Our Team

Jay brings twenty years of investment banking and advisory experience at market-leading firms. Prior to joining Configure Partners, he established the Middle Market Special Situations practice at Guggenheim Securities. Before joining Guggenheim, he was a senior member of the Recapitalization & Restructuring Group at Morgan Joseph TriArtisan for approximately five years.

Previously he was a Senior Director with Alvarez & Marsal Corporate Finance, prior to which he spent eight years in Houlihan Lokey’s Corporate Finance and Financial Restructuring practices.

Jay holds a bachelor’s degree in Commerce, with concentrations in finance and marketing, from the McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia. He is a FINRA General Securities Registered Representative (Series 24, 7, 63) and a Certified Insolvency and Restructuring Advisor (CIRA).

Jamie has held a variety of positions across middle market credit, investing, and advisory platforms. 

Prior to joining Configure, he was a Managing Director at Guggenheim Securities, where he joined in 2013 to expand Guggenheim’s reach in the middle market. Before joining Guggenheim, Jamie established the Atlanta office for Cerberus Capital Management with a focus on direct lending and equity investment activities. While at Cerberus his responsibilities included sourcing of new debt and equity investment opportunities, underwriting transactions and portfolio management. Prior to joining Cerberus, Jamie spent three years at Houlihan Lokey after beginning his career at IBM and Standard & Poor’s.  Jamie is a FINRA General Securities Registered Representative (Series 24, 7, 63).

Outside of the office Jamie enjoys spending time with his family, outdoor activities including golf, hiking and biking, and the occasional triathlon.  He and his family reside in the Morningside neighborhood of Atlanta.

Parm brings to Configure over 20 years of sponsor finance experience at middle market credit platforms. Prior to joining the firm, he was a Managing Director at Capital One focusing on sponsor originations. Previously, he held senior roles originating, structuring and executing leveraged finance transactions at Oxford Finance, Wells Fargo, FirstLight Financial and GE Capital.

Prior to Parm’s career in leveraged finance, he held roles in managed care contracting and reimbursement at Lifespan and Partners Healthcare. Parm has received a B.A. from The University of Chicago, an M.H.S. from Johns Hopkins University, and an M.B.A. from Emory University, and he is a FINRA General Securities Registered Representative (Series 79, 63).

Joining Configure in 2018, Doug brings over 30 years of direct lending and advisory experience at middle-market credit platforms.

Before Configure, he was a Director with ING Capital, responsible for sourcing cash flow and asset-based debt investments, underwriting transactions, and portfolio management. He also held similar positions at GE Capital, Heller Financial, and Banque Paribas.

Doug holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and was a letterman on the 1991-1992 Illinois men’s basketball team. He is a FINRA General Securities Registered Representative (Series 7, 63).

Pia joins Configure Partners from the Mergers & Acquisitions practice of Citizens Bank, where she was Chief of Staff in Atlanta. In this role, Pia provided oversight of human resources, finance, technology, and compliance functions. Previously, Pia spent ten years with Bowstring Advisors (formerly CHILDS Advisory Partners) where she was a member of the firm’s executive leadership and played a key role in the sale and integration of Bowstring to Citizens in 2019. In combination with direct investment banking experience in her early career, Pia brings a unique perspective to the Configure team.

Prior to joining Bowstring, Pia was an Associate at Lehman Brothers in New York where she worked in the Business Planning & Technology group. While there, she focused on the design and implementation of division-wide strategic initiatives to support the investment banking division’s executive management team. Pia’s investment banking career began at Piper Jaffray in New York, where she concentrated on public offerings and M&A in the healthcare sector. Pia began her career in the assurance and advisory services practice of Deloitte.

Pia graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from American University.

Mike brings thirty years of middle-market lending and advisory experience.  He joined Configure from ING Capital, where he worked for approximately twenty years in ING’s Atlanta and New York offices.  Mike was a Managing Director on ING’s Structure Finance team, with responsibility for originating, structuring, and underwriting middle-market leveraged finance transactions, managing client relationships, and portfolio management.

