Sumeet is the Founder of HighPoint Associates and directs company strategy. He is dedicated to creating transformational change for HighPoint client partners. His focus on growth has resulted in measurable, positive outcomes, and high rates of client retention. Sumeet’s breadth of experience and keen sense of intuition allow him to partner with clients to identify the roots of their challenges and how best to tackle them.

Prior to founding HighPoint in 2001, Sumeet was the head of Strategy & Business Development at an early stage venture firm that operated at the intersection of technology, media and entertainment. Before that, he served dozens of clients across industry and functional sectors from McKinsey & Company’s New York and Los Angeles offices.

Sumeet holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BS from the Wharton School of Business.

Sumeet is based in Los Angeles, where he runs (and runs and runs) almost every morning. After a half-dozen attempts, he gave up on breaking a four-hour marathon and instead now focuses his attention on coaching his son’s sports teams, while cheering on his daughter in skating competitions – and avoiding cursing in front of either of them when his Philadelphia teams let him down…again (save for little blips of happiness in 2018 and 2009).

Richard is a Partner with HighPoint Associates and runs the firm’s East Coast office. He joined HighPoint in 2008 and has since been working with consultants across industries to solve problems, elevate conversations, and deliver breakthrough results.

Prior to joining HighPoint, Richard spent nearly 20 years in a variety of consulting, operating, and start-up leadership positions. Prior to joining HighPoint, he was a principal at Katzenbach Partners, a boutique management consulting firm, where he led client engagements and developed new business in the consumer, healthcare, telecommunications, and financial services sectors. Prior to that, Richard led acquisition and consumer marketing for the largest customer segment within AT&T Wireless. Earlier in his career, he was part of the leadership team at two venture-backed start-ups. He started his career serving in brand management and finance roles at Procter & Gamble.

Richard holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a BS from Washington University in St. Louis. He and his wife have two children with whom they enjoy exploring the world.

Justin is Chief Operating Officer and Partner at HighPoint Associates. He devotes much of his time to running internal operations, including HPA partner business development and client delivery support, HR, Finance, contracting, and IT, as well as serves several clients as lead partner.

Prior to joining HighPoint, Justin spent over 20 years in general management, finance, strategy, and marketing leadership roles, first as a senior consultant with Bain & Company, and then in progressive CPG-retail responsibilities at Mattel, Inc.  Most recently, he served as Group CFO and Senior Vice President for Mattel’s Global FP&A, Investor Relations, Commercial Finance, Brand Finance, and Investment Finance organizations.  Previously, Justin helped build out Mattel’s global e-retail and Amazon operations as General Manager of its North America Online business, and headed Mattel’s Corporate Strategy and Development capability.

Justin holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, where he was an Austin Scholar, and a BA in Math-Economics from Pomona College.

Justin is based in Los Angeles with his wife and three children. He attempts to maintain a respectable athletic career in all high school / middle-school competitions, and enjoys making music with his family.  When he is not chasing his children’s extracurriculars, you’ll find him cheering on his beloved UConn Huskies basketball teams…or returning to his liberal arts roots with philosophy and theology reading.

Stephen is a Senior Project Leader leading project teams delivering impact for clients. He has 20 years of strategy and operations experience driving large scale programs in transformation, post-merger integration, M&A, and change management across industry sectors.

He is a former McKinsey Associate Principal and leader in the firm’s Operations practice where he led strategy, Lean transformation, post-merger integration, and operations excellence efforts. Stephen then moved to United Technologies where he led strategy and M&A and managed a multibillion-dollar post-merger integration initiative. After United Technologies, Stephen joined Capital One leading a Process Excellence rollout. His more recent roles include VP of Program Management at CSC Service Works, a private equity owned consumer service business, and Chief Transformation Officer at Club Corp, a private equity-owned private clubs and lifestyle business, before taking on a number of transformational HPA leadership opportunities.

Stephen holds a PhD in Physics from University of California, Berkeley, and a BA and MA in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University.

Stephen is based in Dallas, where he enjoys sailing and serving with the Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Cathy joined HighPoint Associates in 2023 as VP, Business Development & Operations. In this role, she leads the business development function and actively shapes HPA’s lead generation and cultivation strategy to drive growth for the firm. Additionally, she works closely with our Partners and BD team to deliver exceptional results for our clients.

