Meet the Ocean Crest Team!

Christopher J. Kuselias

Founder

Christopher J. Kuselias is a philanthropist and impact investor who believes in riding the "CREST" of the wave of life. Ocean Crest Ventures is dedicated to identifying, mentoring and scaling high growth potential startups with social impact and has funded investments in AI, real estate, movies & entertainment, senior care, dermatology, pain management centers, in-home pediatrics and fitness solutions.

A serial entrepreneur, his social impact startups have employed thousands and generated over $500 million in revenues/awards. One of those companies, CareerTEAM, a firm dedicated to workforce development and assisting hard to obtain gainful employment, received numerous awards for excellence and innovation including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Blue Chip Enterprise Award and recognition as an INC 500 Fastest Growing U.S. Company. 

For his social impact contributions, Chris has appeared on CNN, FOX, ABC, NBC and was featured on CBS' 60 Minutes; a segment on unemployment solutions seen by 18 million viewers. A respected voice in public policy and closing the opportunity divide, Chris was previously invited to the White House to strategize on welfare reform with the then U.S. President, VP, Chief of Staff and Fortune 500 CEOs. He has consulted with numerous politicians including Governors, U.S. Senators, members of Congress, the U.S. Attorney General & the U.S. Secretary of Labor. 

Chris assists his wife Susan, who oversees their family office currently supporting several worthy charitable endeavors. Examples include rebuilding and protecting an orphanage in Haiti, cancer research through the Pan Mass Challenge and promoting innovation education within low-income neighborhoods through nonprofits, Nextminds.org and Push For Entrepreneurship. Chris, Susan and their children Alana, CJ and Olivia, live on Narrows Island in Guilford, Connecticut and on Vanderbilt Beach in Naples, Florida.

Nick Briere

Associate

Nick Briere is a firm believer in the power and importance of entrepreneurship. Nick is an entrepreneur himself, having founded multiple companies, including the National Invention Convention (later acquired by The Henry Ford Foundation), Sonick Group, a high growth grant consulting firm whose partners have to-date raised nearly $70M and Union Street Properties, a real estate investment fund.

Nick also currently serves as the Executive Director of the Connecticut Invention Convention, a non-profit which supports the deployment of K-12 entrepreneurship programming to more than 11,000 young entrepreneurs annually.  Nick has built an impressive Board of which Chris Kuselias was asked to participate. Through the Connecticut Invention Convention, Nick and Chris initially began collaborating on strategies for inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs. 

Nick is involved in Ocean Crest’s emerging real estate holdings and assists in assessing valuation for each potential start up opportunity. He is a graduate of Duke University and currently lives with his wife Celeste in Connecticut.