Mika Malone

Mika joined Meketa in 2003 and currently works as the lead consultant for a select number of clients. She is a member of Meketa’s board of directors, its investment policy and corporate responsibility committees and its pension practice group. She is passionate about helping promote retirement security and assisting clients to achieve their asset allocation, policy and governance goals.

Prior to joining Meketa, Mika was employed in the Treasury department at Clark Construction Inc.

Mika volunteers with multiple organizations in the Portland, Oregon, area, including sitting as a board and investment committee member for the Library Foundation, as well as at Portland Women in Investment Management. Outside the office, she is a competitive equestrian rider and enjoys running and spending time traveling with her family.

Mika earned an MBA from the University of San Diego, with a concentration in finance, and an undergraduate degree in English, with honors, from the University of Maryland. She holds the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst designation.

CIO: What issues do you expect to dominate financial decision making and the economy in the next 18 months to three years?

MALONE: The geopolitical backdrop is expected to continue having an outsized impact on investment decisionmaking over the next couple of years. The effects of tariffs, a changing landscape for companies—both public and private—are likely to shape a changing opportunity set for investors. In addition, the Federal Reserve is anticipated to play a key role, as market participants look for clarity on the direction of interest rates. Similar trends are emerging in other developed and developing economies, as leaders try to navigate a dynamic environment to support their national interests.

CIO: What actionable thing have you learned over the course of your career that has proven itself this year?

MALONE: Diversification works! While the strength of the U.S. markets in recent years has made it challenging to highlight the full value of a diversified equity portfolio, 2025 has shown why maintaining global exposure matters. In the first several months of 2025, we’ve seen stocks outside of the U.S. add meaningful value during a challenging period for U.S. stocks. At the same time, higher yields have renewed the role of bonds in portfolio construction, offering added resilience. For institutional investors, the long-held principle of diversification is once again proving to be a powerful tool for navigating shifting markets.

CIO: How has institutional consulting changed in the last five years and what do you expect to change over the coming five years?

MALONE: There has been significant consolidation in the consulting industry, and this brings both benefits and challenges to the marketplace. I think you’ve seen a variety of biases in advice come to light (we all have them!), and in a volatile environment, there will be perceived winners and losers. I expect more consolidation over the coming years and an increased emphasis on providing customized solutions to clients. The traditional full service general consulting model works very well for some relationships, but some clients want only specific “pieces” of a consultant’s expertise. I think we will see more relationships that include multiple consultants focusing on areas of excellence within their firms.