Direct Access to Decision-Makers.

Mark Buffington is the co-founder and CEO of BIP Capital and the Managing Partner of BIP Ventures. Since founding BIP Capital in 2006, Mark has led the venture capital firm to become one of the most active and recognized brands outside Silicon Valley.

Mark has led investment rounds in more than 80 companies in numerous industries (Healthcare, Digital Media, Ed Tech, Enterprise SaaS, FinTech, and Advanced Computing). Notable investments include Vendormate, Ingenious Med, QA Symphony/Tricentis, PlayOn! Sports, Huddle Tickets, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, Cypress.io, ConnexPay, REACH Health, Trella Health, Shareholder InSite, and Aspirion Health Resources.

Mark earned an MBA from the A.B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University and a B.S. from the Georgia Institute of Technology (where he lettered in varsity baseball).

Mark serves on the board of directors of several companies, including the NFHS Network, AchieveIt, Trella Health, PlayOn! Sports, UserIQ and ConnexPay. He also serves on several nonprofit boards, including Buckhead Coalition, Inc., and the Georgia Tech College of Computing.

Mark Flickinger joined BIP Capital in 2015. In his role as General Partner and Chief Growth Officer, Mark oversees fundraising and growth.

Before joining the firm, Mark held leadership roles for 4th Strand, a product performance consulting firm (acquired by Intertek in 2012). He oversaw project management, product development, HR/recruiting, operations, and sales. Mark's experience also includes Medarex, a biotech startup developing therapeutics for cancer and autoimmune diseases, as well as the oral care division of consumer products company Church & Dwight.

Mark earned an MBA in General Management and Entrepreneurship from The University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School and a BSE in Mechanical Engineering from Princeton University. He was a member of the US National Rowing Team from 2001 to 2008.

Mark serves on the board for Venture Atlanta, AchieveIt, and VoApps. He is an avid father, cyclist, runner, and skier, both downhill and water.

Christy Johnson has been a pivotal member of the BIP Capital platform team since its founding. She initially joined the firm as a member of the leadership team at BIP Wealth in 2008, then became the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of BIP Capital. In 2022, Christy became a General Partner and Chief Performance Officer (CPO), leading initiatives to deliver comprehensive, tailored advisory support and resources to help the firm's portfolio companies grow further and faster. She partners with executive teams on talent acquisition, business practice improvements, market intelligence, leveraging growth opportunities, and preparing companies for exit or acquisition.

During her tenure with BIP Wealth, Christy built the operational infrastructure for the new Investment Advisory firm. Her operational and management leadership helped lay the foundation for the firm's AUM growth from $35M to $440M in less than six years. As COO at BIP Capital, she built the firm's internal operations and assisted portfolio companies with growth strategies, infrastructure development, and overall support.

In 2016, Christy assumed the role of CEO of AchieveIt. Under her leadership, the company more than tripled in revenue, earned a spot on the Inc. 5000 Fastest-growing Companies list for five years running (2017-2021), and was named to the Inc. Best Workplaces in 2021.

Christy earned an IMBA with a focus in International Business from the University of Denver and a B.S. in Marketing from the University of Colorado, Denver. She serves as the Chairperson for the AchieveIt Board of Directors.

As Chief Technology Officer of BIP Capital, John Harris oversees the firm's technology and innovation needs, ensuring strategy and products advance the business. He joined the firm in 2013 as an early member of the leadership team. Before coming to BIP Capital, John worked in the M&A group at TSYS.

John earned an M.S. in Science in Quantitative and Computational Finance from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering (Electromagnetic Compatibility) from Mercer University. He serves on multiple committees and sub-committees for Calvary Christian School (Leadership Development, Teacher Compensation, and Textbook Selection).

John is married to an ICU nurse and has three children - two girls and a boy. He enjoys hunting and traveling by taking one large family trip each year.

As the Chief Financial Officer of BIP Capital, Todd Knudsen oversees all financial activities, including financial planning and analysis, the financial operations of portfolio companies, due diligence, and stakeholder performance reporting.

Todd joined the firm in 2013 after serving as the CFO of Chatham Capital, a $425 million mezzanine private debt fund. He also served as the CFO at fintech startup Ftrans, where he helped the company turn a $250k monthly loss into breakeven in two years. Todd began his career in the public audit practice of Arthur Anderson, focusing on manufacturing and healthcare clients. His experience also includes working as a portfolio manager in the commercial real estate division at Wachovia Bank.

Todd earned an MBA in Finance from the Goizueta Business School at Emory University and a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). He enjoys all things outdoors, including hiking and biking.

