Our Team

Paul joined Roark in 2020. Prior to joining Roark, Paul spent 14 years in investment banking; the vast majority of this time was spent at Barclays, where he covered various sectors, including consumer / retail, healthcare, business services, industrials, and technology. During that time, Paul worked on M&A and financing transactions across much of the Roark portfolio. Prior to that, Paul worked at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey in the Consumer Group. Paul received a B.B.A. in Finance and Real Estate from the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia.

Brandon joined Roark in 2025. Prior to joining Roark, Brandon worked as a Software Engineer at JPMorganChase, specializing in backend development and data engineering. Prior to that, Brandon worked as a Water Engineer at Arcadis. Brandon received a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Manhattan University. Brandon is also a proud U.S. Army veteran.

Alston joined Roark in 2026. Prior to joining Roark, she worked as a Corporate Development Manager within Deloitte’s U.S. Tax practice, focusing on corporate strategy and corporate development, and previously served as a Human Capital Consultant at Mercer, a subsidiary of Marsh McLennan. Alston earned a B.S. in Human and Organizational Development from Vanderbilt University.

Rebecca joined Roark in 2024. Prior to joining Roark, Rebecca worked as a DevOps Architect and Manager at Enlace Health, supporting HITRUST compliance, large-scale data processing and automated multi-organization build and release processes, as well as software development and disaster recovery. Prior to that, she worked as a Senior Software Engineer at Reed Group and Level 3 Communications. Rebecca received a B.A. in Sociology and Anthropology from Louisiana State University.

Ben joined Roark in 2023. Prior to joining Roark, Ben worked as a Manager at Kurt Salmon, part of Accenture Strategy. He received a B.B.A. in Finance from Emory University.

Reed joined Roark in 2022. Prior to joining Roark, Reed worked at Ernst & Young as a Financial Services Consultant. He received a B.S. in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Ermias joined Roark in 2026. Prior to joining Roark, he was a Staff Software Engineer and Team Lead at The Home Depot, where he led engineering teams building AI-powered platforms and supply chain applications across distribution centers. Before that, he was a Senior Consultant at Manhattan Associates, focusing on warehouse management software solutions for retailers. He received a M.S. in Data Science from the University of Michigan and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from North Carolina State University.

Caitlin joined Roark in 2021. Prior to joining Roark, Caitlin worked as a Human Resources Coordinator at Noble Systems. Caitlin received a B.A. in Theatre from Furman University.

Lindsay joined Roark in 2024. Prior to joining Roark, Lindsay was a Partner and Managing Director on the Consumer Retail Investment Banking team at William Blair where she spent her career advising market leading, high-growth consumer companies. Lindsay received a B.S. in Accounting from Miami University and a Master of Accounting from the University of Michigan.

Ben joined Roark in 2024. Prior to joining Roark, Ben was an Associate on the Consumer and Retail team at Mizuho. Before Mizuho, Ben worked at Truist, where he specialized in middle-market asset-based lending. Ben received a B.B.A. in Finance and International Business from the University of Georgia.

Justin joined Roark in 2024. Prior to joining Roark, Justin was an Associate Partner at McKinsey & Company in its global retail and consumer operations practice working with clients on supply chain, procurement, sustainability, and operations topics. He began his career in investment banking and corporate development. Justin received a M.B.A. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a B.S. in Finance and Public Policy from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Rob joined Roark in 2023. Prior to Roark, Rob worked as a Senior Systems Engineer at Nutanix. Prior to that, he worked as a Senior Consultant at LogicsOne.

Alex joined Roark in 2026. Prior to joining Roark, he helped lead the private equity practice in the Southeast at Boston Consulting Group. Alex received a M.B.A. from the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School and a B.A. from Tufts University.

Daniella joined Roark in 2024. Prior to joining Roark, Daniella worked as an Investment Banking Analyst on the Financial Institutions team at Wells Fargo. She received a B.B.A. in Finance from Auburn University.

