John Ferrari

John Ferrari is an Investment Officer at the George Kaiser Family Foundation (GKFF) based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In his current role, he is responsible for sourcing, executing, and managing investment opportunities that support the foundation’s philanthropic initiatives. His work directly contributes to GKFF’s mission areas, which include early childhood education, community health, social services, and civic enhancement, with a particular focus on strategic investments that maximize community impact.

Ferrari brings substantial experience from previous roles in the private equity and venture capital sectors. Before joining GKFF, he was a Senior Associate at Lewis & Clark AgriFood, where he focused on investments in agriculture and food companies, and an Associate at Growth Catalyst Partners, a lower middle market private equity fund investing in information, marketing, and tech-enabled services. Earlier in his career, he worked in investment banking at Jefferies, grounding his expertise in deal execution, financial analysis, and portfolio management.

He holds degrees in accounting and finance from the University of Kansas School of Business, where he graduated with honors and distinction, and also studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Ferrari is regarded for his analytical rigor and ability to identify and develop investment opportunities across private equity, venture capital, and impact sectors, especially in agriculture, food, and information services.