2017's Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A

2017's Most Influential Women in Mid Market M&A

The second edition of Mergers & Acquisitions' special report celebrates 35 leading female transaction professionals, including: Kristina Heinze, Venita Fields and AUA Private Equity Partners' Astrid Soto.

Marilyn Adler: Managing Director, Medley Capital

Marilyn Adler: Managing Director, Medley Capital

Sphere of Influence: Heads Medley Capital's SBIC fund, contributes to the SBIA and ACG New York, and lobbies on behalf of the middle market on Capitol Hill

Molly Ashby: CEO, Solera Capital

Molly Ashby: CEO, Solera Capital

Sphere of Influence: Bets big on companies cherished by and often run by women, including macaroni and cheese maker Annie's Inc.

Andrea Auerbach: Managing Director, Global Head, Private Investment Research, Cambridge Associates

Andrea Auerbach: Managing Director, Global Head, Private Investment Research, Cambridge Associates

Sphere of Influence: Evaluates funds for investment and co-investment opportunities on behalf of the firm’s private equity clients

Karen Bechtel: Managing Director, Carlyle Group

Karen Bechtel: Managing Director, Carlyle Group

Sphere of Influence: Co-heads global healthcare for Carlyle and has invested approximately $2 billion of equity in companies around the world over the past 10 years

Chrisanne Corbett: Managing Director, KPMG

Chrisanne Corbett: Managing Director, KPMG

Sphere of Influence: Spearheads U.S. industrials transactions and co-leads the audit, tax and advisory firm’s equity coverage team

Catherine Dargan: Partner, Covington & Burling

 Catherine Dargan: Partner, Covington & Burling

Sphere of Influence: Co-leads M&A practice and serves on the law firm’s management committee

Carey Davidson: Managing Director, Head of Capital Markets, Monroe Capital

Carey Davidson: Managing Director, Head of Capital Markets, Monroe Capital

Sphere of Influence: Initiated Monroe’s capital markets function, leads buy-side club originations, relationship management, and marketing as well as sell-side syndications

Robin Engelson: Managing Partner, Founder, Sapphire Financial Group

Robin Engelson: Managing Partner, Founder, Sapphire Financial Group

Sphere of Influence: Founder and managing partner; holds nearly 32 years of experience in lending and investment banking; and serves on several executive boards

Venita Fields: Partner, Pelham S2K Managers

Venita Fields: Partner, Pelham S2K Managers

Sphere of Influence: President of ACG Chicago; has structured, closed or managed about $2 billion in investments in the automotive, aviation, environmental, food, industrial, manufacturing, retail and service sectors

Amy Forrestal: Managing Director, Brookwood Associates

Amy Forrestal: Managing Director, Brookwood Associates

Sphere of Influence: Brings vast experience advising on restaurant deals, including KFC and Taco Bell franchises, to her clients

Mary Gaede: Managing Director, Antares Capital

Mary Gaede: Managing Director, Antares Capital

Sphere of Influence: Handles West Coast private equity clients for the biggest lender in the middle market

Janki Gandhi: Managing Director, Lincoln International

Janki Gandhi: Managing Director, Lincoln International

Sphere of Influence: Manages client relationships and leads deal teams in the investment bank’s consumer group

Lori Haram: SVP, New Business Development, Estée Lauder

Lori Haram: SVP, New Business Development, Estée Lauder

Sphere of Influence: Implements M&A strategy, which consists of growing by at least one percent annually through acquisitions

Jeri Harman: CEO, Avante Mezzanine Partners

Jeri Harman: CEO, Avante Mezzanine Partners

Sphere of Influence: Runs one of the most active lending shops in the middle market, co-chairs the annual ACG Los Angeles Business Conference and serves as vice chair of the SBIA

Holly Moore Haynes: Founder, Luminate Capital Partners

Holly Moore Haynes: Founder, Luminate Capital Partners

Sphere of Influence: After cutting her teeth at Silver Lake, where she worked on significant tech deals, such as the buyout of Seagate’s hard drive unit, Haynes recently founded tech-focused PE firm Luminate

Kristina Heinze: Co-Founder, Partner, ParkerGale Capital

Kristina Heinze: Co Founder, Partner, ParkerGale Capital

Sphere of Influence: Heads up deal sourcing at young, tech-focused private equity firm ParkerGale, which she co-founded with fellow partners from Chicago Growth Partners

Pam Hendrickson: COO, The Riverside Co.

Pam Hendrickson: COO, The Riverside Co.

