I am currently an Associate at RiverGlade Capital, in Chicago, IL. Prior to this role, I was a Leveraged Finance analyst at Truist Securities in Atlanta, GA. I studied finance and accounting at Clemson University and graduated in 2017. Originally, I'm from the suburbs of Chicago. I chose to pursue a career in investment banking because it presented an opportunity for me to apply many of the principles I learned in my finance and accounting classes at college, and to interact with and learn from sharp-minded individuals. Not knowing many people with a background in finance motivated me to build my network in order to better understand how my role at Truist fit into the world of finance, as well as learn about potential career paths. For my first two years out of college I also supported and led undergrad recruitment efforts at my alma mater. During that time I had many conversations with students trying to figure out what path to take after college. I look forward to sharing my experience and knowledge of networking and undergrad recruitment with you.

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.

I am a private equity associate at Shoreline Equity Partners. Prior to joining Shoreline, I was an analyst at Jefferies in the Industrials Group. I graduated with a B.S. in Human & Organizational Development and minors in Economics and Corporate Strategy from Vanderbilt University in 2018. I pursued a career in finance for the challenge, variety of work, and high levels of responsibility. You should reach out to me if you are interested in learning about recruiting, the work associated with IB and PE, both as a whole and specific to junior-level roles, and the upsides and downsides of different geographies (I grew up in San Francisco, went to school in Nashville, did IB in Manhattan, and now work in Ponte Vedra, FL).

Hello, my name is Bjorn Hessen-Schmidt. I am originally from Palo Alto, California and I attended Cornell University where I graduated Phi Beta Kappa with degrees in both Mathematics and Economics. I am currently an Associate at Siris Capital Group and was previously a Senior Investment Banking Analyst within Citi’s Global Industrials Group. In addition to Investment Banking at Citi, my internship experience also includes bioinformatics research at Stanford University and data science at Two Six Capital.

Hello! My name is Kenny Mleko and I am a private equity associate at Waud Capital Partners. Previously, I was an analyst in the regional M&A group at J.P. Morgan in New York City. Prior to banking, I spent just over a year at Wells Fargo Securities and graduated from both Vanderbilt’s M.S. Finance program and Loyola University Chicago. It was not until the end of my junior year at Loyola that I first heard the words investment banking. It was still several months after that when I began to realize what it takes to break into the industry. If you have made it to this website, you probably have a better understanding of Wall Street recruiting than I ever did, but please shoot me a note if you are looking for guidance on your ‘path’. Through a combination of luck, graciousness, and a lot of cold emails, I had more people than I can remember share with me their journeys into banking, and I owe it to them to pay it forward.

My name is Olivia Schilsky and I am currently a second year Private Equity Analyst at PA Capital in Richmond, VA. I graduated from the University of Richmond in 2019, with a BA in Business Administration and Leadership Studies and a concentration in Finance. As the daughter of a small business owner and entrepreneur I had always been drawn to the business world, but until attending college I knew nothing about finance. I chose to pursue a career in finance because I wanted to be challenged and surrounded by like-minded, intellectually curious, and determined people. I understand how intimidating the intricacies of the finance world can be, and I'm here to help! I can help you decide if finance is for you or guide you towards which career path may be the best fit. Happy to connect about school (lessons learned and most valuable classes taken), internships, recruiting, interviews (how to tell your story), private equity career paths (traditional and non-traditional), networking, and different ways to get your foot in the door. Can’t wait to chat!

I am a Private Equity Investment Manager at H.I.G. Capital (London) and was previously a Private Equity Associate at H.I.G. (NYC). Before H.I.G., I was a Private Equity Associate at Main Street Capital (Houston) and prior to that, I was an Investment Banking Associate (and Analyst) at BMO Capital Markets (NYC).

I grew up in Queens, NY in an immigrant household and had little exposure to people with white-collar jobs / professional careers. I studied finance at Villanova University which is where upperclassmen mentors introduced me to the world of finance. I was immediately hooked because the finance industry values hard work, dedication, and creativity and the roles available in the industry make it a priority to reward this effort with compensation and extremely versatile/transferrable professional experiences.

My goal is to increase transparency and awareness about careers in finance like my mentors did for me, and I believe I can help you by: (i) teaching you the framework of how the finance industry and recruiting works, (ii) assisting you in developing your personal narrative so that you can communicate your story in a more impactful manner, and (iii) showing you some non-traditional approaches as you look to successfully navigate an intricate, opaque, and competitive field.

