I have 27+ years of debt financing leadership and founded ECS Debt Advisory in 2014. I have completed over $12 Billion of debt financings spanning roles as both Borrower (led debt financing and M&A for PAETEC, a publicly-traded Fortune 1000 telecommunications company), Lender (SVP & Team Leader for Union Bank’s Communications/Media Lending group where I managed financings), and Advisor (executing financings on behalf of private equity-owned and owner/operator borrowers). I attended UC Davis and earned a BA in economics. If you'd like to chat, please reach out to proformafutures@gmail.com and the team will coordinate a call.

Hi - my name is Aneesh Bhattacharya and I am an investment professional on the Controlled Environment Foods team at Equilibrium Capital, a sustainability-driven investment firm.

Prior to joining Equilibrium, I worked at the Forest Road Company where I focused on a structured investment strategy which provided capital to early-stage renewable energy developers. Earlier in my career, I was a member of the investment team at Union Capital, a lower middle market private equity firm focused on investments in the food manufacturing, business services and franchise restaurant spaces. In this role, I worked across investment, portfolio operations, and fund management responsibilities for Union Capital's first institutional fund. I began my career in the Industrials investment banking group at Jefferies.

I hold an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, and a B.A. from Vanderbilt University.

I’ve been lucky enough to have mentors in both banking and PE who have helped me to grow and develop and I would like to help others do the same. If you have an interest in private equity, private credit, sustainability, or business school, I'd be happy to chat!

Hi, my name is Kaylen Williams, and I’m currently an Investment Banking Analyst at Wells Fargo, where I focus on CLO and direct lending products that support private credit and sponsor-backed clients. Prior joining Wells Fargo, I worked in Distressed Credit within the Lev Fin division at Bank of America in Charlotte, NC. I earned my B.S. in Economics from Clemson University, where I also worked full-time at a small tech startup as a financial analyst. During my senior year, the company was successfully acquired, sparking my first real exposure to the world of banking, finance, and deal-making. 

As a lateral hire from a non-traditional background, I understand the challenges of breaking into banking without a direct pipeline. I’m passionate about helping others navigate that process - feel free to reach out for any advice related to lateral hiring, recruiting, and interview processes.

I am currently a third-year student at USC Marshall. I interned as a sophomore summer analyst with Credit Suisse's Financial Sponsors group and will be joining Ares Management's Direct Lending IR team in NYC for my junior year summer. I am pursuing a degree in business administration with an emphasis in finance and a minor in legal studies, and have benefitted tremendously from the Trojan Alumni network, along with the PFF platform. I went through recruitment as an underclassman and would love to chat about the interview process and best practices from an undergraduate or international student's perspective. Feel free to reach out via email, and I will help in any way I can!

Hi! My name is Jack Wang, and I’m currently a Private Equity Associate at H.I.G. Capital (Advantage Fund) in San Francisco. Prior to joining H.I.G., I was an investment banking analyst in the M&A group at Greenhill & Co. in NYC. I graduated from NYU Stern in 2023 with a B.S. in Business Administration (concentrations in Finance and Data Science & Computing with a minor in Math + CS). I ultimately pursued a role in investment banking for the start of my career because I believed it was the perfect platform to learn the fundamentals of finance and gain early exposure to management teams’ decision-making processes before I transitioned to an investing role. I wouldn’t be in my current role today had it not been for the various mentors that helped me navigate the nebulous / highly daunting recruiting processes. I want to pay forward their kindness and would be happy to chat through any aspects of recruiting, interviewing, career planning, etc. Even if you have no idea what you want and simply want someone to lend an ear, I’m your guy! Don’t hesitate to reach out!