Tommy joined Roark in 2012. Prior to his Investor Relations role, he worked on Roark's investments in Jim ‘N Nick’s, Installation Made Easy, Pet Valu, Solterra, Quala, GFL Environmental and Waste Pro. Prior to joining Roark, Tommy worked as an investment banking analyst at Harris Williams & Co. in the Diversified Industrials Group, where he focused on middle-market mergers and acquisitions across a variety of sectors. Tommy received a B.S.B.A from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Melissa joined Roark in 2024. Prior to joining Roark, Melissa was the Office Manager and Executive Assistant at Jabian Consulting.

Mahal joined Roark in 2017. Prior to joining Roark, Mahal was a Tax Senior Consultant in the investment management group at Deloitte Tax, specializing in the hedge fund and private equity fund sectors. Mahal received a B.B.A. with a Concentration in Accounting from the Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University.

Alex joined Roark in 2025. Prior to Roark, Alex worked as a Senior DevOps Engineer at McKinsey & Company, specializing in cloud migration. Prior to that, he worked as a Software Engineer at The Home Depot, focusing on developer enablement. Alex received a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Florida.

Jacob joined Roark in 2026. Prior to joining Roark, Jacob worked as a Senior Research Manager at Ipsos. He received a M.S. in Market Research from Michigan State University and a B.B.A. in Information Systems and Marketing from Loyola University Chicago.

Pete joined Roark in 2023. Prior to joining Roark, Pete worked at Papa Johns as a Manager of Strategic Market Planning. Before Papa Johns, Pete was a Consultant at Intalytics, where he worked with many of the largest QSRs and retailers in North America. Pete received a M.S. in Business Analytics from University of Michigan-Dearborn and a B.S. in Geography from University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Chip joined Roark in 2023. Prior to joining Roark, Chip worked at Home Depot as a Senior Software Engineer. Prior to that, he worked at Navistar as an Application Analyst Lead. Chip received a B.S. in Finance from Auburn University.

Holli joined Roark in March of 2007. Prior to joining Roark, she worked for an Atlanta-based private equity firm as an Executive Assistant and Office Manager. Holli graduated from the University of Alabama with a B.S.B.A. in 2003.

Christine joined Roark in July 2018. Prior to Roark, she was a legal assistant for Caldwell, Propst & DeLoach, LLP. Christine graduated with a B.S. from Florida State University in 2005.

Morgan joined Roark in 2024. Prior to joining Roark, Morgan was an Associate at Angel Oak Capital Advisors and an Audit Associate at Deloitte. Morgan received a M.S. and a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Florida and is a Certified Public Accountant.

Andrew joined Roark in 2025 after working as a Summer Analyst in 2024. He received a B.S. in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University.

Jack joined Roark in 2024. He received a B.S. in Finance from Wake Forest University School of Business.

Sean joined Roark in 2020. Prior to joining Roark, Sean was a Senior Auditor in the Audit & Assurance Services function at Deloitte & Touche. Sean received his Master of Accountancy and B.B.A. in Accounting from the University of Georgia. Sean is also a Certified Public Accountant.

Justin joined Roark in 2025 after working as a Summer Analyst in 2024. He received a B.A. in Government from Harvard College.

Kyle joined Roark in 2020. Prior to joining Roark, Kyle worked as an investment banking analyst at RBC Capital Markets in New York, where he focused on mergers and acquisitions and strategic advisory across a variety of sectors. Kyle received a Bachelor of Accountancy from the University of Mississippi.

Claire joined Roark in 2022. Prior to joining Roark, Claire worked at ZS Associates as a Senior University Recruiter. Prior to that, she worked at Northwestern Mutual as a Campus Recruiter and Addison Group as an Executive Search Consultant. She received a B.A. in Public Relations and Advertising from DePaul University.

Madeline joined Roark in 2020. Prior to joining Roark, Madeline worked as an investment banking analyst at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey where she focused on mergers and acquisitions and strategic advisory across the consumer & retail industry. Madeline received a B.S.B.A. with a concentration in Finance from the Scheller College of Business at Georgia Institute of Technology.