Cathy brings over 20 years of experience in finance, accounting, strategy, and project management.  Prior to joining HPA, Cathy served as Vice President of Finance and Business Analytics at Sony Pictures Consumer Products. Prior to Sony, Cathy held financial planning and analysis, reporting, corporate strategy, operations, and leadership roles at Fortune 500 companies including Mattel, Dole Foods, and Disney/ABC.  She started her career in Public Accounting with Ernst & Young.

Cathy holds an MBA from the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business, and a BA in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles.  She is also a Certified Public Accountant.

Cathy is based in Los Angeles where she enjoys spending time with her family and volunteering at her son’s school.  She also likes to play tennis, is a classically trained pianist and a photography enthusiast.

Chris is an Operations and Finance Associate at Highpoint Associates. In this role, Chris works closely with our Operations Director across a variety of functions to support business operations, including procurement, marketing, office administration, and business development. In addition, he also supports our Controller with financial and accounting matters.

Prior to joining HPA in April 2023, Chris served as a Client Partner Associate for a Los Angeles based agency delivering AR/VR solutions for Fortune 500 companies. Chris also managed day-to-day operations and sales for a premium swing set company in Massachusetts. Chris graduated from the University of Massachusetts Lowell in 2020 and holds a BA in Finance and Management.

Chris grew up in a small town in Massachusetts and currently resides in Santa Monica, CA. Outside of work Chris enjoys exploring the city for new restaurants, going thrifting at flea markets, staying active, and listening to true crime podcasts.

Nolan is a Business Development Associate at HighPoint Associates. Nolan works with the business development team and HPA Partners to foster internal growth and manage client relationships. In addition, he provides support to HPA consultant teams to deliver strategy and execution acceleration solutions to clients.

Prior to joining HPA in July 2022, Nolan graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a BA in political science. At UCI, Nolan founded the Anteater Crypto Association, the largest blockchain-focused club on campus. Furthermore, Nolan was the head of fundraising for the University of California, Irvine Real Estate Association, and a Co-Founder of Sigma Eta Pi entrepreneurship society.

Nolan has a diverse background with internship experience in consulting, financial services, technology, law, and venture capital. His work at Marsh & McLennan included fostering client relationships and mitigating risk for technology and life science clients. During his undergraduate years, Nolan was also Co-Founder of a clean technology company that completed a large-scale commercial solar project in Orange County, California.

Nolan is a Southern California native growing up in San Diego, CA and now living in Orange County, CA. On weekends, Nolan enjoys keeping up to date on geopolitics, hitting the gym to lift weights or play basketball, and preparing meals with his family.

Mikaela Celeste is a Talent Associate at HighPoint Associates. As a member of the Talent team, she collaborates with HPA Partners, consultants, and members of both the Talent and Business Development teams to staff all HighPoint projects. She also contributes to network development initiatives to recruit top-tier independent consultants to the HighPoint network.

Prior to joining HighPoint Associates in February 2024, Mikaela graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Psychology in June 2023. In college, Mikaela was on the NCAA Division 1 Women’s Soccer Team that participated in the Big West Conference. While playing on the team for four years, she earned various academic awards including Big West Commissioner’s Honor Roll, participated in the Triton Athletes’ Council, and received CCAA Freshman of the Year for her rookie season in 2019. Mikaela brings work experience, prior to HPA, in marketing and research & development.

Mikaela is a Southern California native, currently residing in Pasadena. She has an older brother who lives in Charleston, South Carolina. Half of her family, on her mother’s side, resides in Spain and the other half in the United States. Mikaela enjoys traveling, cooking, baking, painting, exercising, and spending time with friends and family.

Khalil is a Business Development (BD) Associate at HighPoint Associates (HPA). As a member of the BD team, he works closely with HPA partners to develop client relationships. He supports efforts to implement the firm’s lead generation strategy to foster top line growth and assists consulting teams in providing client solutions.

Prior to joining HPA in July 2023, Khalil graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of California, Los Angeles with a BA in Political Science. At UCLA, Khalil was involved in the Regents Scholars Society and Alumni Scholar’s Club. Prior to transferring to UCLA, Khalil earned AAs in Economics and Political Science at West Valley College, where he was the Founder/President of the Chess Club.

During his undergraduate years, Khalil gained diverse work and internship experience in the retail, government, and political sectors. At the Department of Commerce, Khalil spearheaded a nationwide commercial diplomacy campaign and led a substantial Salesforce data cleansing initiative.

