Say hello to Falcon
Meet Our Team
100% focused on creating value in the PE-backed, middle market.
Diverse backgrounds and deep industry knowledge.
Lindsay Guzowski
Partner
Lindsay Guzowski, Partner at Falcon, has been with the firm since 2012. She leads C-Suite searches for a number of leading, middle market private equity firms and plays a key role in guiding Falcon’s strategic direction.
Prior to joining Falcon, Lindsay provided in-depth analysis on potential private equity investments at the Chaifetz Group, a private equity firm in Chicago. She also spent seven years with McMaster-Carr Supply Company in a variety of progressive roles across Finance, Logistics, and Sales Operations. Lindsay is involved with several non-profit boards and is a member of ACG. In addition to being a member of the CFA Society of Cleveland, Lindsay also passed all levels of the CFA exam and is eligible for its charter.
Lindsay received her MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, an MA in Sociology from UNC-Chapel Hill, and AB from Dartmouth College. Her research on leadership and culture has been published in leading peer reviewed journals.
Rob Huxtable
Partner
Rob Huxtable is a closely-held advisor to several leading, middle market private equity firms.
His primary focus is leading high-impact portfolio company CEO searches across North America. He also conducts portfolio company CFO assignments as well as and fund-level Operating Partner searches.
In his 15+ years in retained search, Rob has successfully led more than 250 assignments for more than three dozen private equity firms. He conducts assignments for Software, Tech Services, Healthcare, Consumer, Business Services and Industrial portfolio companies.
Rob originally joined Falcon (its predecessor firm) in 2010 as a Partner. Under his leadership, Falcon has been recognized as one of America’s fastest-growing, privately held companies by Inc. Magazine.
Prior to his career in executive search, Rob worked in the consumer products and industrial services sectors. He is a member of ACG’s New York, NY chapter and has a BS from the University of Dayton.
Joe Gravino
GTM Practice Lead
Joe Gravino leads execution on private equity-backed CEO and Revenue Leader searches across North America.
Joe joined Falcon after completing his graduate studies. While in college, Joe interned at FirstLink Research & Analytics, where he provided market assessments for the commercialization of medical device inventions. While in college, he was a four-year member of the Mercyhurst Lacrosse team, and he currently coaches in the local Cleveland area.
Joe received his Masters in Management from Durham University (UK) and BA from Mercyhurst University.
Brandon Mihalo
Vice President, Search
Brandon Mihalo leads execution on private equity-backed CFO searches across North America.
Before joining Falcon as an Analyst, Brandon interned at Blackmore Partners and KPMG where he leveraged his financial background to conduct due diligence, create business plans, and source lower middle market companies. Brandon is an expert in candidate identification, recruitment, and development and in client management.
Brandon is graduate of St. Francis University, where he studied Accounting and Finance.
Bryan Sienerth
Vice President, Search
Bryan Sienerth leads execution on private equity-backed CFO searches across North America.
Before joining Falcon as an analyst, Bryan interned at Great Lakes Insurance and Erie Technical Systems while competing in the Pittsburgh Penguin farm system. Bryan is skilled with candidate identification, recruitment and development. He is also expert at industry research, sourcing strategies, and client management.
Bryan is graduate of Mercyhurst University where he studied Finance and Business Competitive Intelligence.
Christy Smith
Vice President, Search
Christy Smith supports Falcon’s candidate identification, recruitment and development. She is also expert at industry research, sourcing strategies, and data management. She fully leverages a variety of resources including Pitchbook and LinkedIn Recruiter.
Before beginning her career at Falcon, Christy ran a full recruitment desk at a contingent technology staffing firm. She supported VC-backed early stage startups in candidate identification, recruitment, and market mapping.
Christy is a graduate of the College of Charleston where she studied Marketing.
Sarah DeMarco
Vice President, Search
Sarah DeMarco leads execution on private equity-backed executive searches across North America.
Before joining Falcon, Sarah led Expert Network engagements with Guidepoint.
