New York
Sarah Breckinridge, Co-President
Sarah is currently an investor at MidOcean Partners, where she focuses on business services and consumer sectors. Prior to joining MidOcean in July 2020, she worked as an investment banking analyst in the Global Business Services Group at Morgan Stanley. Sarah graduated Magna Cum Laude from Middlebury College in 2018 with a B.A. in Computer Science and Economics. During her time at Middlebury, she also competed for the Varsity Golf Team as a NESCAC All-Academic.
Outside of Synergist, Sarah is actively involved with the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s young members group and also volunteers for First Tee of NY, a youth development organization that mentors young people of all backgrounds through the sport of golf. In her spare time, Sarah enjoys sunset runs on the west side highway, trying new Italian restaurants, and viewing the latest art exhibitions at NYC’s museums.
Olivia Cargian, Co-President
Olivia currently works as an Associate at SK Capital Partners. Prior to joining SK Capital, she was an Investment Banking Analyst in the Chemicals Group at Piper Sandler and in the Diversified Industries Group at BNP Paribas. Olivia graduated summa cum laude from Hobart and William Smith Colleges with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and History.
In her spare time, Olivia enjoys being with her friends and family, exploring new restaurants in the city, exercise classes, baking, and museums.
Maddie Yudkin, Advisor
Maddie is a Vice President at Astorg in New York. She focuses on investments in the healthcare sector. Prior to joining Astorg, Maddie was an associate at Advent International in Boston and an analyst on the West Coast Healthcare Team at Morgan Stanley in San Francisco. Maddie graduated magna cum laude from Wellesley College.
Maddie serves as the National Co-President of Synergist Nationals as well as an advisor to the New York board.
Originally from Boston, Maddie and her husband live in New York with their goldendoodle, Oslo. Outside of work she enjoys traveling, scoping out the best coffee, and being outdoors.
Katrina Davies
Katrina currently works as an Associate at American Securities. Prior to joining American Securities, she was an Investment Banking analyst at Goldman Sachs in the Industrials Group. Katrina received her B.A. in Economics from Georgetown University in 2020.
In her spare time, Katrina enjoys trying new restaurants, skiing and traveling.
Emma Heerdt
Emma currently works at Permira Advisers on their consumer team, with a focus on brand and internet investing. Prior to joining Permira in July 2021, she spent two years as an investment banking analyst in the Financial Sponsors Group at Credit Suisse in NY. Emma received a B.S. in Commerce with a concentration in Finance from the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia and a B.A. in Biology from the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Virginia in 2019.
In her spare time, Emma enjoys running, trying new restaurants with friends, taste-testing NYC croissants, and spending time with her family and black lab, Ajax, in Connecticut.
Sarah Zeng
Sarah currently works at TCV, where she focuses on infrastructure software investing. Previously, she was at The Blackstone Group in Real Estate Private Equity. She graduated cum laude from Harvard College in 2021 with a B.A. in Applied Mathematics and Economics.
Sarah grew up in Vancouver, Shanghai, and New York. Outside of Synergist, she is actively involved with Apex For Youth, a non-profit that empowers underserved Asian and immigrant youth from low-income families. In her free time, she enjoys going to Pilates classes, playing/watching tennis, baking, and listening to audiobooks. She is a coffee enthusiast and enjoys making latte art.
Lexi Milunovichv
Lexi is currently an associate at Clayton Dubilier & Rice. Prior to CD&R, Lexi worked as a private equity analyst at KKR. She graduated cum laude with a B.A. in Economics from Harvard College, where she was also captain of the varsity tennis team and CEO of Smart Woman Securities. Outside of work, Lexi enjoys playing tennis and golf and skiing with friends.
Betsy Blitch
Betsy currently works as an Analyst at One Rock Capital, where she is a generalist for industrial investments on the Private Equity team. Betsy graduated cum laude from Duke University in 2022 with a B.S. in Neuroscience and a Certificate in Decision Sciences.
In her free time, Betsy enjoys soaking in the outdoors and spending time with friends. She loves all types of activities (whether it's running, swimming, kayaking or a new hobby of pickleball), going to bookstores, and laughing over glasses of wine with friends.