A builder, founder, and operator, Tami McQueen has sat on both sides of the table at hyper-growth organizations. She brings deeply rooted experience in B2B software and tech-enabled services businesses to her role as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). Tami has led successful initiatives ranging from go-to-market initiatives to building process-driven, scalable, and repeatable marketing models.

Before joining BIP Capital in 2021, Tami helped build the community for digital events at SaaStr, the world's largest community of SaaS executives, founders, and entrepreneurs. She made her leap into entrepreneurship as co-founder of 31south, after serving as the first marketing hire at Salesloft, one of the fastest-growing B2B SaaS startups in the U.S. At Salesloft, Tami helped lead the company through Series A-B fundraising rounds and pioneered the Rainmaker conference.

Tami has led Global Social Strategy for Women Who Code, the largest and most active community of engineers dedicated to inspiring women to excel in technology careers. 

Tami earned both her M.S. and a B.S. from Murray State University, where she was a four-year NCAA D1 tennis athlete, scholarship recipient, and McNair Scholar.

As Vice President of Engineering, Neil Amin leads the design, development, testing, and production of BIP Capital's internal and external software platforms. He is also responsible for engineering processes, tools, technology stack, and people development.

Before joining BIP Ventures in 2020, Neil helped engineer software platforms at Gather, TSYS, SunTrust, and KMS, including experience managing offshore teams. He sees significant opportunities in FinTech to bring innovation to traditionally conservative areas.

Neil graduated with a B.S. in Computer Science from Georgia State University, where his academic research focused on Data Science and Machine Learning. Beyond the office, Neil enjoys traveling the world, listening to music, playing video games with friends, and being a true fan of Atlanta sports teams.

An Associate Full Stack Engineer on the BIP Capital technology team, Leila June Baniassad helps to develop and streamline BIP investment technologies. She brings passion and training to her work, building technology solutions to solve complex problems.

Leila joined BIP Capital in 2024 after graduating from Georgia Tech with a B.S. in Computer Science and a minor in Chinese Language. Outside work, she enjoys knitting and reading, skates with Atlanta Roller Derby, and travels.

As a Senior Accountant, Emelie Carpenter helps to manage financial records, process transactions, perform financial analysis, and ensure compliance with financial regulations.

Before joining BIP Capital in 2021, Emelie was an Accountant at M3 and ThyssenKrupp in Atlanta. During her graduate studies at Appalachian State University, she worked as a Graduate Assistant, assisting with research on the tax implications of carbon offset forestry projects.

Emelie earned an M.S. and a B.S. in Accounting from Appalachian State University.

Ben Carraway is a Vice President on the Investment Team. He assists with investment opportunities, conducting due diligence, preparing investment presentations, and supporting portfolio companies.

In 2022, Ben joined BIP Ventures from the Corporate Strategy and Development group at Cox Communications. While there, he managed growth and defensive initiatives and performed due diligence on strategic investments. Before that role, he performed growth strategy and due diligence cases for private equity firms and corporate management teams at L.E.K. Consulting. Ben began his career in consulting at IBM.

Ben graduated with a BBA in Finance from the University of Georgia.

‍

‍

Cristie Clanton joined BIP Capital as an Accounting Manager in 2024. She oversees and manages critical functions across the finance team. 

Before joining BIP Capital, Cristie served as a Fund Accounting Manager at Trident Trust, where she was responsible for the comprehensive financial operations of private equity funds, overseeing financial reporting, investor reporting, and cash management for various private equity venture capital firms. Cristie began her career in construction and corporate accounting at several construction companies in the Atlanta area. 

Cristie earned M.A. and B.S. in Accounting degrees from the University of West Georgia. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, attending ATL UTD matches, and spending time with family and friends.

Phil Davidson is the Managing Director of Institutional Sales for BIP Capital. Leveraging 25 years of experience in institutional fundraising and business development, he leads efforts to build and extend relationships with new and existing investors.

Phil comes to BIP Ventures from Weathervane Capital Strategies and PTD Capital Advisors. Having run two successful placement agencies, he brings expertise in specialized venture structures, marketing ventures, buyouts, growth equity, real estate, and private credit funds, serving single- and multi-family offices, endowments, foundations, OCIO, pension plans, and fund-of-funds clients.

He earned a B.S. in psychology from St. Lawrence University. Outside of work, Phil gives his time to volunteer service, advisory work, and board work. He enjoys tennis, golf, travel, and cooking, and spends as much time as possible with his three teenagers and wife, who is a NICU NP.

As a Staff Accountant for BIP Capital, Jaisen Edwards helps to manage financial records, process transactions, perform financial analysis, and ensure compliance with financial regulations.