Sarah is graduate of Colgate University, where she studied Geography.
Blake Minchoff
Vice President, Search Operations
Blake Minchoff, VP of Search Operations at Falcon, has been with the firm since 2023. He leads operational efficiency for Falcon’s search team and oversees continuous improvement projects.
Prior to joining Falcon, Blake oversaw recruiting operations at Keystone Strategy, optimizing talent experience for consulting hires. He also spent four years at Northeastern University as a project manager with a focus on employee recruitment, onboarding, and development.
Blake received his Master’s in Project Management from Northeastern University and his BA from Brandeis University.
Brandt Slayton
Technical Lead
Brandt Slayton supports Falcon’s data analytics, technology, and automation efforts. He is also a critical member of the team that is incubating Falcon’s propriety assessment tool, The Crucible.
Before joining Falcon, Brandt was a summer intern with our firm.
Brandt holds an AB in Engineering Sciences & Economics as well as a BS in Mechanical Engineering, both from Dartmouth College.
Rebekah Howland
Vice President, Talent
Rebekah Howland leads Falcon’s talent management initiatives including internal recruitment, team development, and employee experience. She has been with Falcon since 2015 and has held a variety of roles across research, sourcing, and candidate development.
Before beginning her career as an Analyst at Falcon, Rebekah interned with the Cleveland Leadership Center, focusing on civic engagement for college and high school students. She also interned in the development and marketing departments at New Hope, a domestic violence education and prevention services provider. Currently, she is actively involved in a number of youth- and education-focused organizations in the community.
Rebekah received her BA from Wheaton College (MA), where she was inducted into Alpha Kappa Delta and Phi Beta Kappa, and her MBA from the Kellogg School of Management.
Alice Proctor
Content and Marketing Manager
Alice Proctor brings deep experience with written communications and messaging, coupled with a pulse on c-suite operations and successful operators. She leads the Falcon CXO content team.
Over the course of her career, Alice has partnered with several globally recognized entrepreneurs in the technology, legal, financial services, manufacturing, hospitality, advertising, and media sectors. She has a wealth of copywriting and copyediting experience, and she has been actively engaged in everything from fundraising and deal closings, to developing marketing campaigns and print/TV ad production.
Some early career roles included high-net-worth client specialist for a commercial bank, head of shareholder relations for a broadcast media company, and the client services manager for a prominent family office.
Joey Cipriano
Senior Associate, Data
Joey Cipriano supports Falcon’s data analytics, technology, and automation efforts.
During his undergraduate studies, Joey worked as a research assistant in the Economics department at the University of Chicago. After spending a summer interning with Falcon, Joey joined the firm full-time following his graduation.
Joey graduated from the University of Chicago with a degree in Economics specializing in Data Science and Statistics
Sahar Samman
Senior Associate, Search
Sahar Samman supports Falcon’s candidate identification, recruitment and development. She is also expert at industry research, sourcing strategies, and data management. She fully leverages a variety of resources including Pitchbook, CapitalIQ, and LinkedIn Recruiter.
Before joining Falcon, Sahar worked as an Investment Analyst in the Derivatives Middle Office group at Nationwide Insurance. She was also a Sr. Analyst in Business Technology for Nationwide, prior to her promotion to Nationwide Investments.
Sahar holds a BA from Sewanee: The University of the South, where she majored in Economics and double-minored in Finance and Philosophy.
Alexis Novales
Associate, Search
Alexis Novales
Alexis Novales supports Falcon’s candidate identification, recruitment and development. She is also expert at industry research, sourcing strategies, and data management. She fully leverages a variety of resources including Pitchbook, CapitalIQ, and LinkedIn Recruiter.
Before joining Falcon, Alexis worked as a Senior Account Executive for Sunbelt Staffing. In this role, she was responsible for sourcing and pre-screening education professionals for school districts nationwide.
Alexis received her BA from the University of Tampa, where she majored in Advertising & Public Relations.
