Christopher M. Austen was elected to Knight Foundation’s board of trustees in March 2014. He chairs the Investment Committee and serves on the Audit Committee. Austen is the managing partner of BPEA Private Equity, a Boston-based private equity firm. He joined BPEA in 2006 and directs the firm’s investment activity, strategy implementation and operations. Previously, he was CEO of a SaaS-based collaboration and communication company. Early in his career, Austen was a partner at Southeast Interactive Technology Funds, an early-stage IT-focused venture capital fund based in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. With a diverse background as an entrepreneur and private equity investor, Aust