He joined the team in 2022 after working as a Manager and Bookkeeper for Reef Technology. His experience includes payroll and accounting information systems.

Jaisen earned a BBA in Accounting from Valdosta State University.

Leah Fennelly joined BIP Capital in 2013 as a member of the Finance and Accounting team. As an Accounting Manager for the firm, she oversees and manages key functions across the finance team.

Before joining BIP Capital, Leah was a Billing Supervisor at Wellstar Health System, where she provided financial reporting and internal control.

She holds a BBA in Accounting from Kennesaw State University. Outside the office, she enjoys hiking and spending time outdoors with her family.

John Freyermuth is a Senior Associate on the Investment team, bringing more than a decade of finance, credit, and market research experience to private equity diligence and deal evaluation. His analytical foundation spans institutional brokerage, credit underwriting, and emerging-sector research — built through roles at Enigma Securities, Fifth Third Bank, and HNTB.

Before joining BIP, John served as a research analyst and strategist at Enigma Securities, an institutional cryptocurrency broker and investment advisory firm. There, he developed fluency in alternative asset analysis, institutional market structure, and the dynamics of rapidly consolidating sectors — experience that translates directly to evaluating financial services businesses as private equity opportunities.

 Earlier credit and infrastructure analysis roles at Fifth Third Bank and HNTB grounded his analytical framework in fundamental underwriting discipline and long-horizon thinking — both of which are directly relevant to evaluating acquisition targets in the wealth management and RIA sectors.

 At BIP Capital, John applies that experience to support investment evaluation, due diligence, and deal execution across the firm's private markets strategies, including its focus on the independent wealth management and RIA industry as a consolidating, acquisition-driven asset class.

He holds an MBA from the University of Georgia with a focus in Finance and a B.A. in Political Science from Emory University. Outside of work, John is an avid reader and enjoys playing with his two rescue dogs, Molly and Ernie.

‍

David Greenberg is a Vice President on the Client Success team. With over a decade of experience in Investor Relations and alternative investments, he helps manage efforts to build and cultivate relationships with investors and prospects.

David comes to BIP Capital after working at IFM Investors and Neuberger Berman in New York City. There, he supported several large-scale Private Funds, providing guidance and leadership across client service, fundraising, and operational functions. From an investor's perspective, David has managed relationships with pension plans, Taft-Hartley plans, family offices, endowments/foundations, OCIOs, HNW, and retail investors.

He earned a B.S. in Finance with a Minor in Information Systems Management from the Penn State University – Smeal College of Business. David has earned a Certificate from the Applied Data Science Program through Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Outside of work, he enjoys playing hockey and golf, traveling, and spending time with his family.

Amy Grimail, CPA is a Finance, Accounting, and Compliance Senior on the BIP Capital Investment FAC (Finance, Accounting, and Compliance) team. She applies experience in Accounting and Assurance to help assure RIA compliance and registered SEC product compliance requirements. She also assists with SOX controls processes, policy documentation, and internal controls testing. In addition, Amy supports the FAC team with portfolio valuation, shareholder and internal financial reporting, and SEC product operations and reporting.

She came to BIP Capital in 2024 from the PricewaterhouseCoopers Assurance Practice, where she supported clients in the 'Private Company Services' sector.

Amy holds a Master of Accountancy and a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from Auburn University.

John Gu joined the Investment team as a Partner in 2025. He is an experienced investor and an engaged partner to the entrepreneurs he backs. In his role on the BIP Ventures investment team, John supports the capital and performance needs of enterprise software and tech-enabled services companies.

Over the last decade, John has invested in and worked with more than a dozen companies that collectively generate over $1 billion in annual revenue. He joined BIP Ventures from global venture and growth equity firm Norwest Ventures, where he was a Principal on the software growth equity team. Prior to Norwest, John was a Principal at Spring Mountain Capital, a multi-strategy investment firm where he partnered with companies at the Series A and B stages. He started his investing career at HealthCor Partners, a healthcare-focused investment firm.

John holds multiple degrees from Carnegie Mellon University, including an M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, a B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, and a B.S. in Economics.

Outside work, John can be found playing with his corgi and his son. In his free time, he enjoys traveling, training in jiu-jitsu, and cooking with his wife.

Jacki Hertenstein joined the BIP Capital in 2023 to lead vital talent support offerings for the firm's portfolio companies. Jacki is a seasoned Chief People Officer with significant experience with private equity and venture-backed software companies executing hyper-growth and scaling strategies.

In addition to leading the People functions at notable companies such as AirWatch, Pindrop, and Tricentis, she has also spent several years in HR Leadership roles at publicly traded companies, including VMWare and Manhattan Associates.