Mike previously spent approximately ten years in investment banking, most recently with SunTrust Equitable Securities, where he focused on capital raising and M&A transactions for middle-market businesses.

Mike holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance from The University of Texas at Austin and an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.  He is a FINRA General Securities Registered Representative (Series 24, 7, 63, 28).

Matt has focused his career on applying his capital structure expertise to special situations and restructuring engagements on behalf of public and private companies, lenders, and governments.

Matt joined Configure Partners in 2021 as a Director. During his time at the firm, Matt has worked a range of engagements, including public and private company financings, take-private M&A, LBO financings, negotiated credit agreement amendments, and distressed M&A both in and out of court. He also worked on M&A Advisor’s 2023 Distressed Deal of the Year and was recently awarded the M&A Advisor 2024 Distressed Dealmaker of the Year.

Prior to Configure, he served as a Principal in Greenhill & Co.’s Financing Advisory and Restructuring practice. Before joining Greenhill, Matt worked on the restructuring teams at Rothschild & Co. and Millstein & Co. He started his investment banking career at Cary Street Partners.

Matt graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Hampden-Sydney College, where he was the captain of the basketball team and currently serves as both an adjunct professor of finance and a member of the alumni board. He also holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and is a FINRA General Securities Representative (Series 63 & 79).

Rory has over twenty years of investment banking and credit advisory experience in the middle market.

Prior to joining Configure, Rory held senior positions at Jefferies, Solomon Partners, UBS and Raymond James.  Over the course of his career, Rory has advised management teams, directors, creditors, buyers and other stakeholders of highly levered companies in need of creative financing solutions.  He has executed advisory transactions including private and public debt and equity financings, exchanges, mergers and restructurings. Rory has extensive in-court and out-of-court restructuring experience.

Rory received a BA from the College of The Holy Cross and is a FINRA General Securities Registered Representative (Series 7, 63).

Jerry brings over 30 years of direct lending experience largely concentrated at middle market institutions. Prior to Configure, he was a Managing Director at Ares Management where he led a national team of account officers, associates and analysts managing a portfolio of asset-based loans.

Before joining Ares Management, he spent nearly nine years at ING Capital underwriting and managing cash flow and asset-based debt transactions.  Prior lending experience includes similar roles at CIT Business Credit, GE Capital and Heller Financial.

Jerry holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of South Florida and an MBA from the University of Chicago.  He is a FINRA General Securities Registered Representative (Series 7, 63).

James joined Configure Partners in 2018 as an Associate and was promoted to Director in 2024. Before joining Configure Partners, he was at Genuine Parts Company, supporting merger and acquisition efforts and strategic planning. He began his career as an Analyst at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, where he spent three years advising clients on debt and equity capital raises across various industries.

James received a bachelor’s in Finance from the University of Kentucky. He is a FINRA General Securities Registered Representative (Series 79, 63).

A tenured investment banking professional, Connor brings over a decade of credit advisory and placement experience to the platform, having delivered exceptional financing results for companies operating across a myriad of sectors throughout his career. 

Prior to Configure, Connor held the title of Vice President within the Debt Capital Markets practice at Piper Sandler, where he was responsible for structuring and arranging financing for various uses of proceeds, including leveraged buyouts, mergers and acquisitions, growth capital raises, refinancings, and recapitalizations. Connor began his career within the Capital Advisory Group at Lincoln International, where he held multiple positions and supported end-to-end deal execution.

Connor graduated with distinction from the Mendoza College of Business at The University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and is a FINRA General Securities Registered Representative (Series 7, 79, 63). 

Kyle joined Configure Partners in 2021 as an Associate and now serves the firm as a Director.

Prior to joining Configure Partners, Kyle was part of the Financial Institutions Group at Regions Bank, where he focused on structuring debt financings for acquisitions and recapitalizations. Before Regions, Kyle was an Associate on ING’s Structured Finance team, where he structured and underwrote middle-market leveraged finance transactions. He began his career as an analyst at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, where he spent three years advising clients on debt and equity capital raises across various industries.

Kyle received a bachelor’s in Finance from Clemson University. He is a FINRA General Securities Registered Representative (Series 63, 79).

