Jacob is from a small dairy farm in Iowa, the son of hippie runaways, who both were the first in their families to go to college. By the age of five years old, he was waking up at 4 AM to milk and feed cows before school and again after school from 3-8 PM. Consequently, the values of a good education, independence, responsibility, work ethic, and the importance of family were repetitively taught from a very young age. Much to his parents’ chagrin, he enrolled at Cornell University to become a large animal veterinarian or a college professor but got sidetracked with finance classes resulting in an unpaid internship with Rabobank, a Dutch multinational bank in New York City. He worked on mergers and acquisitions in South and Latin America, specifically focusing on dairy and agriculture.
A couple of years later, in a moment of brilliance and foresight, he moved to Boston and accepted a job with Arthur Andersen in their M&A technology practice as the tech bubble was bursting and Andersen was being brought down by Enron. Realizing that corporate America wasn’t the best place for an individual with an independent streak, in 2003, he co-founded Capstone Partners. From the onset, he founded, led, and developed the Education and Training practice at Capstone.
Over the next 20 years, he was instrumental in growing the firm from two to over 200 people, successfully helping lead the Company through its sale to Huntington Bank in June 2022. During his tenure at Capstone, he was nominated for over 50 M&A deal of the year awards, winning 20 of them, and being named an Emerging Leader in his early 30s and Investment Banker of the Year in 2021 at age 44. However, the entrepreneurial bug bit again, and in early 2023, he and the rest of the Education and Training practice left Huntington to found Navagant Advisors, a boutique sell-side M&A firm dedicated to the Education and Training industry.
In his limited free time, he and JJ love going on nature hikes, traveling the world, becoming “master” home improvement experts, and golfing poorly. He barely tolerates a massive inter-family Boston vs. Pittsburgh sports rivalry and tries to get to Cape Cod to visit his folks as much as possible.
Fun Fact:
NCAA National Champion Dairy Cattle Judge
Education:
• Sloan School of Management at Massachusetts Institute of Technology – MBA
• Cornell University – BS
Registrations & Affiliations
• FINRA – Series 7 & 63 Registered General Securities Representative
• FINRA – Series 79 Registered Investment Banking Representative
617-216-1543
jacob@navagant.com
Shawn is a Founding Member of Navagant Advisors and has over 16 years of investment banking experience advising on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), private placements, and other financial advisory assignments. Shawn has led execution efforts on over 60 transactions resulting in over $2.5 billion of proceeds for clients. He assists owners of middle market companies in achieving their strategic growth objectives, exit strategies and liquidity goals and takes great satisfaction in helping them achieve life-changing outcomes.
Formerly, Shawn was a Managing Director at Capstone Partners in the Education and Training practice. He started his investment banking career with Raymond James as a Senior Associate and then Vice President in their Financial Services group where he focused on deal execution and client development for public and private companies.
Shawn’s previous experience includes serving as an officer in the United States Navy where he achieved the rank of Lieutenant (O-3). During his naval career he served as a destroyer navigator and communications officer, student naval aviator, and fleet Tomahawk cruise missile officer. Personal military career highlights include; navigating a destroyer through the Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca and Strait of Juan de Fuca; breaking the sound barrier and pulling 7G’s in an F/A-18 Hornet; and performing the U.S. Navy’s first in-flight flex and live warhead shot of a Tactical Tomahawk.
Fun Fact:
Married with three children that play elite competitive soccer for the Tampa Bay United Soccer Club. On some weekends, you may find family members in multiple cities or states for games.
Education:
• J.L. Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University – MBA
• University of Florida – General studies specializing in Industrial & Systems Engineering – BABA
Registrations & Affiliations
• FINRA – Series 7 – Registered General Securities Representative
312-550-5304
shawn@navagant.com
Whitt is a Founding Member of Navagant Advisors and Director in the Education & Training team. He has extensive M&A, operating, and finance experience across a broad range of industries including, Education & Training, Consumer, Healthcare, Business Services, and Energy.
Prior to Navagant, Whitt was a Director at Capstone Partners in the Education and Training practice where he was named an M&A Advisor Emerging Leader in 2022. He started his investment banking career at Harris Williams where he was a member of the Consumer Group. Before Harris Williams, he was an Analyst in the Office of the CFO at the U.S. Department of Energy. Whitt also founded Nectars Mills LLC, a food technology manufacturer, where he successfully patented and grew the business into multi-state distribution.
Outside of the office, Whitt enjoys spending time with his wife, son, and chocolate lab, Pippa. For fun, Whitt stays active playing any type of sport which most recently includes squash, golf, and pickleball.