She earned an M.S. in Human Resource Development at Georgia State University and a B.S. from the State University of New York, Oswego. Outside of the office, Jacki volunteers with several animal rescue organizations, and enjoys traveling and watching NFL football.

Paul Iaffaldano joined the BIP Capital platform in 2017, through a merger with his successful venture firm, Accelerant Venture Capital. As a General Partner for BIP Ventures, Paul contributes decades of experience in VC investment, entrepreneurialism, and operations.

He has made more than 60 investments, with an average return of over 40 percent on invested capital. Paul's exits include Blinq Media, BrightWhistle, SeniorLiving.net, and Car360. Early in his career, Paul held executive-level positions at a number of media and entertainment enterprises. As EVP and GM at The Weather Channel, he helped to found weather.com and guide it through a $3.6 billion exit to Bain and Blackstone. As SVP at the Travel Channel, he led his team through a $400 million exit to Discovery Communications. Paul also helped The Walt Disney Company launch its magazine publishing division. Paul's experience in the advertising management field also includes helping Celestial Seasonings during its acquisition by Kraft Foods.

Paul holds an MBA from Loyola University, a B.S. degree from Wittenberg University, and has completed management training programs at Harvard University, the University of Virginia, and William and Mary College.

He has earned distinguished awards, including a Technical Emmy Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, a Gold Effie Award from the American Marketing Association, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Interactive Advertising Bureau.

He participates on boards for companies including Huddle Tickets, mLevel, Demand Jump, Crescerance, Vibenomics, and VoApps.

‍

Meriah Kelley joined BIP Capital in 2023 as the Marketing Manager and became Senior Marketing Manager in 2024. She is a marketing and digital media expert with relevant experience, including working in a startup, leading B2B marketing, and crafting graphic design. She leverages her background to connect the firm with influential audiences online and via events, supporting the brand's growth and deepening relationships with founders and investors.

Before joining the firm, she was the Marketing Manager at Offbeat Media Group. She helped the early-stage company grow from the co-founding team to 41 full-time employees. Her experience also includes serving as a Student Services Coordinator, enabling student entrepreneurs at the University of Georgia Entrepreneurship Department, and working as a contract graphic designer.

Meriah earned a B.A. with Honors in Advertising and a certificate in Entrepreneurship from the University of Georgia. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, live music, a good book, cooking a new recipe, and attending dance classes around the Atlanta area.

Matt Klassen is SVP of Marketing Strategy and Performance on the BIP Ventures Performance Engineering team. He is a seasoned go-to-market (GTM) leader with more than two decades of experience aligning marketing, sales, and product strategies to drive growth across SaaS and B2B technology companies. He is passionate about helping companies unlock scale by refining their value propositions, building high-performance teams, and deploying data-driven GTM strategies. Matt works closely with BIP Ventures founders and leadership teams to strengthen demand generation, optimize revenue operations, create clear paths to market expansion.

Before joining BIP Ventures in 2025, Matt held executive roles across high-growth companies, including serving as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Kobiton. Prior to that, he was CMO at Parasoft, where he increased marketing-sourced revenue fivefold and significantly boosted pipeline efficiency. His leadership track record also includes key roles at Cherwell Software, Ping Identity, PTC (MKS), and Borland Software, with a consistent focus on translating complex technology into compelling go-to-market strategies.

Matt earned a BS in Computer Science from Arizona State University’s School of Engineering.

As a Lead Engineer at BIP Capital, Jeff Kubler drives the development of innovative technology solutions that enhance operational efficiency and deliver value to the firm and its investors. He plays a key role in shaping technical strategies and fostering a culture of excellence within the engineering team.

Before joining BIP Ventures in 2022, Jeff was a Software Engineer for infotech company FIS. He earned a B.A. in Cognitive Science from the University of Georgia. Outside of work, he enjoys playing guitar, studying film, taking long walks around the city, and learning new recipes.

Alex Ledoux is an Associate on the Healthcare investment team. He focuses on early-stage healthcare investments, working across sourcing, diligence, and execution. His work spans market opportunity evaluation, business model analysis, and direct support for portfolio companies and their founders.

Before joining BIP Ventures, Alex was at Paladin Capital Group, where he developed core investing skills across sourcing, diligence, and portfolio support, with a focus on enterprise software and cybersecurity. He built experience evaluating complex, regulated markets and working closely with founders and management teams.

While pursuing his MBA at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business, Alex also served as an intern at the UVA LVG Seed Fund, an evergreen fund investing in early-stage companies emerging from the University of Virginia ecosystem.

Alex holds an MBA and an M.S. in Commerce from the University of Virginia, as well as a B.S. in Chemical Engineering, also from UVA.