Sophie Garrett
Sophie currently works as an Analyst at Ruane Cunniff. Prior to Ruane Cunniff, she was an Associate at Blackstone within the Tactical Opportunities group. She graduated cum laude from Harvard College in 2020 with a B.A. in Mathematics.
Originally from Los Angeles, Sophie loves spending time outside, working out, and traveling with friends and family.
Kanak Nagee
Kanak currently works at Kitchen Fund as a Senior Associate, where she focuses on investing in emerging restaurant brands and food technology companies. Her portfolio companies include Sweetgreen, CAVA, DIG, Gregorys Coffee, and several others. Previously, Kanak invested in the consumer / retail sector as a PE Associate in Goldman Sachs’ PIA group. She was also an Investment Banking Analyst at Evercore. Kanak graduated from the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University in 2018 and is a recipient of the national RBC Women in Capital Markets scholarship.
Kanak grew up in Toronto and Dubai. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, trying new restaurants, hosting board game nights, and exploring the art, comedy, fashion, and matcha scenes in Greenpoint and Williamsburg.
Hannah Kim
Hannah currently works as an Associate at 3i as part of the Private Equity team, where she is a generalist across Healthcare, Software, and Services. Prior to 3i, she was an Investment Banking Analyst in Citigroup's Media & Communications Group in New York. Hannah received her B.S. degree from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley.
Hannah grew up in Boston and Seoul. In her spare time, she enjoys trying new restaurants in the city with friends, visiting museums, and choreographing dance.
Zoe Pottow
Zoe is an associate at Warburg Pincus and focuses on investments in the firm’s Healthcare sector. Prior to joining Warburg, she worked as an investment banking analyst in the Financial Sponsors Group at Credit Suisse. Zoe received a B.S. in Commerce with concentrations in Finance and Accounting from the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia in 2020. In her spare time, Zoe enjoys long distance running, playing chess, and trying out new restaurants in New York with friends.
Jessica Futoran
Jessica is an Associate at Carlyle on the US Real Estate team in New York. Prior to joining Carlyle, she was an Analyst at Wells Fargo Securities and Eastdil Secured on the Real Estate Investment Banking team in New York. Jessica graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.S. from the Wharton School concentrating in Real Estate and Finance and a B.A. in Economics from the College of Arts & Sciences.
Jessica enjoys traveling around the world and exploring new cultures and languages, hunting down the best burger in the city, and playing and watching tennis.
Yewande Ilawole
Yewande currently works as an Associate at Veritas Capital. Prior to joining Veritas Capital, she was an investment banking analyst in the Leveraged Finance group at Morgan Stanley. Yewande received her B.A. in Economics from Georgetown University in 2020.
In her spare time, Yewande serves as an SEO Coach where she mentors college sophomores and juniors who are completing summer internships in Investment Banking. She also enjoys roller skating, listening to disco music, and spending time with family and friends.
Anna Giannuzzi
Anna currently works as an Associate at General Atlantic and focuses on investments in the firm’s Consumer sector. She graduated cum laude from Harvard College in 2020 with a B.A. in Applied Mathematics and Economics.
In her free time, Anna loves to play piano, go kiteboarding, wander grocery stores, run in Brooklyn, and spend time with friends & family.
LaRae Harris
LaRae is an Associate at Arsenal Capital Partners, focusing on investments in the firm’s Industrials sector. Prior to Arsenal, she worked in investment banking at Jefferies in the Industrials Group. LaRae graduated magna cum laude with Honors from Florida State University in 2020 with a B.S. in Finance and Russian.
In her spare time, she enjoys making adventurous travel plans (20 countries and counting), spending time in nature, hosting dinner parties, and attending rock concerts.
Remy Dhingra
Outside of Synergist, Remy is involved with the Yale University Art Gallery Alumni Steering Committee and the Artists of Nathdwara, a collective supporting traditional art forms in Rajasthan, India. She also enjoys reading, playing pickleball, and exploring local art galleries.