I am very approachable and friendly (or I try to be at least) and enjoy talking about finance, personal/professional development, and various other topics, so please reach out to me!

Hi—I’m Mike Limongelli. I’m currently a private equity associate at Graham Partners, a middle-market private equity firm located outside Philadelphia. I attended the University of Richmond and studied finance and philosophy. I pursued a career in finance and, ultimately, private equity because it teaches a broad range of transferable skills and bestows immense responsibility at an early age. I was in your shoes not long ago; think of me as almost a peer resource. I’ve held internships in investment banking and private equity and can speak to both career paths and their respective interview processes. I’m passionate about paying it forward and would love to help you explore career interests, navigate the interview process, and land that critical first job or internship!

I’m currently an investment banking associate at Goldman Sachs and was previously an associate at G Square Capital in London. Beforehand, I was an investment banking analyst in the healthcare group at Jefferies in New York and London. I graduated from Vanderbilt with a BS in Human and Organizational Development (HOD) and a minor in financial economics. I’m originally from Kildeer, Illinois, a town not far from Chicago. I’m happy to help anyone and everyone, but if you are a non-finance major, female, college athlete, someone that wants international experience, or are interested in healthcare finance, I can answer your questions and help you prepare for the interview process with these topics in mind.

My name is Jeff Blethen, and I am currently an associate with Atlas Holdings, and was previously an associate with PSP Partners in Chicago focusing on buyout and growth equity transactions. Prior to joining PSP, I was an investment banking analyst in the Global Industrials group at Jefferies in NYC. I graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2017 with a BA in international business and finance. I went through non-target recruiting coming out of South Carolina, so I understand the difficulties that come from attending a non-core school. I am more than happy to walk you through my networking strategies, help you craft your story, and teach the dark arts of cold calling and emailing.

Hello, my name is Hank Barrett and I’m an associate at Gridiron Capital in New Canaan, CT. Prior to Gridiron, I was an analyst in the Global Industrials Group at Jefferies in NYC. I grew up in Williamstown, MA and graduated from Wesleyan University in 2017 with a BA in Economics and Government. I was always interested in finance (and business more broadly), but knew very little about the industry or the various potential paths. I chose to pursue investment banking because I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to do after school and was hoping to open as many doors as possible while I figured it out. In the few years since I graduated, I’ve been lucky enough to work and interact with many great people across a range of different industries, roles, and backgrounds. I remember well how overwhelming it can be trying to figure out where to start — none of us would be where we are without the help of people who had gone through it themselves and were willing to share some advice. You could have no idea what you want to do, already be dead set on a specific role, or, most likely, be somewhere in-between — no matter where you are, I’d love to help.

I am a private equity associate at Great Hill Partners and was previously an investment banking analyst in the consumer & retail group at Citi. I graduated from the University of Richmond in 2019 with a BA in Business Administration with concentrations in finance and economics. My decision to pursue a career in finance, and more specifically investment banking, was largely informed by my desire to develop a broad-based foundation that would position me to pursue my *previously undiscovered* passions down the line. I can help you learn about investment banking and whether it is the right fit for you.

My name is Eddie Auslander. I’m currently a private equity associate with H.I.G. Capital (Advantage Fund) in New York. Prior to H.I.G., I was an investment banking analyst in the global industrials group at Jefferies in NYC. I graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 2017 with a BS in business administration with a concentration in finance and a minor in social & political history. If you would’ve asked me why I got into finance while I was early on in college, I would’ve told you I it was because I didn’t really know what I wanted to do. After my first finance internship in a corporate M&A setting, I became enthralled by learning how and why decisions were made by management teams, and I kept finding myself wanting to learn more, which led to me pursuing a role in investment banking. I’m more than happy to hop on the phone to discuss future career aspirations, help with interviewing, or provide any other tips / tricks to help start your career path in the right direction. Please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Hello! My name is Mitch Beller and I am currently a private equity associate at JLL Partners based in New York City. Prior to my time at JLL, I was an investment banking analyst in the Global Industrials Group at Jefferies in NYC. I grew up just outside of Kansas City before attending and eventually graduating from the University of Kansas in 2017 with BSc degrees in both finance and accounting. I got into finance for the challenge, caliber of people, and optionality (if you start your career in investment banking, you can do almost anything you want in business afterwards; the skill-sets are that valued). I have been fortunate to have had people from various backgrounds extend their hand and time to me in helping me piece together my short career thus far. I know the process can be daunting and continuously exhausting. Each of you has what it takes to pursue whatever it is that intrigues you. Myself and the rest of the PFF team are here to help you craft the streamlined story of how each of your experiences are connected, and rightfully convey you are the person the company is looking for, whether that is in finance or another field of your passion. We are here to help in any way we can, and I look forward to being a part of your process.