Outside of work, he is an avid golfer, skier, and outdoorsman.

Josh Lehr (CPA) is a Senior Manager on the Finance team, focused on new BIP Capital products. He assists in the launch and implementation of new products and their respective infrastructure (technology platform, SEC reporting function, and internal controls function). He also assists in the quarterly valuation process of the portfolio companies.

Before joining BIP Capital in 2023, Josh spent almost six years with Ernst & Young, LLP (EY). Nearly four of those years were in the Assurance Practice, where he focused most of his service on a global Fortune 100 beverage manufacturing company. Most recently, he was a Manager in EY’s Strategy and Transaction Practice, focused on Transaction Diligence. In this work, Josh provided buy-side and sell-side financial due diligence services to private equity and corporate clients.

Josh earned M.A. and B.S. in Accounting degrees at the University of Florida. Outside work, he enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, and playing and watching sports (especially Florida Gators and Indianapolis Colts football).

Nate Maiwald is an Associate on the Investment team. His background in financial modeling, tech M&A, and market research helps him identify attractive investment opportunities, perform due diligence, and support the firm's portfolio companies.

Nate came to BIP Ventures from JLL’s corporate development team, where he helped build the company’s proptech platform and expand its CRE service offering through M&A. He has experience across several transaction types, including acquisitions, divestitures, and joint ventures.

He holds a B.S. in finance from Berry College, where he is still involved as an alumnus. Outside of work, Nate is a long-suffering Tottenham Hotspur fan, and enjoys playing/watching soccer, learning Italian, and going on walks with his wife and dog.

‍

Rohan Malladi is an Associate who joined the Investment Team in 2025. He assists with sourcing for investment opportunities, conducting due diligence, and supporting portfolio companies.

Rohan brings over five years of experience across private equity, management consulting, and digital banking. Prior to joining BIP Ventures, he served as an AVP at Forbright Bank, where he helped launch new digital banking products and supported strategic initiatives, financial planning, and P&L management. Earlier in his career, he worked in management consulting, supporting M&A engagements and business performance improvement initiatives within the financial services industry.

Rohan holds an MBA in Finance from Northwestern Kellogg and a B.A. in Economics and Statistics from the University of Virginia. Outside of work, Rohan is an avid tennis player, a devoted Washington Commanders fan, and a self-described foodie who enjoys cooking and exploring Atlanta with his wife and friends.

‍

As a Product Manager at BIP Capital, Kat Martinez plays a key role in bridging all aspects of the business. Her expertise includes overseeing product roadmaps, prioritizing features, and ensuring on-time, high-quality product delivery that aligns with business goals. Kat works closely with the engineering team to provide strategic guidance throughout the product lifecycle. She collaborates with business leaders to ensure seamless functionality, flow, and user experience across all deliverables. Kat also manages product delivery milestones to keep projects within scope, on schedule, and meeting the highest standards.

Kat joined BIP Capital in 2022, bringing experience in customer support, logistics operations, and product management. Her experience spans multiple B2B SaaS companies, where she managed the delivery of software solutions that enhanced business operations. Kat is bilingual in English and Spanish, having immigrated to the U.S. from El Salvador at a young age.

Outside of her professional life, Kat enjoys weightlifting, traveling, and spending time with family and friends at the beach.

‍

Paraj Mathur joined the Investment team in 2020. He brings nearly 10 years of experience and knowledge in early-stage investing to his role as a Principal on the Investment Team.

Before joining BIP Ventures, Paraj was an early-stage investor at Candela Partners, investing in AR/VR and digital media and entertainment startups, and at Ulysses Diversified Holdings, where he invested in sports, media, and entertainment startups. Paraj helped a major sports-league portfolio company launch a celebrity-athlete esports league and grow it to 1.2 million viewers on Twitch. He is a former competitive esports athlete, streamer, and host of Twitch’s first interactive livestream game show.

Paraj earned a B.S. in Business and Computer Science from Franklin & Marshall College. He writes about startups and venture capital on the BIP Ventures blog and at parajmathur.com.

Dana McKeever is a Portfolio Reporting Manager with BIP Capital. A Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Dana works with the Performance Engineering team, providing data-based insights about market trends, company KPIs, and other key metrics. Her work supports traction and growth strategies for portfolio companies and helps to ensure accurate, transparent reporting for our investors.

Before joining the firm in 2023, Dana spent almost ten years in Assurance roles with Ernst & Young, LLP (EY). Most recently, she was an Assurance Manager in the Dublin office, serving as the US executive of the EY audit team for a Fortune 500 company in the Europe operating unit headquarters.

