individuals and communities worldwide.
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Center for Regional Economics and California Center
Analyzes the dynamics that drive job creation and promote industry expansion
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Center for Strategic Philanthropy
Empowers philanthropists to effectively address some of the world's most urgent problems
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FasterCures
Clears roadblocks that prevent medical breakthroughs from reaching patients sooner
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Financial Innovations Labs
Addressing society's greatest challenges through a financial lens
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Global Market Development
Working with government partners in emerging and developing economies to build strong, domestic financial markets.
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Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream
Anyone with a dream should have the opportunity to make it come true—through determination and an economic system that works for all
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Research Department
Addressing global policy issues on Health Economics, International Finance, and Regional Economics
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Government and Policy Engagement
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