Uj joined Configure in 2019 as an Analyst, bringing years of credit structuring and advisory experience serving middle-market companies. The firm has witnessed Uj’s growth from Analyst to Associate, and today he serves as Vice President.

Prior to Configure, Uj was an Associate with PNC Financial Services, where he was responsible for underwriting cash flow credit transactions, managing portfolios, and assisting the team in sourcing new debt investments.

Uj received a BBA in Finance from the Goizueta Business School, Emory University, and a BA in Mathematics from Emory University. He is also a FINRA General Securities Registered Representative (Series 79, 63). Uj earned his CFA Charter in 2020.

K.T. has over twelve years of combined middle-market transaction advisory and direct investing experience.

K.T. joined Configure Partners in 2018 as an Associate, and over the last six years has advanced to the Vice President role. Prior to Configure, K.T. was an Associate with Virgo Investment Group, an opportunistic investment platform focused on the middle market, where he assisted with sourcing, underwriting, and structuring transactions. Before joining Virgo, he served as an Analyst in the Transport & Infrastructure investment banking group at Raymond James & Associates.

K.T. holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Georgia and is a FINRA General Securities Registered Representative (Series 79, 63).

Julien brings over ten years of corporate and strategic finance experience from companies across multiple industries and stages of their lifecycle. Prior to Configure, Julien was a Senior Manager with the deals advisory team at PwC, where he led various performance enhancement plans, operational due diligence, transformation projects, and other CFO services matters. Before joining PwC, he was Director of Finance at NTT Data, overseeing group FP&A functions, EBITDA enhancement plans, and other corporate development tasks. Prior to NTT Data, Julien held several finance management roles for BFG International in France and the Middle East.

Julien received a master’s degree in Finance (PGE) from the EM Strasbourg Business School and a BBA from the Excelia Business School.

Jagger rejoined Configure as an Associate in 2025 after being with the firm from 2022 to 2024. He was most recently an Associate at Heritage Growth Partners, a private investment office. Jagger began his career at Houlihan Lokey, where he was in the Financial & Valuation Advisory practice and focused on valuations of illiquid, distressed, and complex securities.

Jagger holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Georgia Terry College of Business. He is a FINRA General Securities Representative (Series 63, 79).

Raymond joins Configure from Houlihan Lokey, where he worked in the Portfolio Valuation practice. He was responsible for valuing a wide range of illiquid securities, including performing and distressed debt, subordinated and mezzanine debt, and other leveraged investments. Prior to working at Houlihan Lokey, Raymond was a Senior Associate in the audit practice at Ernst & Young.

Raymond holds a master’s degree in Accounting from The Harbert College of Business at Auburn University. He is a FINRA General Securities Representative (Series 63, 79).

Kennedy joined Configure Partners in 2023 as an Analyst and was promoted to Associate in 2025.

Kennedy previously interned for Bluegrass Business Advisors where she was responsible for performing market research, identifying prospective clients, and creating marketing materials for the sale of small businesses.

Kennedy received a BBA in Finance & Accounting from the University of Kentucky and is a FINRA General Securities Representative (Series 79, 63).

Fitz joined Configure in 2022 as an Analyst and was recently promoted to Associate in 2024. He joined Configure from Ankura Consulting Group, where he was an Associate in the Transaction Advisory Services practice, providing valuations of businesses, intangible assets, and ownership interests for mergers and acquisitions, financial reporting, and tax reporting purposes.

Fitz holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Georgia. He is a FINRA General Securities Representative (Series 63, 79).

Matt joined Configure Partners in 2024 as an Analyst and was promoted to Associate in 2025.

Prior to joining Configure, Matt worked at KPMG, where he was a consultant advising banks and other financial institutions on their modeling practices, with a focus on risk mitigation.

Matt received a Bachelor’s in Accounting and Physics from the University of Mississippi and a master’s in Audit & Advisory Services from DePaul University.

Brooke joins Configure from the Asset Finance Group at Truist Securities, where she assisted in originating and structuring debt financings for acquisitions, recapitalizations, and turnarounds across a variety of industries.