Caroline McLaughlin
Associate, Search
Caroline McLaughlin supports Falcon’s candidate identification, recruitment and development. She is also expert at industry research, sourcing strategies, and data management. She fully leverages a variety of resources including Pitchbook, CapitalIQ, and LinkedIn Recruiter.
Prior to Falcon, Caroline was a full-cycle recruiter and account manager at Insight Global. In her role, she was responsible for growing her book of business of Fortune 1000 clients to consult and deliver talent optimization initiatives in the IT, Finance, Accounting and Engineering spaces.
Caroline received her BS from the University of Dayton where she studied Marketing.
Lilly Hyde
Associate, Search
Lilly Hyde supports Falcon’s candidate identification, recruitment and development. She is also expert at industry research, sourcing strategies, and data management. She fully leverages a variety of resources including Pitchbook, CapitalIQ, and LinkedIn Recruiter.
During her undergraduate studies, Lilly completed multiple marketing internships with various local companies and non-profits. During her senior year, she conducted a public relations campaign for her school’s football team to reengage the student population with its mascot. While in graduate school, Lilly worked as a consultant for Allsorter, a resume parsing technology company based in Dublin.
She graduated from Georgetown with a Masters in Management and received her BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Political Science and Public Relations.
Morgan Seay
Associate, Search
Morgan Seay supports Falcon’s candidate identification, recruitment and development. She is also expert at industry research, sourcing strategies, and data management. She fully leverages a variety of resources including Pitchbook, CapitalIQ, and LinkedIn Recruiter.
During her undergraduate studies, Morgan was a research lead on the Racial Geography Project, a collective aimed at revealing and understanding Rice University’s unique relationship with slavery and racial injustice. She also led her own Medical Humanities research project examining misconceptions about black female bodies in medicine. During her senior year, Morgan acted as President of her residential college, Hanszen, while also working as an intern at the Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Morgan holds a BA from Rice University where she studied Social Policy Analysis.
Nathan Delmar
Associate, Search
Nathan Delmar supports Falcon’s candidate identification, recruitment and development. He is also expert at industry research, sourcing strategies, and data management. He fully leverages a variety of resources including Pitchbook, CapitalIQ, and LinkedIn Recruiter.
Prior to joining Falcon, Nathan worked as a mountain guide in the Pacific Northwest and as an avalanche forecaster for the National Forest Service in New Hampshire.
Nathan received his BA from Bates College where he majored in History and minored in Philosophy and East Asian Studies.
Sam Barlow
Associate, Search
Sam Barlow supports Falcon’s candidate identification, recruitment and development. He is also expert at industry research, sourcing strategies, and data management. He fully leverages a variety of resources including Pitchbook, CapitalIQ, and LinkedIn Recruiter.
Prior to joining Falcon, Sam worked as a search consultant in the People Talent Legal Practice at True Search, a global executive search firm. In this role, Sam sourced and placed CPO’s for high growth B2B companies,
Sam holds a BA in Cultural Anthropology from Trinity College, CT and a MS in Business Management from Boston University’s Questrom School of Business.
Sebastian Mai
Associate, Search
Sebastian Mai supports Falcon’s candidate identification, recruitment and development. He is also expert at industry research, sourcing strategies, and data management. He fully leverages a variety of resources including Pitchbook, CapitalIQ, and LinkedIn Recruiter.
Prior to joining Falcon, Sebastian worked at True, an executive search firm where he specialized in CRO, CEO and Investor placements.
Sebastian holds a bachelor’s degree in international business from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Jillian Miele
Associate, Data
Jillian Miele supports Falcon’s industry research, sourcing strategies, and data management. She compiles companies and sources candidates utilizing her research experience in Pitchbook and LinkedIn Recruiter. She also contributes to data analytics initiatives.
During her undergraduate studies, Jillian worked as a technology consultant and research assistant for Syracuse University’s Department of Psychology. She also participated in an independent research study, where she designed and built interactive data visualizations modelling the socio-technical influences of misinformation on belief systems.
Jillian received her BS from Syracuse University, where she majored in Applied Data Analytics.
