Executive Team

Noah’s 15+ years of experience includes a focus on innovative financial technology and innovative financial products. His experience spans a solid financial services foundation at Fidelity Investments. From that foundation, Noah has had the opportunity to develop one of the first web-based brokerage trading and systems, to the start-up of the first web-based personalizes portfolio management systems, to direct a national mutual fund firm which was an early provider of index-based ETFs, to found one of the first firms to offer actively managed ETFs.

Noah is the founder and CEO of AdvisorShares Investments. AdvisorShares is one of the first firms to apply for actively managed ETF exemptive relief from the SEC. AdvisorShares is designed as a platform for the development of actively managed ETFs.

Dan Ahrens carries over two decades of experience in the financial services industry serving in a variety of senior-level capacities, including portfolio management, sales, finance, operations and compliance. He founded Ahrens Advisors, L.P., an SEC-registered investment advisor, where he was portfolio manager of the Ladenburg Thalmann Gaming and Casino Fund. Dan also served as president of the MUTUALS.com Funds, where he launched the Vice Fund (VICEX) and served as its original portfolio manager. He was also the portfolio manager of the Generation Wave Growth Fund (GWGFX). During that time, he was also president and chief compliance officer of Mutuals Advisors, Inc, and acted as president, treasurer, and financial & operations officer of an affiliated broker dealer firm. Dan is the author of “Investing in Vice” (St. Martin’s Press, 2004) and has appeared prominently across financial media outlets and major national and trade publications. He earned a Bachelor in Business Administration in Finance from Texas Tech University.

James brings extensive experience in the financial services industry, having worked with RIAs, investment managers and start-up financial services providers. He has taken an entrepreneurial approach to providing solutions and was a key driver in the strategic growth plans for several financial organizations over the past decade, demonstrating particular expertise in: building high performing teams, financial management, financial analysis, and business development. Prior to joining AdvisorShares, James worked as an independent financial consultant, where his primary client was an asset management team for an RIA/broker-dealer with $1 billion under management. From 2002 to 2004, while attending graduate school, James assisted in the strategic development and start-up phase of Curian Capital’s FOLIOAdvisor platform launch. While at FOLIOfn from 2000 to 2002, he raised the first $50 million of institutional assets for their FOLIOAdvisor platform as the manager of both the Business Development and the Institutional Sales teams. James has a Bachelors of Arts from the University of Delaware, and received a Masters of Science in Finance and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Denver, Daniels College of Business.

Stefanie Little is a Founder and Partner of Chenery Compliance Group. Additionally, she is Managing Partner of SEC Compliance Alliance. Ms. Little currently serves as the Chief Compliance Officer for several investment industry clients. She was previously affiliated with a legal and compliance firm through which she acted as Chief Compliance Officer for a number of entities, including registered investment advisers and mutual funds. In conjunction with those roles, she developed and oversaw investment adviser and registered fund compliance programs, performed annual compliance reviews, conducted training and managed multiple SEC examinations. Prior to 2008, Ms. Little spent several years heading first the compliance, then the legal function, at Brandywine Global Investment Management, gaining extensive experience across a variety of investment products and vehicles. She has 16 years of experience in the investment management industry and is a graduate of Widener Law School and the University of Delaware’s Lerner College of Business and Economics.

Julio Lugo is head of fund operations for AdvisorShares Investments. He brings over 25 years of financial services experience in a variety of senior level capacities including overseeing fund operations for exchange-traded products (ETPs) and American depositary receipts (ADRs). Julio began his career with Irving Trust Company, the storied investment bank which was acquired by the Bank of New York and now known as BNY Mellon. At BNY Mellon, he managed the capital markets team advising and educating the various buy-side and sell-side firms other financial intermediaries that invested, traded and serviced ADRs. Later in his career at BNY Mellon, Julio headed the ADR Index Product Development & Sales/Marketing areas. He was instrumental in creating innovative ADR-only ETFs as well as leading a team which won BNY Mellon’s global award for currency hedged ETPs. Most recently, Julio founded ETP Consulting LLC, working with ADR and ETF issuers, and assisting private companies & investors with special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs).

Julio lives in New Jersey with his wife Ann and two sons, Jonathan & Connor. He is an avid traveler, golfer and chef. He earned a B.B.A. in Finance from Baruch College, City University of New York.