Hello! My name is Kyle Trammell. I am an analyst on the Truist Securities Technology, Media & Telecom Corporate Banking team based in Atlanta, GA. My role is focused on providing strategic advisory to corporate clients on a broad range of banking solutions, including debt issuance (investment grade and high yield), hedging and derivative strategies, working-capital financing, and both ordinary and accelerated share repurchase programs . Prior to my role in Corporate Banking, I spent roughly two years on Truist's Credit Delivery team, underwriting credit approval memos as well as monitoring the credit quality of clients in the FIG industry. After gaining critical technical skills in Credit Delivery, I was eager to transition to an advisory role in Corporate Banking. After growing up in the Baltimore, MD area, I attended the University of South Carolina with a double major in Finance and Risk Management & Insurance where I graduated in May 2023. As someone who attended a “Non-Target” university and did not have strong connections into “high finance”, I can provide a unique perspective on what it will take to break into the industry. I am also active with my firm’s recruiting initiatives, so I can provide specific insights into our talent acquisition process.

If you’d like to chat or learn more, please feel free to reach out to me at kyletrammell3@gmail.com.

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.

I am currently a private credit analyst at Bain Capital. I started my current role after graduating from Notre Dame, where I studied Finance and Economics with a minor in History. I grew up in the Chicago suburbs but now live in Boston. I entered college as an undecided business major and originally recruited for consulting before finding my way into buyside finance. As I discerned where to start my career, I was fortunate to find informal mentors with experience navigating similar courses, recruiting cycles, and analyst programs. I would be happy to be a similar resource and talk about deciding between consulting vs. finance, breaking into buyside out of college, moving to Boston, networking, and the day-to-day of life on the job. I look forward to connecting!

My name is Chris Silver, and I am currently a private equity associate at Norwest Equity Partners (NEP) in West Palm Beach, FL. Prior to NEP, I spent two years in Piper Sandler’s consumer investment banking group in Charlotte, where I primarily focused on sell-side M&A transactions across food & beverage, restaurants, and multi-unit health & wellness. I grew up in Raleigh, NC, and graduated from North Carolina State University in 2022 with a major in finance and minor in accounting. As someone with zero family connections to finance and a limited alumni network to leverage, I am more than happy to be a resource for anyone interested in investment banking or private equity roles by discussing how to position yourself effectively, interview preparation, working in the south/southeast, navigating various exit opportunities, and finance/investing more broadly.

My name is Hanna, and I am originally from Birmingham, Alabama. I am currently an undergraduate studying finance and history at Boston University. Previously, I interned as a sophomore in Corporate & Investment Banking at Wells Fargo and as a junior in Generalist M&A Investment Banking at Guggenheim Partners. I have also spent time in venture capital and with startups at Halogen Ventures and Leland. I am passionate about supporting women and individuals from non-traditional backgrounds break into finance. I'm happy to connect - please feel free to reach out via email to discuss topics related to recruitment and investment banking.

Hello, my name is Delali, and I am an Analyst on the Investment Team at Lorient Capital, a healthcare-focused private equity firm. In my role, I support the evaluation and execution of investments in healthcare services businesses, including diligence, financial analysis, and investment committee preparation.

Prior to joining Lorient, I worked as a Private Equity Summer Analyst at Shamrock Capital, a Los Angeles-based investment firm focused on the media sector. Before beginning my corporate career, I served in the United States Marine Corps, an experience that shaped the way I approach leadership, discipline, and teamwork.

I graduated from Fordham University with a B.A. in Economics. I enjoy mentoring students and early-career professionals who are navigating recruiting and career growth, and I’m always happy to share lessons learned from my non-traditional path into investing.

I'm Cameron Meyer, a recent graduate of Cornell University, where I studied economics and biology. As a freshman, I interned in Business Development at Chiesi Pharmaceuticals, and the following summer I worked in investment banking at Morgan Stanley in the Power and Utilities Group. I’m now an incoming investment banking analyst in the Financial Institutions Group at Goldman Sachs. I really valued the mentorship I received from PFF while navigating recruiting, and I’d love to pay that forward. I’m happy to answer questions about banking recruitment or anything else that would be helpful.

