Roberto Thornton

Roberto Thornton serves as Co-CEO at Adasina, bringing 15 years of financial industry experience and more than a decade of grassroots social justice organizing to his leadership. In this role, he provides strategic direction in support of Adasina’s mission,  ensuring alignment between long-term priorities, strategic execution, and daily firm management.

Since joining Adasina near its founding, Roberto has held several leadership roles, including Managing Director of Investment & Impact and Director of Public Equities. He has played a key role in shaping the firm’s strategy, leading complex initiatives, and guiding Adasina through periods of growth and transition. His leadership is rooted in empathy, self-awareness, and the conviction that effective executive decision-making requires both emotional and intellectual attunement. 

Prior to joining Adasina, Roberto held several positions at Vanguard, specializing in over-the-counter derivative valuation, collateral management, and human-centered process optimization. Earlier in his career, he worked in retail and business banking.

Roberto is committed to advancing racial, gender, economic, and climate justice through both his professional leadership and community engagement. His advocacy leadership focuses on intersectional issues impacting Black and transgender communities, including advising on employee benefits expansion and retention initiatives for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ employees in investment management. He has been published in Philadelphia Magazine and has been a guest lecturer at Bard College. He is a former Board Member of the Delaware Valley Legacy Fund, an alum of the New Leaders Council Fellowship Program, and is currently an advisory board member for the Black Leadership Action Coalition of Kentucky (BLACK) and the Black Leadership Action Coalition of Kentucky Action Fund (BLACK AF).

As a graduate of the Fox School of Business at Temple University, Roberto spent nearly two decades in Philadelphia and now resides in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. He enjoys documentaries, food adventures, time outdoors with his spouse and kiddo, and the Philadelphia Eagles (Go, Birds!).