New U.S. initiative focuses on helping retirement fiduciaries thoughtfully integrate diversified private markets exposure aligned with plan governance
Taylor Benson will lead StepStone's U.S. defined contribution business, focused on helping retirement fiduciaries evaluate and implement diversified private markets exposure within a disciplined fiduciary framework.
NEW YORK, May 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StepStone Group Inc. (Nasdaq: STEP), a leading global private markets investment firm, today announced that Taylor Benson has joined as Head of U.S. Defined Contribution. In this role, Benson will lead the continued expansion of StepStone's retirement efforts, working closely with stakeholders across the retirement ecosystem.
The role reflects growing interest among retirement plan sponsors and fiduciaries in private markets and the need for retirement-specific solutions. The retirement business will help fiduciaries evaluate and implement diversified private markets exposure aligned with plan governance, including portfolio construction, liquidity management, valuation practices, and fiduciary oversight.
Benson joins StepStone from BlackRock, where she spent more than seven years and most recently served as Managing Director and Head of the East Coast Institutional Defined Contribution Team. Prior to BlackRock, she was a Principal at Galliard Capital Management, where she led new business development and consultant relations. Ms. Benson brings experience across recordkeeping, investment consulting, and asset management within the retirement industry. "Retirement challenges have become more acute, and fiduciaries are increasingly focused on solutions that improve outcomes, not just access," said Benson. "Private markets can play a constructive role in retirement portfolios when implemented thoughtfully within a disciplined fiduciary framework. I am excited to join StepStone at a pivotal moment for the retirement industry."
StepStone's approach emphasizes open architecture and portfolio construction that is diversified across managers, vintages, sectors, and regions, rather than exposure to a single fund or manager. The firm draws on its global platform across private equity, infrastructure, private debt, and real estate.
"We are delighted to welcome Taylor to StepStone," said Brett Schlemovitz, Partner and President of StepStone Private Wealth. "Recent advances in product design, operating infrastructure, and regulation have created a clearer path to integrating institutional private markets expertise into retirement programs. Our focus is not only on access, but on helping fiduciaries implement private markets in a way that supports governance standards and improves long-term participant outcomes."
As part of the broader retirement effort, StepStone is initially developing a suite of retirement-focused collective investment trust (CIT) structures across private equity, infrastructure, and private debt.
StepStone supports education and industry engagement around private markets and retirement portfolios through its leadership roles with the Defined Contribution Alternatives Association (DCALTA), a trade association seeking to enhance retirement security through the prudent inclusion of alternative investments in defined contribution plans. Christable Yau, Partner at StepStone Group serves as a member of the DCALTA board, and Bob Long, CEO of StepStone Private Wealth Solutions, leads DCALTA's public policy committee, reflecting StepStone's active role in shaping the future of alternatives in defined contribution plans. Additionally, StepStone Academy, its private markets education platform, furthers this commitment by providing advisors with accessible, structured learning on private market solutions.
About StepStone Group
StepStone Group Inc. (Nasdaq: STEP) is a global private markets investment firm focused on providing customized investment solutions and advisory and data services to its clients. As of December 31, 2025, StepStone was responsible for approximately $811 billion of total capital, including $220 billion of assets under management. StepStone's clients include some of the world's largest public and private defined benefit and defined contribution pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and insurance companies, as well as prominent endowments, foundations, family offices and private wealth clients, which include high-net-worth and mass affluent individuals. StepStone partners with its clients to develop and build private markets portfolios designed to meet their specific objectives across the private equity, infrastructure, private debt and real estate asset classes.
Contacts
Shareholder Relations:
Seth Weiss
shareholders@stepstonegroup.com
1-212-351-6106
Media:
Maggie Duffy
Edelman
StepStone@edifi-dje.com
