Christie Pitts is a Latino working mother and General Partner at Backstage Capital who openly integrates motherhood with venture work, discussing topics like pumping at conferences and advocating for family-friendly startup cultures. She transitioned from nearly a decade of corporate operating roles at Verizon—including launching their venture arm's portfolio support—to co-founding Backstage Studio and later becoming CEO, while also serving as VP of Operations at maternal health startup Mahmee.

• A professional focus on maternal health outcomes and the postpartum experience. She frequently shares alarming statistics regarding maternal mortality rates in the US, emphasizing that the first six weeks after birth are a critical period for physical and mental health intervention.
• Shared experiences regarding the chaotic reality of parenting toddlers while managing a career. She posts relatable anecdotes about family life, such as the challenges of potty training or humorous debates with her three-year-old about whether cereal counts as chips.
• Advocacy for underrepresented founders and diverse investors within the venture capital ecosystem. She champions organizations like All Raise that aim to create intergenerational wealth and has spoken out against firms that remove partners known for supporting diverse entrepreneurs beyond the seed stage.
• Engagement with reproductive healthcare access as a driver for economic stability and innovation. She highlighted her involvement with a coalition that connects reproductive rights to the broader economy and celebrated when their work was recognized as a world-changing idea by a major publication.
• Appreciation for vulnerability and transparency regarding the difficulties of company building. She publicly praised a peer for having an honest discussion about money and the stress of managing cash flow, indicating she values authentic leadership over polished success stories.