I am currently a private equity associate at Littlejohn & Co in Greenwich, CT. Prior to my current role, I was an investment banking analyst in the Energy, Power & Infrastructure Group at Harris Williams. I am originally from the Minneapolis, MN area and graduated from Colgate University with a B.A. in Economics while playing on the NCAA Division 1 lacrosse team. After graduating from Colgate, I received my Master's in Finance from the Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management. I pursued a career in finance because I enjoyed the fast-paced and team-oriented environment that was similar to my experience as a student-athlete. I'm happy to be a resource and answer questions on recruiting, the interview process, networking, or anything else you might find helpful. In particular, I can provide insight on grad school, moving to new locations, and leveraging a background in athletics.

My name is Stan Bikulege. I am currently a Principal with Lightview Capital, a private equity firm based in West Palm Beach, FL. We're focused on completing buyout transactions with founder-led businesses in the Business and Tech-Enabled services sector. Prior to joining Lightview, I was an M&A analyst at West Monroe Partners in NYC. I graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 2018 with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and a Minor in Business Administration. I was also a linebacker and captain of the varsity football team. I did not know I wanted to get into finance early on in college and majored in a completely different field of study entirely. I ended up pursuing a career in finance and took a bit of an unconventional route to get there. I am more than happy to discuss strategies for positioning your experience into the role you want to be in, pivoting careers in college / thereafter, and generally be someone that you can bounce ideas off of.

I am currently a private equity associate at The Riverside Company based in San Francisco, CA. Prior to joining Riverside, I was a private equity associate at Comvest Partners in West Palm Beach, FL and I began my career in investment banking at Piper Sandler in Minneapolis, MN. I graduated from St. Olaf College, a liberal arts school in Northfield, MN, with a B.A. in math and economics with a finance emphasis. Initially, I decided to pursue finance because I saw it as a combination of my two majors, math and economics, and looked at finance as a way for me to apply what I was learning in the "real world" (rarely talked about at a liberal arts school!). I then decided to pursue investment banking (i) because of pure luck that I was introduced to it my sophomore year by a few seniors during investment club and (ii) because I wanted to start my career somewhere where I would be constantly challenged and learning. Feel free to reach out if you are looking to get into middle market investment banking or private equity. Additionally, I am happy to speak to anyone who is interested in lateraling between private equity firms as I went through this process in the transition from Comvest to Riverside.

Hi, my name is David Chong. I’m currently an investment associate at Point Field Partners. Before this, I spent 1.5 years with Truist as an investment bankings associate, 1.5 years with T. Rowe Price as an equity research associate, and 1.5 years with SunTrust Robinson Humphrey as an investment banking analyst. I graduated from the University of Richmond with a BSBA in Economics with a concentration in Finance. Growing up in an Asian household, I was encouraged to pursue a career in medicine or law. However, the more I learned about finance, the more I realized a career in the industry would be both intellectually stimulating and personally rewarding. Many investment banking analysts move to the buy-side and stay there. I’m the anomaly in the PFF team in that I made the switch initially to buy-side equity research, went back to banking, and then finally landed upon my current family office / private equity role. I can be a resource to you by speaking about equity research, investment banking and / or family offices / private equity, and more generally, how to position and market yourself for a change in roles. I have also been through multiple arduous recruiting processes, from networking to preparing for interviews. I look forward to chatting!

My name is Justin Huang and I am currently an analyst at BDT & MSD Partners, where I work on transaction analysis and execution of investments and strategic advisory assignments. I graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration and a B.A. in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley. I'm originally from Sydney, Australia, and moved around a few different countries, so I'm able to speak to recruiting as an international student. Happy to chat about recruiting, interviewing, and career paths in general.

My name is Robyn Myers and I graduated from the University of Chicago, where I majored in Economics and Psychology and minored in Human Rights. I’m currently an Associate at Stride Consumer Partners in Boston. I completed my two year Analyst program on the Regional Investment Banking team at JP Morgan (NYC) where I worked with middle-market companies as both a coverage and product partner. I pursued a career in banking because the role provides a great technical foundation that allows you to pursue various career paths coming out of college. The role is dynamic and client-facing, presenting new challenges and projects frequently and allowing you to work with interesting companies and founders. I am always happy to connect, please feel free to reach out!