Kenji Epling

Background

About Kenji Epling

Hi! I’m Kenji Epling, a recent graduate of UVA’s M.S. in Commerce program, and I’m thrilled to be joining the Global Equity team at the Virginia Retirement System as an Investment Analyst. My past financial and investment experiences have all been building toward this, and I'm eager to apply what I've learned to global investment strategy. I love using data and economics to drive smart investment decisions. I’m proficient with tools like R, SQL (BigQuery), Tableau, and Excel, and I enjoy turning complex datasets into clear strategies. I’m also keenly interested in the practical applications of advanced analytics, including AI and machine learning, in the investment world. Before UVA, I earned my B.S. in Economics from VCU in just three years. My hands-on investment experience began there as the Consumer Discretionary Lead for VCU’s Student Managed Investment Portfolio, where I conducted equity research and financial modeling. I was also an Analyst on VCU’s 2023 Fed Challenge Team, helping our team place in the top 11% of universities nationwide. These roles gave me practical experience in portfolio management, valuation, and macroeconomic analysis. My professional work has centered on economic development and business strategy. At the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, I built an RStudio tool to evaluate Virginia’s site competitiveness. While at the Greater Richmond Partnership, I used platforms like Salesforce and PitchBook to identify companies for regional growth, which sharpened my ability to spot market opportunities. My externship with Chmura Economics & Analytics also provided direct experience analyzing labor market trends with seasoned economists. Ultimately, I’m driven to help organizations unlock growth by making informed, data-driven decisions. I’m especially excited to bring my analytical, economic, and financial knowledge to the Global Equity team to contribute to the financial well-being of Virginia’s public servants. I always enjoy meeting new people, so please don’t hesitate to reach out and connect:)