Dana earned a MAcc and a BBA in Accounting with Honors at the University of Georgia Terry College of Business. Outside work, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, going to Orange Theory, cheering on the University of Georgia football and Atlanta sports, and skiing.

Leah Michael, an Associate Product Owner for BIP Capital, produces innovative, user-centric solutions that balance business objectives, technical feasibility, and timeline constraints. She is a skilled cross-functional team leader with experience managing product requirements, product lifecycle management, and data-informed decision-making.

She joined BIP Capital in 2025 from Vendara Payments, a startup where she served as a product owner. Before that, Leah worked at Fiserv as a junior product manager.

Leah earned a BA in Public Relations at the University of Georgia. Outside work, she enjoys traveling, cooking, and exploring coffee shops.

Kara Mullins is the Senior Vice President of Finance for BIP Capital. She brings over a decade of experience serving financial services companies. Working primarily with the firm's finance team, she is responsible for the strategy and development of new innovative products and processes within the organization. Her top priority is to ensure these initiatives are designed and executed to add value to BIP Capital and its investors.

Before joining BIP Capital in 2022, Kara spent more than 11 years with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). Three years of her tenure were as a Director. She built a strong track record of nurturing internal and external relationships and driving successful results within her teams. Kara also has significant knowledge of SEC registrants, including SEC filings, internal controls over financial reporting, and technical accounting matters.

Kara is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). She earned a BSBA and Master of Accountancy from Auburn University. While at Auburn, she was a member of the Auburn University Women's Varsity Soccer team, including two years as Captain.

She is a mom of three boys and enjoys spending time with them and her husband. She enjoys watching her kids play sports, playing tennis, and running.

A Senior Full Stack Engineer on the technology team, Phil Olabayo is a specialist with relevant experience in Web Development, Artificial Language (AI) Natural Language Processing (NLP), and Chatbots. He helps to keep BIP Ventures at the forefront of financial and economic science by developing and maintaining software tools that give the investment team access to a powerful data advantage that benefits our founders and investors.

Phil joined BIP Ventures in 2023 from a similar role at IBM, where he produced high-quality code in multiple environments and used various methodologies, helping leadership to take advantage of valuable data insights.

Phil earned his B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. Outside of work, he is a basketball and sports talk show enthusiast.

Alexis Palmer joined BIP Capital in 2025, bringing over seven years of diverse marketing experience that includes a focus on technology and startups. As the firm’s Marketing Operations Specialist, Alexis engages data and technology platforms to enhance communication and campaign effectiveness.

Before joining BIP Capital, Alexis supported the brand growth and marketing success of Spectrum Labs, an AI content moderation company that successfully exited via an acquisition. She has also provided strategic marketing advisory services to startups as a freelance consultant.  

Alexis earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a focus in Marketing from Marshall University. Outside work, Alexis spends time with her rescue dog, cooking, and exploring new places.

‍

Ryan Peters is an  Associate on the Investment team, where he supports private equity diligence, deal evaluation, and investment execution across the firm's private markets strategies. He brings over a decade of cross-functional experience spanning R&D, product development, corporate strategy, financial modeling, and M&A — a combination that equips him to evaluate acquisition targets from both an operational and financial perspective.

Before joining BIP, Ryan served as Manager of Corporate Development and M&A at BlueAlly Technology Solutions, where he directly executed on acquisition strategy — building professional services and managed services offerings through M&A transactions and supporting key corporate finance and strategy initiatives. That hands-on deal execution experience is the foundation of his current work supporting BIPCapital's financial services private equity strategies, including the firm's focus on the independent wealth management and RIA industry as a consolidating, acquisition-driven asset class.

Earlier in his career, Ryan held a Vice President role at Navigation Capital Partners and a Lead Fellow position at Southeast Investor Group — establishing an investment track record that predates his corporate development work. His engineering foundation, earned through roles at Levolor, Newell Rubbermaid, and Milwaukee Electric Tool, gives him an operational lens that most finance-only analysts lack: the ability to assess how a business actually works, not just how it models.

He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Georgia Tech’s Scheller College of Business. Outside work, Ryan enjoys playing golf and spending time with his wife and their two boys.

Austin Poole formally joined the BIP Capital platform in 2017 and has been a member of the BIP Ventures team since 2021. His relationship with BIP Capital began in 2013 when he was in a Business Development and Sales role for GPA Learn, an Ed-Tech startup in the BIP Capital portfolio. He brings a depth of private capital investment experience that spans multiple industries to his role as General Partner and co-leader of the firm's Healthcare practice.

He came to BIP Capital from Prudential Capital Group (PCG), where he was a member of the principal investing team. His focus was on proprietary structured debt products for the middle market industrial and transportation spaces, typically investing alongside an equity sponsor. Before joining PCG, he spent time in derivatives trading and real estate.

