My name is Steffens Coulson and I currently work in New York, NY, for Yieldstreet as a Senior Investment Analyst on the Commercial Real Estate team. I'm originally from Baltimore, Maryland, and graduated from the University of Richmond in 2018, where I studied Business Administration with concentrations in Finance and Economics. After graduating, I worked in the consulting industry for Gartner before deciding to pursue a career in commercial real estate, which began in the agency lending space. If you want to learn more about a potential career in commercial real estate, how to transition from a different industry, or what I do, please don't hesitate to reach out!

My name is John Lin and I am currently a private equity associate at Bayview Asset Management based in New York. Prior to joining Bayview, I was an investment banking analyst at Citi working across M&A, capital markets, and strategic advisory engagements. I grew up in New York and graduated from Boston University in 2020. Throughout my time in college and in my career, I have benefited greatly from the support and mentorship of friends and colleagues, and I hope to pay it forward by being an encouraging and guiding resource for aspiring students who are navigating their own career paths.

My name is Jonathan Lu, and I am a Private Equity Senior Associate in General Atlantic’s late-stage technology group, based in Miami. Prior to joining General Atlantic, I worked as a Senior Associate in the Strategic Investments Group at Warburg Pincus, where I focused on investing in late-stage software and tech-enabled services businesses. Prior to that, I worked as an Investment Banking Analyst in the Financial Institutions Group at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. I grew up in South Florida and graduated from Dartmouth College with a B.A. in Economics. I’ve worked in both FIG and Tech and am happy to discuss the nuances between both industries. Additionally, I'm happy to help provide advice for navigating the recruiting process (internship, full-time, lateral and buyside recruiting). I've benefited from the mentorship of others and am very excited to volunteer with PFF!

My name is Sophie Fries, and I am a current Summer Analyst in the Financial Services Investment Banking Group at Piper Sandler. I am a rising senior at Washington University in St. Louis, where I study Finance and Political Science with a minor in American Culture Studies. Prior to my summer at Piper Sandler, I was a Credit Risk Summer Analyst at Goldman Sachs in Salt Lake City, UT. I am pursuing a career in Investment Banking because I believe it provides a strong foundational knowledge of finance and expands the breadth of my technical skillset. As a woman and a candidate from a non-target school, I understand the challenges that arise with investment banking recruiting and would love the opportunity to help you navigate your path!

My name is Drew Duff and I am currently a Senior Consultant at Deloitte, based out of New York City. My journey began when I moved to Brazil to live and work for several years at the U.S. Department of State. Around this same period, I chose to double major in Economics & International Affairs at Wake Forest University. Consulting offered the prospect of addressing complex social, financial, and health issues through private-sector solutions. I found this opportunity fascinating and consequently, at Deloitte I now focus on helping clients make strategic choices to solve challenges within the Financial Services and Life Sciences industries. In addition, as a member of Deloitte’s ALPFA committee (Association for Latino Professionals) I have worked hands-on to champion dozens of students and professionals from non-traditional backgrounds. I would be happy to chat on anything related to the consulting life and recruiting process.

My name is Fernando Arrascue Quiroz, and I am currently a private equity associate at Corsair Capital based in New York. Prior to joining Corsair, I was an investment banking analyst in the Global Technology Group at Stifel. I grew up in Venezuela and Florida. I graduated from Penn State University in 2019 with a major in Industrial Engineering. I am aware of how challenging recruiting processes are and how difficult it is to standout in a sea of well-prepared applicants. Having gone through both IB and PE recruiting, I would be happy to provide candid insight on each process. You should reach out to me if you would like more information on IB/PE recruiting, being an engineering major in wall street, being an international student applicant, working in NYC, networking, etc.