Sphere of Influence: Runs Riverside’s back-office functions, fundraising and deal origination; serves on the firm’s investment committee and supervises a fund; previously served as chair of the ACG; testified before Congress on behalf of PE industry

Mary Josephs: CEO, Verit Advisors

Mary Josephs: CEO, Verit Advisors

Sphere of Influence: Structures innovative ESOPs for middle-market companies

Julia Karol: President, COO, The Watermill Group

Julia Karol: President, COO, The Watermill Group

Sphere of Influence: Evaluates funds for investment and co-investment opportunities on behalf of the firm’s private equity clients

Mercedes Kerr: EVP, Business Development, Welltower

Mercedes Kerr: EVP, Business Development, Welltower

Sphere of Influence: Manages business relationships to help the company expand its healthcare real estate portfolio

Karin Kovacic: VP, New Business Development, Alcentra Capital

Karin Kovacic: VP, New Business Development, Alcentra Capital

Sphere of Influence: Spearheads new business development and deal origination for the BNY Mellon subsidiary; chairs ACG Connecticut chapter; serves on the boards of AM&AA and ACG Global

Amber Landis: VP, Public Policy, ACG Global

Amber Landis: VP, Public Policy, ACG Global

Sphere of Influence: Lobbies on behalf of the middle market in Washington, D.C., including meeting with members of Congress and federal regulators

Tricia Marks: Managing Director, Madison Capital Funding

Tricia Marks: Managing Director, Madison Capital Funding

Sphere of Influence: Manages the firm’s loan syndication effort and third-party capital, and serves on the investment committee

Beatrice Mitchell: Managing Director, Sperry Mitchell

Beatrice Mitchell: Managing Director, Sperry Mitchell

Sphere of Influence: Co-owns one of the oldest independent middle-market investment banking firms

Nicola Morris: SVP, Corporate Development, Wex

Nicola Morris: SVP, Corporate Development, Wex

Sphere of Influence: Heads up M&A efforts for the acquisitive vehicle payment processing services provider

Hadley Mullin: Senior Managing Director, TSG Consumer Partners

Hadley Mullin: Senior Managing Director, TSG Consumer Partners

Sphere of Influence: Leverages 20 years of experience working on consumer deals, such as Smashbox, Yard House, Radio Systems and Sexy Hair, to play several roles at the PE firm, including serving on the investment committee

Raquel Palmer: Partner, KPS Capital Partners

Raquel Palmer: Partner, KPS Capital Partners

Sphere of Influence: Chairs the investment committee of the turnaround-focused PE firm and serves on the board of nine portfolio companies

Gretchen Perkins: Partner, Huron Capital Partners

Gretchen Perkins: Partner, Huron Capital Partners

Sphere of Influence: Originates many of Huron’s deals and influences public policy for the middle market as co-chair of ACG’s public policy committee

Beth Pickens: Managing Director, William Blair

Beth Pickens: Managing Director, William Blair

Sphere of Influence: Runs cross-border consumer goods deals, such as Harrys of London, out of the investment bank's London office

Sheryl Schwartz: Managing Director, Caspian Private Equity

Sheryl Schwartz: Managing Director, Caspian Private Equity

Sphere of Influence: As a limited partner, Schwartz invests in primary and secondary private equity funds on behalf of Caspian clients

Astrid Soto: VP, Business Development, AUA Private Equity Partners

Astrid Soto: VP, Business Development, AUA Private Equity Partners

Sphere of Influence: Heads business development for AUA; contributes to the ACG New York's Women of Leadership committee; looks to increase diversity in private equity, specifically among minority groups and the Hispanic community

Christine Tiseo, Managing Director, Lincoln International

Christine Tiseo, Managing Director, Lincoln International

Sphere of Influence: Runs financing processes for private equity firms that are making leveraged acquisitions, refinancing companies or issuing dividend recapitalizations

Emily Waldorf: VP, Corporate Strategy, Campbell Soup

Emily Waldorf: VP, Corporate Strategy, Campbell Soup

Sphere of Influence: Spearheads Campbell’s corporate direction and planning processes, including expanding the maker of well-known comfort foods into new, growing segments through acquisitions, such as Bolthouse Farms

Amber McGraw Walsh: Chair, Healthcare Practice, McGuireWoods

Amber McGraw Walsh: Chair, Healthcare Practice, McGuireWoods

Sphere of Influence: As head of the healthcare practice at McGuireWoods, she advises on a wide range of deals in the sector, including physician-owned hospitals

Alisa Wood: Member, Client and Partner Group, KKR

Alisa Wood: Member, Client and Partner Group, KKR

Sphere of Influence: Heads KKR’s products specialist area globally for all private market activities, participates in capital raising and nurtures relationships with limited partners