Brooke holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Georgia and is a FINRA General Securities Registered Representative (Series 63, 79).

Sam joined Configure from Truist Securities, where he was an Investment Banking Credit Analyst and was responsible for underwriting credit products to new and existing Industrials and Services clients.

Sam holds a master’s degree in Accounting from the University of West Florida and bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Georgia. He is a FINRA General Securities Representative (Series 7, 63, 79).

Brandon joined Configure Partners following his graduation from Stanford University and offers experience in asset management, venture capital, and formal academic research. While attending Stanford, Brandon was a Summer Analyst at Strive Asset Management, where he worked with Strive’s leadership team to develop management quality scores to rank S&P 500 companies.

Brandon received a bachelor’s in Economics and a double minor in Biology and Music from Stanford University. He is a FINRA General Securities Representative (Series 63, 79).

Ashley joined Configure Partners following her graduation from Florida State University. During her time at FSU, she served on the board of the Finance Association and gained valuable experience working on the financial side of various law firms. Additionally, she conducted economic research at Florida TaxWatch, further honing her analytics skills.

Ashley received a bachelor’s in Finance from Florida State University.

Steven joined Configure Partners after completing his Master of Science in Finance at Vanderbilt University. Prior to attending graduate school, he interned at Stircor, where he performed market research and reviewed carbon credit opportunities. Before Stircor, he interned at Bayview Private Wealth during his undergraduate years.

Steven received a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Florida State University. He is a FINRA General Securities Representative (Series 63, 79).

Will joined Configure Partners following his graduation from the University of Georgia. He was previously a part of Configure’s summer internship program, where he performed due diligence, helped create marketing materials, and assisted in the process of going to market with deals.

Will holds a BBA in Finance from the Terry College of Business, University of Georgia. He is a FINRA General Securities Representative (Series 63, 79).

Sean joined Configure Partners from Regions Bank, where he was an analyst in the Financial Institutions Group, primarily responsible for underwriting corporate debt for middle-market to investment-grade borrowers. Prior to Regions, Sean was a collateral analyst in the Asset-Based Lending Group at Cadence Bank, focusing on collateral monitoring and portfolio management.

Sean holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Georgia. He is a FINRA General Securities Representative (Series 63, 79).

Jacob joined Configure Partners following his graduation from the University of Kentucky. He previously interned with Configure Partners, where he performed due diligence, helped create marketing materials, and assisted in the process of going to market with deals.

Jacob received a BBA in Finance from the University of Kentucky. He is a FINRA General Securities Representative (Series 63, 79).

Tarnvir joined Configure Partners following his graduation from Emory University. He previously interned for the Incentrum Group, where he worked in the merchant banking group, advising and investing in the healthcare, technology, and industrial spaces. Prior to the Incentrum Group, Tarnvir interned at Sycamore Partners.

Tarnvir received a bachelor’s in Finance with a minor in Religion from Emory University. He is a FINRA General Securities Representative (Series 79, 63).

Jay joined Configure Partners following his graduation from Fordham University. While attending Fordham, Jay interned for Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP, where he worked as a restructuring analyst in the firm’s Creditor’s Rights group. Prior to graduate school, he also worked as a restructuring paralegal at Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel.

Jay received a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Boston College and a master’s degree in Finance from Fordham University.

Ben joined Configure from Stout, where he was a Valuation Analyst in the Corporate Valuation Advisory practice, providing valuations of businesses, intangible assets, and ownership interests for mergers and acquisitions, financial reporting, and tax reporting purposes.

Ben holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Georgia. He is a FINRA General Securities Representative (Series 63, 79).

Hopengrace “Penny” Dela Cruz Hawkins joined Configure Partners in 2019 as assistant controller to the Configure Partners team. Her most immediate prior experience was as an executive assistant in the technology and non-profit industries for 10 years. Penny graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Piedmont International University. 

Tricia joined Configure Partners in 2018 as the office manager and has served as Marketing Coordinator since 2022. She has a rich background in operations management, sales, and marketing. In her day-to-day, Tricia is responsible for Configure’s marketing, event planning and project management.

Tricia received a BA in Marketing from The University of Alabama.