Felipe joined Roark in 2024. Prior to joining Roark, he worked as a Strategy Consultant for Accenture. Felipe received a B.S. in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Jennifer joined Roark in June 2008. Prior to Roark, she was Office Manager for Dixie HomeCrafters/GutterGuard, LLC.

Amber joined Roark in 2022. Prior to Roark, Amber was a Registration Associate at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. Amber received a B.S. in Integrated Studies from Kennesaw State University.

Roxann joined Roark in 2025. Prior to joining Roark, Roxann was a Talent Acquisition Director for Alvarez & Marsal’s Global Transaction Advisory group. Before that, Roxann worked at Resources Global Professionals as a Corporate Talent Acquisition Director. Roxann received a M.B.A from the University of West Georgia and a B.S. in Restaurant & Hospitality Management from the University of Alabama.

Jack joined Roark in 2024 after working as an Investor Relations Intern in 2023. He received a B.B.A. in Finance from The University of Texas at Austin.

Dean joined Roark in 2025. Prior to joining Roark, Dean worked as an Administrative Assistant and Office Coordinator at Stonemont Financial Group. Prior to Stonemont, she was a Business Administrator for The Trilogy Group.

Daynia joined Roark in 2022. Prior to joining Roark, Daynia worked at Guggenheim Securities in Atlanta and at Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co (KKR) in New York City. Daynia received a B.S. in Biology from the University of Georgia.

John joined Roark in 2008 and is the Committee Chair of Roark's Responsible Investment Committee. He also serves on the board of directors of Fitness Connection, and previously worked on Roark's investments in Purpose Brands, Orangetheory, Solterra, GFL Environmental, Peachtree Business Products, Quala and Waste Pro. Prior to joining Roark, John was a Senior Associate in the transaction advisory services group at Ernst & Young. John received a Master of Accountancy and a B.B.A. from the University of Georgia Terry College of Business

Dave joined Roark in 2025. Prior to joining Roark, Dave served in several leadership roles at Inspire Brands across Growth, Human Resources, and Commercial. Prior to Inspire, Dave worked at Boston Consulting Group, primarily focused on the intersection of the People & Organization and Consumer practices. Dave began his career in transfer pricing advisory. He received a M.B.A from Goizueta Business School at Emory University and a B.A. in Economics and Psychology from the University of Maryland.

Whitney joined Roark in 2023. Prior to joining Roark, Whitney worked at Lumina Autism Center as a Registered Behavior Technician. She also has previous experience working at Jabian LLC as an Executive Assistant and Office Coordinator. She received a M.S. in Psychology from Capella University and a B.S. of Psychology from Kennesaw State University.

Greg joined Roark in 2025. Prior to joining Roark, Greg was a Senior Technical Product Manager at Amazon focused on AI supply chain optimization technology. Prior to joining Amazon in 2021, Greg was a Senior Manager of Product Management at InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), where he led digital products focused on e-commerce optimization, loyalty, and personalization experiences. Greg received a B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Florida.

Niel joined Roark in February of 2020. Prior to joining Roark, Niel was an IT Service Delivery Lead at Georgia Tech Research Institute, focusing on system implementation, project management, business analysis, and IT strategy. Prior to Georgia Tech, Niel implemented Apparity, a spreadsheet monitoring and tracking tool for various investment banks. Niel received a B.A from Emory University.

Mark joined Roark in 2013 and is a member of Roark’s Investment Committee. He sits on the board of directors and is actively involved in Roark's investments in Dave's Hot Chicken and GPRS. He was previously involved in Roark's investments in Divisions Maintenance Group and PartsTown, and Roark’s prior investments in International Car Wash Group and Nothing Bundt Cakes. Prior to joining Roark, he was a Senior Associate in the Transaction Advisory Services Group at Ernst & Young, where he focused primarily on business valuations. Prior to that, Mark worked in the Audit and Assurance Advisory Services group at Ernst & Young. Mark received an M.S. in Accountancy from the Boston College Carroll Graduate School of Management, a B.S. in Business Administration from Auburn University, and is a CFA Charterholder.