Joe Valencia
Associate, Talent
Joe Valencia supports Falcon’s industry research, sourcing strategies, and data management. He compiles companies and sources candidates utilizing his research experience in Pitchbook, CapitalIQ, and LinkedIn Recruiter.
Prior to joining Falcon, Joe interned with Advisor Group, a nationwide support network for financial professionals. He also interned with Solorzano Law, a law firm dedicated to helping underrepresented clients in the greater Phoenix area.
Joe holds a BA from Williams College, where he studied Psychology.
Katie Baker
Associate, Learning & Development
Katie Baker supports training and knowledge management activities at Falcon, and she is focused on enhancing learning and development opportunities for all employees. She also supports the internal hiring and onboarding cycles.
Before pivoting to support internal talent, Katie worked as an Associate and Senior Analyst within Falcon’s executive search team. Prior to that, Katie was a Recruiting Coordinator at the Waffle House corporate office, where she supported the full-cycle recruiting process for managers, associates, and technicians.
Katie graduated Summa Cum Laude from Kennesaw State University with a BS in Exercise Science.
Mallory Stokker
Associate, PE-CXO
Mallory Stokker supports content development for Falcon’s online publications and for the firm’s FalconCXO platform. She also conducts industry research, compiles companies, and sources candidates utilizing her research experience in Pitchbook, CapitalIQ, and LinkedIn Recruiter.
During her undergraduate studies, Mallory worked as a writer and editor for multiple student publications. She also gained experience with professional writing and non-profit communications, particularly during a semester-long internship as a community engagement intern working with a local organization dedicated to combating poverty and inequality.
Mallory holds a BS in Journalism from Syracuse University, where she also double-minored in Writing & Rhetorical Studies and Philosophy.
Abbie Glover
Senior Analyst
Abbie Glover supports Falcon’s industry research, sourcing strategies, and data management. She compiles companies and sources candidates utilizing her research experience in Pitchbook and LinkedIn Recruiter.
Before joining Falcon, Abbie worked as a middle school science teacher in one of Texas’s largest public school districts. During her undergraduate studies, she founded and led a service organization benefiting underserved youth in the Bryan-College Station area.
Abbie holds a BS from Texas A&M University, where she majored in Interdisciplinary Studies.
Dani Knobloch
Senior Analyst
Dani Knobloch supports Falcon’s industry research, sourcing strategies, and data management. She compiles companies and sources candidates utilizing her research experience in Pitchbook and LinkedIn Recruiter.
During her undergraduate studies, Dani led a capstone research paper investigating the effects of a state-wide healthcare policy change on enrollment in services at large network of clinics in the Houston area. Additionally, she led an individual project investigating barriers to access in a local food prescription program. During her senior year, Dani acted as President of her residential college, Hanszen, while leading the University’s cycling team.
Dani holds a BA from Rice University where she studied Social Policy Analysis and Sports Medicine & Exercise Physiology.
Rhianna Walzer
Senior Analyst
Rhianna Walzer supports Falcon’s industry research, sourcing strategies, and data management. She compiles companies and sources candidates utilizing her research experience in Pitchbook and LinkedIn Recruiter.
During her undergraduate studies, Rhianna completed a marketing internship with Roche Diagnostics, primarily focused on the creation of external sales collateral. Rhianna also completed an eight-month finance Co-Op at Johnson & Johnson with key responsibilities in affiliate sales tracking, BME forecasting, and financial reporting.
Rhianna received her BS from Butler University, majoring in Finance and Entrepreneurship & Innovation.
Connor Brosnan
Analyst
Connor Brosnan supports Falcon’s industry research, sourcing strategies, and data management. He compiles companies and sources candidates utilizing his research experience in Pitchbook and LinkedIn Recruiter.
During his undergraduate studies, Connor completed an investment banking internship with Brown Gibbons Lang & Company, gaining experience in sell-side M&A. He also participated in a 12-month Co-Op at Progressive Insurance as an accounting intern. His duties included account reconciliation and month-end reporting.