He leads BIP Ventures investments in ConnexPay (Board), Fenyx Health, HealtheMed (Chair of Board), Karoo, Objective Health (Board), Opya (Board), The Rounds (Board), Sentry Health (Board), and Kythera Labs (Board).

Austin earned a B.S. in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Outside the office, he enjoys golf, reading nonfiction, cooking, and spending time with his wife, Marileigh, his son, Montgomery, his daughter Stevie, and his Boykin Spaniel, Winnie.

Shawne Pressley is the Executive Assistant and Office Manager at BIP Capital. She is responsible for keeping the office working smoothly. That includes providing critical organizational support for key events throughout the year.

Before joining BIP Capital in 2021, Shawne spent 15 years as the VP and Controller of Family Office Operations at Blum Capital Partners.

Shawne earned a B.S. from California State University, East Bay in Business Administration with an option in Accounting. She moved to Atlanta from San Francisco and is happy to call the city her home. Outside of work, Shawne loves to spend time with family, traveling, and working out.

Aiden Redmond is an Associate Full Stack Engineer whose experience spans the full technology stack. He focuses on thoughtful user interface design and scalable backend architecture. Aiden contributes to the design and development of internal and client-facing software solutions that make complex business tasks more intuitive and efficient.

Before joining BIP Ventures in 2025, Aiden was as a Business Development Analyst at Alter Ego Running, a role that sharpened his understanding of product-market dynamics and startup operations.

Aiden holds a B.S. in Computer Science with a concentration in Web & Cloud Computing and a minor in Graphic Design from Florida Southern University. He has been a competitive runner for nearly a decade. Outside of work, he enjoys photography, gaming, and exploring new ways to connect design and technology.

Courtney Saetia is a Senior Fund Accountant focused on BIP Capital's debt investment funds. She manages and maintains financial records, processes transactions, performs financial analysis, and secures the firm's compliance with financial regulations.

Before joining BIP Capital in 2024, Courtney was a senior investment accountant at RangeWater Real Estate, a top real estate developer in Atlanta. In that role, she prepared monthly financial statements for multiple fund and investment entities.

Courtney holds a BBA in Accounting from Kennesaw State University. Outside the office, she enjoys pickleball, traveling, book clubs, and time with friends and family.

Trevor Sherrard is a Software Engineer at BIP Capital, where he leads the integration of AI frameworks and large language models into the firm's software tools and products, with a particular focus on Jarvis and JFM. His work is aimed at improving efficiency across internal teams, investors, and portfolio companies.

Trevor brings eight years of engineering experience spanning AI and machine learning, computer vision, robotics, and embedded systems. Most recently, he worked in the public safety technology space at CoreForce Tech and Bryx, where he developed real-time, safety-critical software for applications ranging from computer vision-based tracking on security cameras and UAVs to AI-assisted police report generation. He holds two patents from his work in that space.

He earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology and an M.S. in Robotics Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Outside of work, Trevor supports local Atlanta rugby, enjoys international travel and working out, and can often be found walking the BeltLine with his dog.

‍

Sarah Slocum is a Senior Associate on the Investment team. With experience spanning private credit and structured equity investing, financial modeling, and market analysis, Sarah helps to identify attractive investment opportunities. She performs due diligence, prepares investment memos, and supports companies in the portfolio.

She joined BIP Ventures in 2024 from Prudential Private Capital’s Global Corporate Finance office in New York, where she was an Associate. In that role, she helped invest debt, junior capital, and common equity in middle-market companies across multiple industries.

Sarah holds a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Georgia Institute of Technology. Outside work, she enjoys hot yoga, live music, travel, and cheering for the Yellow Jackets.

‍

Alex Swan is an Associate on the Investment team. He leverages experience in venture capital, private equity, and strategic consulting to identify and support high-growth opportunities. Alex contributes to the firm's investment efforts through deal sourcing, due diligence, and ongoing portfolio company support.

Alex joined the firm in 2024 after earning his MBA from the Georgia Institute of Technology. While in graduate school, he interned on the Tech Square Ventures early-stage investments team. Earlier in his career, Alex worked for strategic consulting firm FW Cook, where he assessed company potential and performance and partnered with senior leadership teams on transformational initiatives.

In addition to his MBA, Alex holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of Virginia. Outside work, he is a fervent supporter of the Hoos and Yellow Jackets, is an avid Lord of the Rings fan, and enjoys walking the Atlanta Beltline, visiting national parks, and live music.

