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 originally from Ethiopia but was raised in Portland, Oregon. I attended undergrad across the country at the University of Richmond, where I got my bachelor’s degree in economics with a concentration in Finance. During my four years at UR I was lucky enough to have two summer internships, both with US Bank back in Portland. After my sophomore year I interned as a Private wealth management analyst. To be honest not the most exciting work but gathered some good expertise working with trading softwares like FactSet and Bloomberg. Junior year summer I was back with US Bank in Portland but this time in their Commercial Lending division. This time I had much more hands on experience. I would spend my time analyzing local companies financial health and future productivity to help the team determine the best lending products/services the US Bank could provide. Since graduating, I have been working for Accenture as a CDTS (Corporate Development & Transactional Services) analyst. In this role I do all the modeling and deal shaping for any mutli-tower opportunity greater than $10M USD. I am happy to speak with you about work and opportunities in corporate finance along with give a perspective on recruiting not specific to investment banking (though I have experience recruiting here as well).

I am a first-year Associate at EY-Parthenon in the New York City office and a 2022 graduate from Tulane University, where I was an international student studying Economics & Environmental Studies and attended on a merit scholarship. Though I had extensive internship experience in the Tech & FinTech world, I chose to enter Consulting for the breadth of industry and functional exposure it provides early on and its varied exit opportunities. As an international student who recruited from a non-core school, I'd be happy to discuss strategies to stand out and manage the sponsorship hurdle.

Hi, my name is Ryan Ringelstein and I am currently an office tenant representation broker at Raise Commercial Real Estate in San Francisco. Raise is a technology-enabled commercial real estate brokerage offering tenant representation, project and construction management, workplace strategy, and ongoing lease administration for clients around the globe. Originally from the Bay Area, I went to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and St. Mary’s College for undergrad where I received a BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance. I’m currently pursuing a Master’s in Finance at Georgetown University. I’ve been fortunate to have many people help get me to where I am today. If you’re interested in a career in real estate, need help preparing for interviews, or just want to chat, I’d love to help out anyway I can.

I’m currently working at Zipline an autonomous drone delivery startup focused on the business unit economics and global operations. Previously, I was an Associate in Growth Equity focused on B2B SAAS and Tech-enabled business services. I started my career as an Investment Banking analyst in the Real Estate, Gaming and Lodging group at Goldman Sachs in NYC. I graduated from the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia where I studied Finance, Global Management, and Art History. I’m happy to talk to anyone about career paths in finance or all the other things I’ve considered along the way.

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.

Hi, my name is Stephanie Michas, and I currently work as a Credit and Asset Management Financial Analyst at Trimont Real Estate Advisers in London. Prior to joining Trimont, I was a Sales and Trading Analyst at BNP Paribas in New York. I graduated from Colgate University in 2019 with a B.A. in Economics and a minor in Studio Art. I chose to work in Finance after school because growing up I was always interested in the markets. I would hear the hype around upcoming IPOs or share buybacks, and found it fascinating. After relocating to the UK I pivoted within the industry, now working within Commercial Real Estate Credit and Asset Management, after looking for work with more tangibility, which I’ve found in Commercial Real Estate. As a woman coming from a small Liberal Arts school, I can help you navigate the application and interview process. I can also help you to think about where in finance you can see yourself succeeding - as someone who has moved within the industry, I can help you think about where your skillset lies, and how to best utilize it. I have been lucky to have fantastic mentors thus far in my career, and hope that I can provide that same level of mentorship on to others.

My name is Ben Smith and I am currently an Investment Associate at Access Industries, having previously worked as a Senior Investment Analyst at Spider Management Company. I graduated from the University of Richmond in 2020, with a BA in Business Administration and concentrations in Economics and Finance. While it might be difficult to access out of college, a career in Investment Management offers you the unique opportunity to jump right into a ‘Buy-Side’ role and take on significant responsibility investing large pools of capital to support meaningful causes. I’d be more than happy to talk to you about my work experiences, or even the CFA program if that is something you are considering. Don’t be a stranger!

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.

Hi, my name is Stephanie Michas, and I currently work as a Credit and Asset Management Financial Analyst at Trimont Real Estate Advisers in London. Prior to joining Trimont, I was a Sales and Trading Analyst at BNP Paribas in New York. I graduated from Colgate University in 2019 with a B.A. in Economics and a minor in Studio Art. I chose to work in Finance after school because growing up I was always interested in the markets. I would hear the hype around upcoming IPOs or share buybacks, and found it fascinating. After relocating to the UK I pivoted within the industry, now working within Commercial Real Estate Credit and Asset Management, after looking for work with more tangibility, which I’ve found in Commercial Real Estate. As a woman coming from a small Liberal Arts school, I can help you navigate the application and interview process. I can also help you to think about where in finance you can see yourself succeeding - as someone who has moved within the industry, I can help you think about where your skillset lies, and how to best utilize it. I have been lucky to have fantastic mentors thus far in my career, and hope that I can provide that same level of mentorship on to others.