Wesley joined Roark in 2014. Prior to joining Roark, Wesley was a Senior Associate in the Assurance Services Group at Ernst & Young. Wesley received a Master of Accountancy and a B.S.B.A. from the University of Tennessee. Wesley is also a Certified Public Accountant.

Patrick joined Roark in 2025. Prior to joining Roark, Patrick worked as a Software Engineer at Porsche, where he contributed to building and scaling out their e-commerce platform. He received his M.S. in Computer Science from Georgia Institute of Technology and his B.S. in Information Technology from Kennesaw State University.

John joined Roark in 2026. Prior to joining Roark, John worked as an Associate at Access Holdings. He received a M.S. in Finance from Vanderbilt University and a B.A. in Economics from the University of St Andrews and the College of William and Mary Joint Degree Program.

Louis joined Roark in 2021. Prior to joining Roark, Louis was a corporate lawyer with Sullivan & Cromwell LLP and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP. Louis received his B.S. from Vanderbilt University and his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. Louis is a member of the New York and Georgia bars.

Garett joined Roark in 2022. Garett was a Summer Analyst with Roark in summer 2021. He received a B.S.B.A. from Georgia Institute of Technology.

Matt joined Roark in 2026. Prior to joining Roark, he worked as the Lead IT Specialist at PrimeRevenue. Prior to that, he worked as a Support Specialist at Mailchimp.

Erik joined Roark in 2007, is a member of Roark’s Investment Committee and currently serves as the Chief Investment Officer.  He has spent more than 25 years in private equity where he primarily focused on franchise and multi-location businesses. In addition to his responsibilities as Chief Investment Officer, Erik currently serves on the boards of Inspire Brands and Purpose Brands.  Prior to joining Roark, Erik was a Partner at Grotech Capital Group, a private equity firm based in Baltimore, MD. Prior to joining Grotech, Erik worked in the investment banking division of Deutsche Bank and its predecessor entities, BT Alex. Brown, and Alex. Brown & Sons. Erik received a B.S. from the Kenan-Flagler School of Business at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Bert joined Roark in 2020 and is a member of Roark’s Investment Committee and Roark's Responsible Investment Committee. Bert currently serves on the board of directors of Dave's Hot Chicken and Subway. Prior to joining Roark, Bert was Vice President of Logistics and Commercial Excellence at Vulcan Materials Company. While at Vulcan, Bert led Procurement, Rail Logistics, Truck Logistics, Logistics Innovations and Commercial Excellence, helping them build industry-leading capabilities across the materials supply chain. Prior to that, Bert worked at McKinsey & Company, working with clients on supply chain, procurement, strategy, sales and marketing and other operational areas. Bert received an M.B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School and a B.A. in English from Washington and Lee University.

Mila joined Roark in 2025 after working as a Summer Analyst in 2024. She received a B.S.B.A from Georgia Institute of Technology.

Julie joined Roark in 2026. Prior to joining Roark, she worked as an Administrative Assistant and Marketing Coordinator at an Atlanta-based commercial real estate firm. Julie received a B.S. in Finance from Western Kentucky University.

Dirk joined Roark in 2025. He received a B.B.A. in Accounting at Bucknell University.

Megan joined Roark in 2025. Prior to joining Roark, Megan was an Associate at Evercore in the Consumer and Retail group. Before Evercore, she worked at Barclays in the Financial Sponsors group. Megan received a B.S. in Finance from Wake Forest University.

Sam joined Roark in 2016. He is actively involved in Roark's investments in Massage Envy and SIB. He currently serves on the board of directors of SIB. He was previously involved in Roark's investment in Nothing Bundt Cakes. Sam received a B.S. in Commerce and Mathematics from the University of Virginia.

Eddie joined Roark in 2026. Prior to joining Roark, Eddie worked as an Associate in PwC’s International Tax Services Group. Eddie received his Master of Accountancy and B.S. in Accounting from Auburn University.