‍

Stephanie Valenti came to her role as a Senior Manager for the Client Success team at BIP Capital from BIP Wealth, where she was the Office Manager. As a valued member of the BIP Capital team since 2016, Stephanie brings an incredible depth of knowledge of the firm, its investments, and its partners.

In her early career, Stephanie served as Manager, Training Director, and Marketing Director at a Chick-fil-A restaurant.

Stephanie earned a B.S. in Exercise and Sport Science and a B.S. in Family and Consumer Sciences in Dietetics from The University of Georgia. Outside of work, she enjoys yoga, running, hiking, cooking, baking, and serving at her church.

As a manager on the Client Success team for BIP Capital, Langdon Vance supports accounting, operations, and investor relations across the firm.

Langdon joined BIP Capital in 2023 from investment adviser OneDigital, where he was a client relationship manager. He was responsible for managing a book of 401(k) plans in a fiduciary and administrative capacity. Langdon started his career in inside sales at FinTech firm Greensky.

He graduated with a BBA in Finance from the University of Georgia Terry College of Business in 2018. Outside of work, Langdon volunteers as a coach for RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities), cooks, plays guitar, and hangs out with his dog, Cowboy.

Noelle Vocelka is the Finance and Reporting Manager overseeing New Products for the BIP Capital Finance team. She leverages experience in accounting, audit, and financial reporting to supporting the launch and implementation of new products and their respective infrastructures at the firm. Her responsibilities include oversight of the BIP Ventures technology platform, SEC reporting, and internal controls. She also assists in the quarterly valuation process of the portfolio companies.

Noelle joined BIP capital from Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), where she served as a Senior Accountant for Financial Reporting, focused on SEC reporting and research. Before that, she worked on the Audit team at EY, serving a global Fortune 100 beverage manufacturing company.

She earned both an M.A. and a B.S. in Accounting at the University of Georgia. Outside work, Noelle is the lead singer in a band called The Weekend Lovers. She enjoys making and listening to music, spending time with friends, traveling, cooking, and playing racquetball.

Bob Walton is the Senior Vice President of GTM Strategy and Revenue Performance on the Performance Engineering team. He is a seasoned SaaS executive with a successful track record in Commercial and Government markets. His experience includes driving revenue growth, optimizing GTM strategies, and building scalable frameworks.

Bob is dedicated to helping portfolio companies realize their full potential and deliver exceptional value to stakeholders. He works closely with portfolio companies to execute strategic GTM efforts, build scalable revenue models, equip leadership, and align revenue teams to drive measurable, sustainable growth.

Before joining BIP Capital in 2025, Bob spent over 16 years in various leadership and entrepreneurial roles. He spent more than six years in various executive roles, including acting as COO and CRO at AchieveIt. He is also a former founder who launched and led the CRM and Marketing Automation platform BigContracts from 2008 through 2017.

Bob earned a BBA in Finance from the University of Iowa's Tippie College of Business.

John Wilken is a Senior Analyst on the Client Success team who helps to manage fund operations and capabilities. He also supports the team with investor subscriptions and guides custodians through the investment process. In addition to client service experience, John leverages a background with portfolio Implementation, investment analysis and strategies, and asset allocation and portfolio construction.

John joined BIP Capital in 2025 from Ameriprise Financial, where he served as a financial planning and investment specialist focused on portfolio operations. He conducted trading, investment research and analysis, and due diligence across stocks, bonds, and alternative investments. He also collaborated with partners to identify market trends and new investment opportunities,

He holds a BS in Commerce and Business Administration from the University of Alabama and has earned his FINRA Series 7 and Series 66 licenses, as well as the APMA Designation (Accredited Portfolio Management Advisor). Outside of work, he enjoys golf and traveling with friends and family.

R.T. Wyatt is a Principal on BIP Capital's investment team, where he sources, underwrites, and supports investments across private equity and growth strategies. His work combines hands-on deal execution with active portfolio engagement — including board-level involvement with portfolio companies Mediafly and Peregrine Health.

His investment career is grounded in corporate finance. At Deloitte, he advised founder-owned businesses across sell-side M&A and debt recapitalizations — developing early fluency in transaction structuring, business valuation, and the dynamics of closely held companies across consumer, technology, and financial services sectors. That foundation now informs a focused investment thesis: the independent wealth management and RIA industry represents one of the most structurally compelling opportunities in private equity within financial services. R.T. works at the intersection of deal origination, institutional capital formation, and sector-specific value creation — engaging endowments, foundations, pension plans, OCIOs, and family offices evaluating differentiated private equity exposure in financial services.

R.T. earned a BBA in Finance from the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia. Outside of work, he enjoys playing golf, reading books, traveling, and cheering on the Georgia Bulldogs.

‍