Maria Garrahan

Maria focuses on making data usable, accessible, and insightful, enabling teams to deliver data-intensive findings that support clients’ most complex needs. Maria has been instrumental in advancing data-driven investment processes, developing next-generation research frameworks that incorporate liquidity considerations, strategic asset allocation, advanced optimization techniques, machine learning, and non-linear econometrics. Her work includes strengthening institutional investment processes and research infrastructure, applying large and complex datasets to manager selection and portfolio construction, and developing analytical tools that enhance investment decision-making. She bridges the gap between quantitative research and real-world investment outcomes and has shared her insights at industry conferences.

Prior to joining CRA, Maria served as Director of Research at MassPRIM. She led investment research across public markets, private equity, real estate, and hedge funds for one of the nation’s largest public pension funds, with over $100BN Assets Under Management. Her responsibilities included strategic asset allocation, manager selection and monitoring, liquidity management, and the development of advanced analytical tools. Previously, Maria worked at an investment management firm as a research analyst focused on asset allocation and portfolio research. She began her career at State Street Associates on the Investor Behavior Research Team, working with Professor Ken Froot of Harvard Business School.

Maria holds a MA in Applied Economics from Northeastern University and a BA in Business Economics from Eastern Connecticut State University.