CoPeace Team

Nakeita Norman

With over 20 years of expertise in investment strategy, corporate finance, and capital formation, Norman brings a wealth of experience in delivering transformative growth and aligning financial success with meaningful social and economic outcomes.
 
As a seasoned investment professional, Norman has driven over $125 billion in value creation through her work in private equity, M&A, operational efficiencies, and strategic partnerships. Prior to joining CoPeace, she held key leadership roles at Alterity Capital, LPL Financial, and Vanguard, where she spearheaded initiatives in investor relations, portfolio management, and business development.
 
Norman holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Spelman College and has served in advisory roles for multiple organizations, including RevTech Labs and TechStars Anywhere. Her leadership in sustainable finance and business strategy positions her as a dynamic force in the evolving impact investment landscape.

Barbara Winter

Barbara Winter, also known as Babi, is a results-driven professional with expertise in sustainability, environmental compliance, and international relations. Originally from Brazil, Barbara moved to the United States in 2017 to pursue her undergraduate studies at Carleton College, where she majored in Political Science & International Relations and Environmental Studies with a minor in Cross-Cultural Studies. She furthered her education by earning a Master of Business Administration with a focus on Sustainability and Environmental Compliance from Southern New Hampshire University in 2023.
 
Babi’s career is marked by a commitment to impactful and measurable outcomes. Her global experience includes working with bicultural political systems in New Zealand under Māori leaders' mentorship, researching sustainable energy solutions in Ethiopia, and supporting Indigenous-led economic development through transformative tourism initiatives in Peru.
 
As the Impact Director for CoPeace, Babi oversees strategic initiatives aimed at fostering measurable social and environmental change.

Derek Scott

Derek joined the CoPeace family as Vice President of Marketing and brings a rich background as a global, customer-focused, growth-driven marketing and business leader. His most recent role was Group Marketing Leader at Pentair, where he led growth programs in the areas of brand strategy, New Product commercialization, and go-to-market initiatives. Prior to that, Derek held marketing leadership roles at several consumer-driven companies including Textron / Arctic Cat, Kemps LLC, Polaris, and General Mills. Over the course of his career, Derek has spanned multiple consumer packaged goods and consumer durables categories and delivered growth across a wide range of dealer and consumer channels. In addition, Derek was an early-stage investor in three Minnesota start-up companies, including VAST Pavers and 56 Brewing.

Andy Eckert

Andy first began working with the CoPeace team in an advisory role in 2022 and has provided leadership support as fractional COO since October, 2023. He brings a wide range of leadership skills to the team, having served most recently as Partner in ARC Angle, an advisory firm to small-to-mid-market manufacturing companies. Before ARC Angle, Andy was a seed investor in five startup companies from 2018-2020 including Modist Brewery in Minneapolis, MN. He is also the former President and CEO of Imperial Plastics – a leading engineered plastic component supplier to numerous Fortune 500 companies – which he led for three years from 2015-2018. Prior to Imperial, he joined Tennant Company in December 2002 and assumed several executive roles including Vice President, Americas in 2009 and Senior Vice President, Americas in 2013. Before joining Tennant in 2002, Mr. Eckert was with Storecast Merchandising Corporation as Senior Vice President of Performance and he earned his start with General Mills, Inc. in a number of sales and marketing leadership positions spanning 15 years.