Hi! My name is Donna Wong, and I’m an associate at Zenyth Partners. Before Zenyth, I was in Jefferies’ Healthcare Investment Banking group based in NYC. I’m originally from Hong Kong and I graduated from Tulane University in December ’21 with a BS in Economics. During college, I also took on leadership roles within CHAARG (Changing Health, Attitudes and Actions to Recreate Girls) and Consult Your Community. I decided to pursue healthcare investment banking for its exposure to all kinds of public/private transactions across the healthcare universe and the various learning opportunities. As a former international student who did not formally intern in banking in the summer prior to graduation, I encountered all the usual obstacles during the recruiting process due to my visa status, on top of limited openings in the full time cycle. I can be most helpful in discussing recruitment strategies as an international student, breaking into banking from a liberal arts background, and/or full time recruiting.

I am currently in the BizOps and Strategy team at Handshake, a late-stage tech unicorn. Before moving into tech, I spent the first five years in TMT investment banking at Moelis, Jefferies, and Nomura, and in corporate development. I started my career in finance because I wanted to build a solid foundation in financial analysis, and develop a skill set in providing data-driven insights that will impact a whole organization. I made my switch into tech to get more hands-on operational experience and implement the strategies and recommendations I've formulated. Outside of work, I am an avid poker player, traveler, and self-described foodie. Happy to chat about anything investment banking related (internships, full-time, lateraling, etc.) or transitioning from finance to big tech.

I am a Private Equity Senior Associate at Ancient. Previously, I was an investment banking analyst in the Media and Communications group at Morgan Stanley and was previously an investment banking analyst in the TMT group at UBS. I graduated from the University of Richmond in 2020 with a BA in Business Administration with concentrations in finance and accounting. I decided to pursue a career in finance, and more specifically in investment banking, after many discussions with helpful mentors and peers. If you would like to discuss the recruitment process, networking, investment banking or different career paths in finance, please reach out!

Hi, my name is Josh Elman and I’m currently a Vice President at Arrowhead Investment Management – a private credit firm in Greenwich, CT. Prior to joining Arrowhead in 2018, I spent two years as an investment banking analyst in the Global Industrials Group at Jefferies in New York City, primarily focused on the Automotive and Building Products sectors. Originally from Bergen County, NJ, I attended Vanderbilt University where I majored in Economics. I was interested in middle market investment banking and private credit due to the opportunity to advise and support growing American businesses as well as the ability to work with highly talented, smart, and motivated colleagues. I still remember my endless questions and second guessing while recruiting for IB and buyside roles. There were so many people who helped me along the way – I’d love to pay it forward and help you. I’m happy to answer ALL questions as well as provide interview advice. I can also provide insights on working at a firm with <10 people or on reverse commutes. If you'd like to chat about my experiences or ask me questions, don’t hesitate to reach out!

Hi. My name is Joey Duffy and I am an investment banking analyst at BMO Capital Markets in New York. I grew up in Boston, MA, and studied finance, economics, and international business at Villanova University. I pursued a career in finance because I find the subject matter inherently interesting and I value the opportunity to take on significant responsibility in a team-based environment. At BMO I’m in the Healthcare group, covering Healthcare Services, Life Sciences, and Healthcare IT. I’m happy to speak with anyone interested in Investment Banking, BMO, or the Healthcare industry, and we can cover school, internships, recruiting, or interviews. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, or if you just want to talk about Boston sports.

Hello, my name is R.J. Shamberger. I am currently a first-year private equity analyst at Partners Group, a Swiss-based private markets firm. I am based out of Denver, CO and rotating on our integrated investments team where we focus on primaries, secondaries, and co-investments. I am originally from Charlotte, NC, and earned my BA in Economics from Williams College in 2020. I spent my first year post-college as a teaching assistant at a New England prep school before transitioning into my current role. As someone with a non-traditional background, I initially found breaking into finance a daunting task but through building connections and exploring my passions I bridged my own path. I am happy to share the ins-and-outs of how I worked my way from the classroom to the desk and the lessons I learned along the way.

Hello! My name is Michael Zhang. I’m currently a strategic finance senior director at GoGuardian. Prior to GoGuardian, I spent time as a tech growth investor at Sumeru Equity Partners, buyout investor at H.I.G. Capital’s Advantage Fund, and leveraged finance investment banker at Nomura. I’ve always been passionate about business, and I initially pursued finance for the opportunity to interact with a wide array of companies, industries, and management teams. After spending 5 years in finance, I decided to switch over to an operator role at GoGuardian to get closer to the ground in terms of driving change and creating value within businesses. As both LGBTQIA+ and a minority, I’m excited to share my experience with you as you evaluate potential career paths within investment banking, private equity, and/or corporate finance as well as provide any help with interview prep.