Connor received his BS in Finance from Miami University.
Edriss Ndiaye
Analyst
Edriss Ndiaye supports Falcon’s industry research, sourcing strategies, and data management. He compiles companies and sources candidates utilizing his research experience in Pitchbook and LinkedIn Recruiter.
During his undergraduate studies, Edriss demonstrated a strong entrepreneurial spirit by co-founding The BLOK app, aimed at enhancing social connectivity. He gained valuable professional experience through internships at Nationwide, where he contributed to key projects, and at Finnt, a Y Combinator-backed startup, where he honed his skills in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. In addition to his academic and professional pursuits, Edriss was a nationally and internationally competitive fencer, earning the distinction of being a 2x NCAA All-American.
Edriss received his BA from The Ohio State University, where he majored in Communications.
Graham Bauer
Analyst
Graham Bauer supports Falcon’s industry research, sourcing strategies, and data management. He compiles companies and sources candidates utilizing his research experience in Pitchbook and LinkedIn Recruiter.
Prior to joining Falcon, Graham completed a talent acquisition internship at Esurgi. He also developed valuable marketing and sales experience in a fast-paced startup environment at Build Your Practice.
Graham received his BA from The University of Virginia, where he studied psychology and leadership through the McIntire School of Commerce.
Katie Furgason
Analyst
Katie Furgason supports Falcon’s industry research, sourcing strategies, and data management. She compiles companies and sources candidates utilizing her research experience in Pitchbook and LinkedIn Recruiter.
During her undergraduate studies, Katie worked as a research assistant for Case Western Reserve University’s Department of Psychology. She also worked in the admissions office as a campus tour guide and admissions interviewer. During her senior year, she served as a co-director for the Greater Cleveland chapter of Kesem, a national nonprofit that runs a free summer camp for children impacted by a parent’s cancer.
Katie received her BA from Case Western Reserve University, where she majored in Psychology and Anthropology.
Kyla Thompson
Analyst
Kyla Thompson supports Falcon’s industry research, sourcing strategies, and data management. She compiles companies and sources candidates utilizing her research experience in Pitchbook and LinkedIn Recruiter.
During her undergraduate studies, Kyla completed a marketing internship with Branch Basics, primarily focused on increasing customer sales in the household cleaning market. Kyla also completed a 12-month internship at The Side-Out Foundation as Project Coordinator where she managed fundraising campaigns and coordinated outreach efforts to enhance community engagement. During her senior year, she shadowed the UVA Executive Search Group.
Kyla received her BA from the University of Virginia, where she majored in American Studies with a minor in Leadership at the McIntire School of Commerce.
Robin Pritchett
Project Manager
Robin leads Falcon’s search coordination efforts on private equity-backed mandates across North America. She is an expert in project management and skilled in providing a world-class client and candidate experience.
Prior to joining Falcon, Robin spent eight years in executive search coordination at Russell Reynolds Associates and Heidrick & Struggles. Before she made the move to executive search, Robin spent eighteen years in market research & data analytics providing in-depth analysis and insights in the consumer goods and service industries.
Robin received an MBA in General Management from Howard University and a BA in Economics from DePauw University.
Ty Konell
Project Coordinator
Before joining Falcon, Ty supported full scope executive search project coordination at Spencer Stuart, where she also aided in business development efforts and employee affinity group leadership, specializing in Women and LGBTQ+ people in the workplace. Previous to her tenure in executive search, she supported C-Suite executives in the FinTech industry.
Ty holds a BA from Grand Valley State University, where she was student research scholar studying Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.
Anna Novik
Office Manager
Anna Novik supports back office operations to ensure a seamless service experience for Falcon’s clients and candidates.
Before joining Falcon, Anna held numerous roles with the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, including Administrative Specialist with the Young Leadership Division and Co-Director of the Saltzman Youth Panel. Previously, she supported the City of Pepper Pike as Administrative Assistant and Menorah Park Campus as Office Manager.