My name is Carlin Lynch, and I am a 2018 graduate from the University of Richmond. At UR, I studied business administration with a concentration in finance and an English minor. I’ve worked at B. Riley Securities for ~3 years, first in equity research, and now as an investment banking analyst in the sustainability practice. My road to financial services has not been a straight one, and I am happy to help those with non-traditional resumes craft a narrative and a plan. Originally convinced I wanted to be in industry, which led me to an internship at J&J, I realized senior year, after my classmates already had locked up job offers, that I wanted to be in finance. By crafting the right narrative and having the right support system, I was able to land a job. If you realized “late” that you wanted to be in finance, feel free to reach out!

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.

I’m an analyst at Houlihan Lokey in the firm’s Portfolio Valuation group, where we help alternative investment managers assess the fair value of illiquid debt and equity holdings. Our team provides independent valuations that enhance transparency across private credit, private equity, and structured products, serving hedge funds, PE firms, and business development companies.

I first joined Houlihan Lokey as a summer analyst and continued part-time through my senior year at Touro University, where I earned my B.S. in Finance. During that time, I contributed to several private-credit research initiatives focused on valuation trends and credit-market dynamics—an experience that strengthened both my technical and analytical foundation.

I’ve been fortunate to have mentors who guided me early in my finance career, and their influence inspired me to give back. I’m excited to support students and young professionals navigating the industry, sharing insights from someone who was in their shoes not long ago and is now working in the analyst role.

Originally from Bangladesh, I've lived across Kuwait, China, and Kenya before moving to the United States for college. As an international student, I understand firsthand the unique challenges of breaking into high finance in the U.S. - from navigating visa constraints to building networks from scratch.

I'm currently a trader (Sales & Trading) in the Structured Products desk at Academy Securities. My path here included internships across Consulting, M&A Advisory, Venture Capital, and Investment Banking advisory within Convertible Bonds space. While this may seem scattered, these experiences were invaluable in helping me understand where I truly belonged. I'm passionate about helping students discover their own fit within finance.

Pro Forma Futures were very crucial in my own journey - the mentors provided direct, actionable guidance and importantly feedback that made all the difference. Many of them I'm now fortunate to call my friends. I'm excited to pay that kindness forward.

Feel free to reach out at Taqiulghani@gmail.com and we'll find a time to connect.

My name is Ryan Fox, and I am currently an associate with Hark Capital in New York where I underwrite and execute loans to private equity funds and their portfolio companies. Prior to joining Hark I worked for Hamilton Lane in Philadelphia where I worked on investments in private equity funds and sponsor-backed companies. I graduated from the University of Richmond in 2018 with a BA in business with concentrations in finance and management. I am fortunate to have gained experience in private markets investments straight out of college and would be happy to talk about different areas of the private equity and private debt ecosystem.

Hi, my name is Josh Elman and I’m currently a Vice President at Invesco in the Private Credit group on the Direct Lending team. Prior to joining Invesco in 2025, I worked at Arrowhead Investment Management investing in both debt and equity co-invest. I started my career 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. If you'd like to chat about my experiences or ask me questions, don’t hesitate to reach out!

Hello, my name is Eva Decker. I am currently a second-year analyst at Partners Group, a Swiss-based private markets firm. I currently sit in our U.S. headquarters in Denver, CO, where I am in a two-year analyst rotation program. I spent my first year on the Private Equity Directs side, in our business services group. My second and current rotation is in our Private Credit group on the direct lending side. I am originally from the Northern Virginia area and earned a dual degree in Finance and Risk Management from the University of South Carolina in 2023.

Having never thought about finance as a career until halfway through college, I often felt on the outside of the recruiting process. I found my way to my firm out of college in part through Pro Forma Futures, so can attest firsthand that through networking and utilizing a platform like this one, it is possible to break into finance – particularly coming from a non-target university. Happy to chat about my experience on my two teams, recruiting, post grad moving to a new place, or anything else! Don’t hesitate to reach out.

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.