Hi, my name is Jack Statfeld. I am currently a 1st year Associate for ING Capital on their Infrastructure Project Finance Team in NYC. Prior to joining ING, I worked at Siemens as an Analyst in their Leveraged Finance Group in NYC and at Wells Fargo as an Analyst in their Energy & Power Group in Houston, TX focusing on Exploration & Production Companies. I graduated from Tulane University in 2019 with a BSM in Finance and an Energy Specialization. I have always been passionate about the broader energy/infrastructure sector but wondered how these capital-intensive projects are financed. Tulane presented me the opportunity not only to learn about the capital raising aspect of a business but to focus on the energy/infrastructure industry as well. I understand how daunting and competitive breaking into finance can be and am here to help you. Whether it be networking tips to technical questions, the PFF Team will make sure you are prepared and well situated in pursuing a career in finance.

My name is Tyler Montoya and I'm currently a business development associate with GoldenTree Asset Management. I graduated from the University of Richmond in 2018 with a BA in finance and leadership studies. I pursued a career in finance because I believe that working in a field that requires you to be skilled quantitatively, qualitatively, and interpersonally is extremely valuable and rewarding. In contrast to many of the other team members at Pro Forma Futures, I work in a business development role. If you think you might be more inclined to a position that is focused on sales and relationship management within the asset management industry, feel free to reach out!

My name is Ryan Shumway, I am currently an investment associate at Crescent Capital Group, a private credit investment firm based in Los Angeles. Prior to Crescent, I was an investment banking analyst at Jefferies in the Global Industrials Group in New York City, and I graduated from the University of Arizona in 2018 with a degree in Finance. I was born, raised, and went to college in Tucson, Arizona, where almost nobody I knew was in this industry or even knew much about it. My networking story in college was one of many cold calls, cold emails, and generally “pounding the pavement” to better understand the industry as well as get connected with people who could help me reach my goal of working in it. As such, I've always been excited to help students from my alma mater and elsewhere to understand the industry and get their foot in the door. I'm happy to help at any stage in your finance journey, from "what even is finance?" to deep dives in technical and qualitative interview skills. Feel free to reach out with a quick introduction, and let's chat!

My name is Ryan Shumway, I am currently an investment associate at Crescent Capital Group, a private credit investment firm based in Los Angeles. Prior to Crescent, I was an investment banking analyst at Jefferies in the Global Industrials Group in New York City, and I graduated from the University of Arizona in 2018 with a degree in Finance. I was born, raised, and went to college in Tucson, Arizona, where almost nobody I knew was in this industry or even knew much about it. My networking story in college was one of many cold calls, cold emails, and generally “pounding the pavement” to better understand the industry as well as get connected with people who could help me reach my goal of working in it. As such, I've always been excited to help students from my alma mater and elsewhere to understand the industry and get their foot in the door. I'm happy to help at any stage in your finance journey, from "what even is finance?" to deep dives in technical and qualitative interview skills. Feel free to reach out with a quick introduction, and let's chat!

Hi! My name is Jessica Wilson and I currently work in Richmond, Virginia at the London Company doing equity research. I am a generalist who focuses on US-listed stocks across a spectrum of market caps and industries. I graduated from the University of Richmond in 2019 where I received a BSBA in Economics, with a concentration in finance, and a BA in Italian Studies. During the summer of my junior year I interned at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in their Sales & Trading division. After pursuing the summer internship I decided a research position would be a better fit for me. I have always had a curious and analytical mind and conducting in depth research is intriguing to me. To complement my work in equity research I am also pursuing a CFA charter. I recently passed Level II and will be taking Level III at the end of the year. It was certainly not easy getting to where I am today and I believe that is largely due to there being a lack of resources for people who didn’t grow up in a finance household. Don’t let this dissuade you from following your passions. I hope I can be a mentor to anyone, who like me, knows their strengths but just needs help finding their way.

Hello, my name is Georgia Holmes and I am currently an investment banking analyst at Cantor Fitzgerald in our technology group. Before Cantor, I did my first year as an analyst in the Global Technology Group at Stifel in New York, NY. I graduated from Cal Poly in June 2022 with a B.S. in Industrial Engineering. While I was initially interested in the design and development of physical products and software, later in my college career, I found myself wanting to figure out how companies ran more broadly. I wanted to understand what led to a company becoming successful and ended up in Investment Banking because of the challenges and opportunities for continuous development. As a woman from a non-business background, I’d be happy to speak to what drew me to finance and the challenges that surfaced when making the transition. Would also be happy to chat about what it is like to switch companies within IB.

Hi! My name is Shubhang Mehta and I am currently a real estate private equity analyst at Northwood Investors based in New York City. Prior to my time at Northwood, I was an investment banking analyst in the Real Estate, Gaming & Lodging group at Jefferies in NYC. I grew up in Melbourne, Australia before graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2018 with a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration. I pursued finance because I wanted to work in a challenging, collegial environment that always presented the opportunity to learn. I am more than happy to help anyone that wants to break into the IB or PE industry, and I can be of particular help if anyone is interested in real estate.

Hi there! I’m Pjay Togunde. I am a business strategist in the Athletes & Entertainers client segment at UBS Wealth Management, based in the New York City area. Prior this role, I was a wealth management rotational analyst. I am from Atlanta, GA and I graduated from the University of Richmond in 2019 with a Business Administration degree, with concentrations in economics and finance. I decided to pursue wealth management because I found it to be a perfect combination of two of my passions: financial management and helping people. For those who are thinking about wealth management but don’t know much about it and want to learn more, I would be more than happy to talk to you about the type of work, roles and career opportunities available, along with how to prepare for interviews. Additionally, as a woman and a minority, I understand the challenges underrepresented students can face with breaking into the finance industry, so I would love to be a resource and mentor for those who need support or guidance.