Fun Fact:
Whitt played soccer at Washington & Lee University where he was a Captain and L. Brandon Herbert award winner.
Education:
• University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School – MBA
• Washington & Lee University – BA – Economics
Registrations & Affiliations
• FINRA – Series 79 Registered Investment Banking Representative
703-887-5390
whitt@navagant.com
Jeff is a Vice President at Navagant Advisors and has over 15 years of Capital Markets, M&A, and Corporate Finance experience across Consumer & Retail, Diversified Industrials, Energy, Logistics & Transportation, Business Services, and Specialty Finance industries.
Prior to joining Navagant as a Founding Member, Jeff was a Vice President in Capstone Partners’ Education and Training practice and a Senior Vice President in BB&T Capital Markets’ Debt Capital Markets Origination team, where he was integral in expanding the Bank’s Corporate Banking initiative by helping originate over $500 billion in corporate bonds. He began his career as an Analyst in the BB&T Capital Markets M&A team serving a wide variety of industries.
A son of a civil engineer and an elementary school teacher, Jeff’s appreciation of education began at birth with an emphasis on being a well-rounded problem solver. Throughout his youth, he encountered the joys and challenges of the industry, while gaining a true understanding of the dedication required to push past roadblocks and accomplish goals.
While not working, Jeff enjoys experiencing food and wine while traveling the world with his wife, Nicole, watching his son Greydon challenge adulting, embracing everything that comes with being a girl dad to his daughter London, and accepting his severe golf addiction.
Fun Fact:
Minored in Classical Studies (art, architecture and history of the Ancient World) after spending a summer studying abroad in Greece
Education:
• Virginia Tech – BS – Accounting
Registrations & Affiliations
• FINRA – Series 7 Registered General Securities Representative
• FINRA – Series 63 Registered Uniform Securities Agent
807-627-2848
jeff@navagant.com
Jorge is a Vice President at Navagant Advisors and has over 10 years of investment banking and commercial banking experience with expertise in M&A, leveraged finance, and project finance.
Prior to joining Navagant as a Founding Member, Jorge was a Vice President in Capstone Partners’ Education and Training practice. Jorge started his career at M&T Bank in the Business Banking group before joining the Commercial Banking team at National Cooperative Bank and the Commercial and Industrial M&A team at BB&T Capital Markets. Throughout his career, Jorge has worked with dozens of entrepreneurs, founders, and small business owners and analyzed hundreds of companies in the education, consumer, business services, and renewable sectors.
Jorge was born in La Paz, Bolivia, and is fluent in English and Spanish. Jorge and his wife, Anya, enjoy seeing and experiencing different cultures and culinary experiences and have traveled to 25 countries together. They are both UVA sports fans and enjoy drinking and collecting wine.
Fun Fact:
Attended the 2019 Men’s Final Four to see Virginia win their first NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship
Education:
• University of Virginia, Darden School of Business – MBA – Finance
• University of Virginia, McIntire School of Commerce – BS – Finance
Registrations & Affiliations
• FINRA – Series 79 Registered Investment Banking Representative
• FINRA – Series 63 Registered Uniform Securities Agent
703-618-1070
jorge@navagant.com
Caleb is an Associate at Navagant Advisors. As a Cape Cod native, he enjoys cheering on his Boston sports teams (making sure to provide regular updates to the rest of the office), playing golf, finding good books to read or listen to on Audible, and learning new obscure Excel formulas.
Growing up, Caleb worked as a caddy at multiple local golf courses, where he learned he liked providing tailored advice to others through a shared enjoyment of the game of golf. Along the way, he was fortunate to meet and caddy for many celebrities, most notably Bobby Orr and Tom Brady.
Wanting to combine his experiences caddying with interests in statistics, business strategy, and finance, Caleb received a BBA in Financial Management from Charleston Southern University. Upon graduation, he joined Carr, Riggs, and Ingram Capital Advisors, the investment banking subsidiary of a Top-20 regional accounting firm, where he worked with founder and family-led businesses and entrepreneurs looking to sell and exit their companies. After working with several companies across a wide range of industries in a generalist capacity, Caleb joined the Education and Training practice at Capstone Partners.
Fun Fact:
Got his first hole-in-one when he was 12. Still carries around the same 7-iron in the back of his car for good luck.