Hello! My name is Joe Wen, and I’m currently an Associate in the Strategic Equity Solutions group at Bank of America, located in NYC. Prior to joining Bank of America, I was an analyst in the Equity-Linked Origination group at RBC Capital Markets. I graduated from Washington & Lee University in 2019 with a B.S. in Business Administration and a minor in Computer Science. I decided to pursue a career in finance because I wanted to be in a work environment where I can be given significant responsibility at a junior level and also be surrounded by intelligent and driven people. From my own experience, I understand the importance of mentorship given how daunting and exhausting the recruiting process can be, and I would love to chat with you about career aspirations / networking tips / interview prep / or anything else that’s helpful to you, at any point of your journey.

My name is Harsh Shah, I am an investment banking analyst at Barclays in the Toronto office. I studied Medical Science during my first two years and Business Administration for my last two at Western University and the Ivey Business School. I found a passion for business through my first part-time job selling Canadian Tire credit cards at their gas stations. Prior to IB, I interned at a tech VC fund. I’m convinced you can achieve anything as long as you believe you are capable of it. Feel free to reach out to me for recruiting advice (I’ll be particularly helpful to those recruiting from a science background) or even if you just want to chat about life!

My name is Spencer Korek and I am a private equity associate at New Mountain Capital. Previously, I was an investment banking analyst at Jefferies in NYC where I worked in the Global Industrials Group, primarily focused on Services. I graduated from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, concentrating in finance. I pursued a career in finance because I enjoy learning about different types of businesses / business models and love the fast-paced nature of the industry. I’m happy to chat about preparing for an interview, an internship, resources to learn more about finance and various career paths within the industry.

Hello! My name is George Kang and I am currently a private equity vice president at BRS & Co. in NYC. Prior to my time at BRS, I was an investment banking associate in the Global Industrials Group at Jefferies in NYC where I also spent three years as an analyst. Prior to Jefferies, I spent two years as a credit risk analyst at UBS in NYC after graduating from Cornell University in 2012 with B.S. degrees in Finance and Marketing. I always knew I wanted to pursue a career in finance but was unclear what I was exactly looking for. I look forward to sharing the lessons learned from my serpentine journey, offering advice on how to navigate the path from the middle-office to the front-office to the buy-side and helping identify where to even begin the process. Additionally, I am currently pursuing my part-time MBA at Columbia Business School and I am more than happy to answer any questions around the business school application process and what business school entails.

My name is Tim Peyser, and I currently work at Piper Sandler covering financial services as an investment banker. Previously, I spent two years at RSM advising private equity clients in a consulting capacity. I joined RSM after graduating from the University of Richmond ('19) where I majored in international business and finance with a minor in French. I have worked in a number of roles in finance from boutique venture capital to Morgan Stanley's wealth management practice and would be happy to be a resource to you.

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 Andy Kleinlein and I am currently a private equity associate at Bessemer Investors in New York City. Prior to joining Bessemer, I was an investment banking analyst in the Leveraged Finance Group at Jefferies in NYC. Before Jefferies, I spent a year at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey (now Truist) as an analyst in the Syndicated & Leveraged Finance Group, where I interned the prior summer. I grew up in St. Louis, MO before attending and eventually graduating from Washington and Lee University in 2017 with a BS in Accounting and Business Administration. During my time at W&L, I played four years of basketball. I pursued a career in finance to develop a foundation, network and skill set that would be applicable to any career path. I can be of particular help to anyone who: i) goes to a liberal arts college and is looking to pursue a career in finance, ii) wants to make the leap from investment banking to private equity, or iii) needs advice on how to use your experience as a former student-athlete to your advantage. I'm happy to be a general resource for any other topics, as well.