Laguna Ventures was founded by Shelly Bennecke, Managing Partner who has over two decades of business experience working with young start-ups and entrepreneurs as well as a 16-year career with several Cox Enterprise companies.  

While on the Cox Enterprise leadership team, Shelly had the opportunity to work with various global business units. In their transportation division, she led a team that produced strategic alliances, long-range planning, acquisition targets, divestiture projects and company valuations in addition to having rewarding experiences in Health and Wellness as an Ambassador and a chance to lead a National Sales Team in Media. While working on Strategy in Finance, her team took Cox properties into their initial international expansion plans. She also had a multiyear assignment to lead the Energy Team on the Cox Automotive Green Council focusing on reducing the carbon footprint throughout the company which contributed to supporting their Cox Conserves and Clean-Tech interests.

Having always recognized purpose in fulfilling civic responsibility, Shelly serves as the President of the Board for national non-profit, Chairman of the Laguna Beach Environmental & Sustainability Committee, and is an Emergency Preparedness Committee and Community Emergency Response Team member.

Shelly has participated in on-air broadcasts and spoken at domestic and worldwide events including the United Nations, European Center of Sustainable Development and other groups on the topics of transportation, emerging technologies, sustainability, environment, general business and women’s issues.

Throughout her career Shelly has placed an emphasis toward ongoing education and she is an alumna of Oxford University, Saïd Business School.