Education:
• Charleston Southern University – BBA – Financial Management
Registrations & Affiliations
• FINRA – Series 79 Registered Investment Banking Representative
• FINRA – Series 63 Registered Uniform Securities Agent
774-994-3248
caleb@navagant.com
Lynette is an Associate and the Head of Operations at Navagant Advisors. She is a California native who, after achieving her dual bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley, made it her mission to explore the world. After college, she relocated to New York City and worked at Goldman Sachs as a financial analyst. Feeling the exploratory urge, Lynette leveraged her exemplary track record at Goldman Sachs to transfer to the firm’s London office, where she was the lead project manager for the operational launch and regulatory compliance of the International Lending Business.
A couple of years later, Lynette again felt the need to travel and decided to leverage her minor in Education to move to Vietnam and perform non-profit work in the Education sector, focusing on K-5 enrichment programs. While Lynette loved performing work that made a direct impact on people’s lives, the siren’s call of finance proved too strong, and she found herself back in finance working at a small start-up that specialized in the buying and selling of online businesses. Luckily, the start-up encouraged her exploratory nature and allowed her to work on-site with clients operating in Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, and Mexico City, among others.
Satisfied with her exploration of the world, Lynette returned to London to work on her Master of Finance degree from the London Business School. Her global travel plans were sidetracked when she received an opportunity to establish the Richmond, VA office of Capstone Partners, becoming the third Richmond hire and packing her bags one final time to Richmond, VA.
Lynette still enjoys traveling, especially visiting her family on the West coast. She takes full advantage of everything that Virginia offers, including hiking, hunting, and visiting wineries and breweries.
Fun Fact:
Former Amateur Speed Eating Champion
Education:
• London Business School – MS – Finance
• UC Berkeley – BS in Business Administration & BA in Ethnic Studies
Registrations & Affiliations
• Chartered Financial Analyst
• FINRA – Series 79 Registered Investment Banking Representative
• FINRA – Series 63 Registered Uniform Securities Agent
916-865-6044
lynette@navagant.com
Sachin is an Associate at Navagant Advisors. Prior to Navagant, he was an Associate in Capstone Partners’ Education and Training practice and an Analyst at DC Advisory in the industrials group, focused on sell-side and buy-side M&A advisory. He also interned at Sagent Advisors in Chicago, IL.
Fun Fact:
Sachin enjoys spending time with friends and family, as well as all things Michigan football.
Education:
• University of Michigan, Ross School of Business – BBA – Finance
Registrations & Affiliations
• FINRA – Series 79 Registered Investment Banking Representative
• FINRA – Series 63 Registered Uniform Securities Agent
248-469-5786
sachin@navagant.com
Avinash is an Analyst at Navagant Advisors. Prior to Navagant, he was an Analyst in Capstone Partners’ Education and Training practice. While studying as the University of Virginia, Avinash completed an internship at AWH in their corporate finance & strategy team.
Fun Fact:
In his spare time, Avinash enjoys rooting for the Tar Heels and exploring the local restaurant scene, with a particular weakness for Mexican food.
Education:
• University of Virginia, McIntire School of Commerce – MS – Commerce
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – BA – Economics
Haley is an Analyst at Navagant. A native of Virginia Beach, Virginia, she is happy to be back on the East Coast after almost 4 years in Houston, TX. Prior to Navagant, she led Strategic Finance at a Series A health-tech startup, Naborforce, and was an Analyst at Barclays in their Natural Resources group, focusing on E&P and Midstream clients. She received a BS in Management and BA in International Studies from The University of Alabama and is happiest during football season. When she is not reading, needlepointing, or cheering on the Crimson Tide, she enjoys spending time at the barn with her horse or with her black lab, Buck.
Fun Fact:
She is a lifelong horsewoman, starting lessons at age 5 and now competes in the hunter division at local and USEF rated shows.
Education:
• The University of Alabama – BS – Management
• The University of Alabama – BA – International Studies
Registrations & Affiliations
• FINRA – Series 79 Registered Investment Banking Representative
• FINRA – Series 63 Registered Uniform Securities Agent
757-635-5304
haley@navagant.com
Cherry is an Analyst at Navagant Advisors. Prior to Navagant, she was an Analyst in Capstone Partners’ Education and Training practice. Cherry is keen on learning about the financial markets. She has interned at Allied Millennial partners as an investment banking analyst and at Shenzhen Stock Exchange as a fixed income analyst.
Fun Fact:
Cherry is an author of two published books and loves learning languages. She speaks seven languages: English, Chinese, French, Korean, Japanese, and Taiwanese. She also loves travelling, reading, hiking, volunteering, practicing yoga, and playing piano.
Education:
• Harvard University – MS – Education
• Emory University – BA – Economics
Registrations & Affiliations
• CFA All Three Levels Passed
• FINRA – Series 79 Registered Investment Banking Representative
• FINRA – Series 63 Registered Uniform Securities Agent