Sarah joined Roark in 2019 and is a member of Roark's Investment Committee. She currently serves on the board of directors and is actively involved in Roark's investments in GoTo Foods and CKE. She was involved in Roark's prior investment in Nothing Bundt Cakes. Prior to joining Roark, she was the President and CEO of Coffee & Bagel Brands, which comprises Einstein Bros. Bagels, Caribou Coffee, Bruegger's Bagels, Noah's New York Bagels and Manhattan Bagel Company. She joined Coffee & Bagel Brands as the President of Einstein Bros. Bagels in 2015. Prior to Coffee & Bagel Brands, Sarah served as Executive Vice President in the Portfolio Group at Bain Capital, where she partnered with leadership teams at consumer and retail brands (including Bloomin' Brands, Dunkin' Brands and Michaels Arts & Crafts) to build and execute growth strategies across all functions of the business. Prior to Bain Capital, Sarah was the Director of Strategy at The LEGO Group in Denmark. She started her career at McKinsey & Company in Washington, D.C. Sarah received an M.B.A. from Stanford University Graduate School of Business and a B.A. from Princeton University.

Michael joined Roark in 2025. Prior to joining Roark, Michael worked as an Investment Banking Associate in the Consumer and Retail group at Barclays and as a Strategy Consultant for Accenture. Michael received a M.B.A from Columbia Business School and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Nija joined Roark in 2025. Prior to Roark, she worked as a Desktop Support Technician for Insight Global, where she was assigned as a contractor for The Coca-Cola Company. She also served six years as an Information Technology Specialist in the U.S. Army Reserves.

Chas joined Roark in 2026. Prior to joining the firm, he was a Senior Director of Analytics & Insights at Cardlytics. Before that, he was a Senior Manager of Data Science at Bain & Company, establishing the dedicated data science team for the firm’s private equity practice. He received a M.S. in Analytics from North Carolina State University and a B.A. from Stetson University.

Braxton joined Roark in 2022. He most recently worked at Boston Consulting Group, where he was an IT HR Business Analyst. Prior to that, he worked at Invisors as a Data & Analytics Consultant. Braxton received a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Mike joined Roark in 2010 and is a member of Roark's Investment Committee. He serves on the board of directors of and is actively involved in Roark's investments in Divisions Maintenance Group, Driven Brands, GPRS, Installation Made Easy, ServiceMaster Brands, and Youth Enrichment Brands, and previously worked on and served as a board member of Roark's prior investments in Asset Living and Atkins Nutritionals. Prior to joining Roark, he worked at Montage Holdings, a Phoenix-based private equity firm. Prior to Montage, Mike served as a Senior Associate at Kroll Zolfo Copper. Mike received an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a B.A. from Pomona College.

Khriswayne joined Roark in 2025. Prior to joining Roark, he was a Vice President on the Strategic Capital Partners Finance and Accounting team at BentallGreenOak (BGO). Khriswayne received a M.S. in Management and Leadership and a B.S. in Business Management from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania.

Blake joined Roark in 2026. Prior to joining Roark, Blake worked as a Senior Investment Associate at Level 5 Capital Partners. Before that, Blake was an Investment Banking Analyst at Piper Sandler within the Consumer Group. Blake received a M.S. in Finance and a B.S. in Commerce and Business Administration from the University of Alabama.

David joined Roark in 2019 and is a member of Roark's Investment Committee. Prior to joining Roark, David was a Managing Director at Robert W. Baird & Co., where he was Co-Head of Baird's Global Financial Sponsors Group and a member of the firm's Investment Banking Management Committee. He served as Roark's primary coverage officer and was a lead partner on several of Roark's investments and exits. Prior to joining Baird in 1995, David spent five years at Coopers & Lybrand, primarily focused on corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions advisory assignments. David received a B.S. in Accounting from Valparaiso University.

John Alan joined Roark in 2025 after working as a Summer Analyst in 2024. He received a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology.