Hello! I am a real estate private equity associate at Artemis Real Estate Partners based in D.C. and was previously a real estate acquisitions associate at The Carlyle Group and an investment banking analyst in Jefferies' Real Estate, Gaming & Lodging group. I studied physics at Davidson College where I was actually pre-med for my first three semesters. After deciding medicine wasn't right for me, I took econ 101 and completed UVA's business certificate over the summer, during which I decided that finance might be a good fit. I am happy to discuss how pursuing a non-traditional major (i.e. not finance, accounting, business, or economics) will affect the recruiting process and how to best leverage your unique perspective to earn an offer. I am also happy to discuss how to catch up if the recruiting process is in the near future and you've only just decided finance is something you want to pursue. Just because you don't have directly relevant prior experience doesn't mean you can't land a great internship if you're willing to work hard!

My name is Henry Johnson and I am currently a Senior Private Equity Associate at The Carlyle Group based in Washington D.C. I support our U.S. Buyout strategy within Corporate Private Equity, focusing on investments in the Aerospace, Defense and Government Services sectors. Prior to joining Carlyle in 2019, I spent three years in Investment Banking at Jefferies in New York, focusing on transactions in the Aerospace & Aviation sectors. Originally from New York City, I attended Wake Forest University for undergrad, where I majored in Economics. I have pursued a career in finance as I have found the high-velocity, strategy-intensive nature of the work to be intellectually stimulating and rewarding. I have also greatly enjoyed the relationships I have been able to foster professionally and therefore look forward to hearing from others in/entering the finance career path. If you are considering a transition from investment banking into private equity or simply would like to hear more about my experiences in either role, please reach out to proformafutures@gmail.com and the team will coordinate a call.

My name is Sara Scherping and I am currently a private equity associate at The Carlyle Group in the US Buyout – Healthcare team in New York. Prior to Carlyle, I spent two years as an investment banking analyst at Barclays in the healthcare coverage group in New York. I graduated from the University of Virginia – McIntire School of Commerce in 2021 with a concentration in finance and management. My family has largely pursued careers in medicine / medical research, so I strayed very far from my family’s traditional path by recruiting for investment banking. However, because of my family background, I have always been innately interested in the healthcare space and I love learning about and investing in healthcare businesses. Please reach out to me to discuss anything related to investment banking, private equity, or healthcare. Additionally, I am extremely passionate about increasing the number of young women professionals in finance, and I would be more than happy to provide any insights or mentorship.

Hi, my name is Sean Hamada. I am currently a first-year analyst in Carlyle’s New York office, where I focus on investment opportunities in liquid credit securities. Previously, I graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2021 with a BA in Economics. Since my university lacked an undergraduate business program, my interest in finance was largely informed by older friends and a number of internships across private equity and investment banking. As someone who transferred from a junior college and recruited out of a regional-target, I have developed a strong appreciation for mentors and am always happy to be a resource for all.

My name is Maxwell Wang and I am currently a private equity associate at The Carlyle Group within the global infrastructure private equity team. I began my career at Citigroup as a project finance analyst, where I focused on structuring debt instruments for infrastructure projects. I graduated from Cornell University in 2021 with a B.Sc. in Industrial and Labor Relations. I pursued a career in finance after learning about the industry from peers in various student organizations on campus, and am excited to help others pursue their own career path.