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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

Hi, my name is Aris Sevastianos. I was born and raised in a Greek-American household in metro St. Louis, and graduated from The University of Texas at Austin with a Master’s and Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and a Minor in French. Before my current work in venture capital, I spent time in strategy consulting (Strategy& - Retail & Consumer Private Equity Value Creation) and investment banking (Truist Securities - Power & Renewables coverage). In college, I co-ran and sold a Forbes-featured EdTech startup as CFO and did internships at a hedge fund and public accounting firm. Having formally navigated the VC, strategy consulting, IB, and public accounting recruitment processes, I can provide candid insight on each process, as well as my transition between the respective fields. Finally, I can help you build a valuable network from the ground up (something I had to do quickly). I’d love to pay it forward as a friend and mentor while combating such a pressing issue in our society.

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!

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.

I am research analyst at Point72 and was previously an investment banking analyst in the healthcare group at Jefferies. I studied finance, economics, math, and physics at the University of Richmond. I pursued a career in investment banking because I have always been fascinated by the physics of financial markets, and decided investment banking was the best way to gain valuable exposure to a wide variety of different aspects of these markets. If you want to learn more about the hedge fund space, please feel free to contact me!

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 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 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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!