Alumni Personal & Career Development Center

🎩NEW DEACON SPOTLIGHT🎩

While at Wake Forest, David Willhoit (‘03) studied French and Psychology as well as co-founded Wake Works, which staffed students for events at various venues. Following graduation, he landed his first full-time role in the operations management program at McMaster-Carr. Little did he know that 20+ years later, he’d be leading multiple event marketing and operations teams supporting J.P. Morgan’s Commercial & Investment Banking business across the globe. David’s story proves that the world of finance isn’t just limited to professionals in banking, sales, or research.

Here are some fun facts about David:

🌍 He’s travelled to and spent time in 43 countries (so far).

📥 David was the co-founder of Wake Works, which staffed over 100 Wake students for events jobs at Adam’s Mark and Graylyn.

🖼️ He’s an avid art collector, chef and has a passion for interior design (follow his Instagram account @willhoitdesign!).

We’ll leave you with some advice from David on the importance of a strong work ethic for getting ahead in your career:
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“When I speak to folks about my journey, I always encourage them to get stuck into their roles, become the expert at what they do and build their personal brand so they are the one people want to champion for opportunity – luck or happenstance can land you a role, but hard work and impact are what land you a promotion.”

Read more of our Q&A with David at the link in our profile or stories! Plus, you can always check out our past alumni spotlights in the “Deacon Spotlight” highlight reel in our profile.

https://alumni.opcd.wfu.edu/deacon-spotlight/deacon-spotlight-david-willhoit/ …

Calling all NYC Deacs! Whether you’re hoping to build your network professionally or just take a few minutes to meet someone new, sign up for these 1:1 alumni conversations to get connected with a fellow Deac who lives in New York City!

Here’s how it works:

📆 Register by the end of the day on Wednesday, June 4th.

🤝 Our team will match alumni for 1:1 conversations.

📧 On Friday, June 6th, we’ll connect each conversation pair with a short introductory email.

☕️ Each conversation pair will work to find a time to meet that works for you both. It’s that easy.

Plan to chat for 30-minutes, maybe over coffee or a quick bite to eat! 💥Please note that this is an alumni-only event (i.e. no students or non-NYC alumni).💥

https://wakenetwork.wfu.edu/events/online-nyc-coffee-chat-with-alumni-06-04-2025-0012047 …

🎩NEW DEACON SPOTLIGHT🎩

Prior to the pandemic, Wake alumna Johanna Beach Lyle (‘15) was working as an editor and producer for a video production company. After starting some DIY home design projects and sharing them on Instagram, she began to explore a career in design and eventually made the pivot into a design assistant role with a firm in Chicago! Currently, Johanna is an interior designer and owner of her company Jo Lyle & Co., working with clients in Raleigh, Chicago, and Boston and virtual clients nationwide.

Here are some fun facts about Johanna:

🎭At Wake, she received a seed grant through the entrepreneurship program for a two-woman puppet show that she toured with her sister, performing in people’s homes, after graduation.

🇬🇧 When Johanna was 25, she spent a week in London taking a course on making miniatures.

🧩 Lately, she’s been starting every day with at least four NYTimes puzzles. Wordle and The Mini crossword are her favs.

We’ll leave you with some advice from Johanna about making a career pivot:
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“Don’t be afraid to take a left turn. I danced around a lot of creative careers in my twenties until I found the right lane. I had to start over at the bottom at 28 and it was very humbling. I was the girl getting the coffees again. I was the newbie and it was hard, but ultimately, it was a short amount of painful transition time that has led to a very fulfilling career.”

Read more of our Q&A with Johanna at the link in our profile or stories! Plus, you can always check out our past alumni spotlights in the “Deacon Spotlight” highlight reel in our profile.

https://alumni.opcd.wfu.edu/deacon-spotlight/deacon-spotlight-johanna-beach-lyle/ …

🎩NEW DEACON SPOTLIGHT🎩

Take a few minutes to read about Elliot Ivey’s (‘03) career journey after Wake Forest! He currently works in Private Equity Operations at Pathway Capital Management in Irvine, CA, where he leads a 9-person team responsible for strategic operations and technology integration across the company’s portfolios. He began his career working at firms like Lehman Brothers and Deutsche Bank and eventually earned his MBA from USC Marshall. Elliot says that all of these experiences shaped his approach to work and gave him the tools for the job he has now.

Here are some fun facts that Elliot shared with us:

🌄While living in Japan, I once got very lost on a mountain hike—no English signs, no cell service, no humans for hours. Just as I was accepting my fate as Rip Van Winkle, an elderly man appeared, pointed, said “wrong way,” and saved me from wandering into 200 miles of uninhabited wilderness.

🧗🏼 I go to a rock-climbing gym for fun—because I enjoy feeling adventurous without actually needing a rescue team.

🏈 I played defensive back at Wake Forest, but yoga humbles me more than covering a deep post. Holding Warrior III in total silence? Somehow tougher than shedding a block from a 300-pound lineman on a screen. At least on the field, I could yell.

We’ll leave you with some advice from Elliot for any Deacs interested in a career within the Finance industry:
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“Finance has a wide range of paths—some analytical, others people-focused, creative, or operational. The key is finding what energizes you. Do you like leading? Doing things solo? Solving problems? Building relationships? There’s a role that sits at the intersection of your strengths and interests. Be patient and picky and don’t be afraid to pivot.”

Read more of our Q&A with Elliot at the link in our profile or stories! Plus, you can always check out our past alumni spotlights in the “Deacon Spotlight” highlight reel in our profile.

https://alumni.opcd.wfu.edu/deacon-spotlight/deacon-spotlight-elliot-ivey/ …