Khalil was born and raised near San Jose, California and now resides in Los Angeles. In his free time, he enjoys exploring Los Angeles, playing strategic boardgames, watching movies, and spending time with friends and family.

Mackenzie Gruver is a Business Development Associate at HighPoint Associates. As a member of the Business Development (BD) team, she collaborates closely with her colleagues and HPA partners to foster robust client relationships. Mackenzie dedicates her efforts to nurturing client connections and plays a pivotal role in the firm’s growth through lead generation and cultivation initiatives. Additionally, she aids consultant teams in delivering strategic solutions and accelerating execution for clients.

Prior to her tenure at HighPoint Associates, Mackenzie earned her BA in Government and Psychology from Claremont McKenna College in July 2023. Her profound interest in Law and Public Policy steered her Senior Thesis, “Reforming Police in The Post-George Floyd Era: The Role of Public Opinion and Bureaucratic Police Community in Reform Outcomes,” which delves into diagnoses for the stagnated state of the Chicago Consent Decree. Beyond academics, she also served as the Director of Marketing for Claremont Marketing Group and a member of the D3 NCAA CMS Women’s Lacrosse team.

Mackenzie brings strong prior work experience to HPA, having worked in multiple roles across client services, Health Benefit consulting, project sales, product marketing, and academic research. In her free time, Mackenzie enjoys surfing, pickleball, discovering new running trails, and testing out new restaurants around LA.

Earl is a Senior Director who works closely with HPA Partners and consultants to lead staffing for all HighPoint projects. He also drives network development initiatives to recruit top-tier independent consultants into the HighPoint Network.

In addition to his work within the HPA talent function, Earl continues to contribute across areas including contracting, proposals, business development / marketing, and operations. Earl has worked with HighPoint for over 6 years, initially joining the firm as a Business Development Associate before transitioning to the network development and staffing side of the firm.

Earl holds a BA in International Relations from the University of Southern California. Earl is based in Los Angeles and is originally from North Carolina, where he grew up a fan of and participant in all things sports, with an emphasis on baseball. Today, he is an avid cyclist, golfer, and surfer who also enjoys cooking (especially pizza), and playing music.

Tess is a Business Development Associate at HighPoint Associates. As a member of the BD team, she works closely among her team and with HPA partners to develop client relationships. She supports efforts to implement the firm’s lead generation strategy to foster topline growth and assists the consulting teams in providing solutions to clients.

Prior to joining HPA in July 2022, Tess was part of the Hospital Operations Project Management Office at NYU Langone Health in Manhattan, New York. She worked alongside hospital leadership to support and manage quality improvement projects in various departments, with a focus on General Medicine, Patient Experience, Infection Control, and Pharmacy. Additionally, she provided administrative oversight for three inpatient General Internal Medicine units, where she worked to advance and manage initiatives that translate high reliability organization (HRO) principles into practice.

Tess graduated from the University of Michigan in May 2021, with a BS in International Studies, and a focus on Global Health and the Environment. While at University of Michigan, Tess explored her interests in Public Health, and her research, “Barriers and Facilitators to Community Health Outreach and Engagement in Detroit, Michigan: A Qualitative Study,” was published in the Journal of Health Promotion Practice.

Tess is originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan, and following her time in New York is now based in Los Angeles. In her free time, Tess enjoys exploring new hiking and running trails, discovering new restaurants, and spending time with her family on Douglas Lake in Northern Michigan during the summers.

Daniel is a Talent and Business Development Associate at HighPoint Associates. In this hybrid role, he collaborates with the Business Development and Talent teams to assist the HPA partners in company growth, building out HPA’s consulting network and staffing client projects with top tier independent consultants, and contributing to the delivery of solutions and services to our clients.

Prior to joining HighPoint Associates in July 2022, Daniel graduated from Claremont McKenna College with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Psychology. In college, Daniel was on the varsity Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Swim Team, led as Vice President of Student Activities in student government, participated as Head of Events in Class ‘22 Cabinet, and worked as a Senior Interviewer in CMC’s Admission Office. Daniel brings strong prior work experience to HPA, having worked in multiple prior roles across project sales, information services, event planning, marketing, project management, and research.

Daniel is a Los Angeles County native where he lives in an all former-varsity sport household. He is the second of four children raised in a first-generation Israeli-American household. Daniel enjoys traveling, cooking, concerts, fashion, drag culture, and holds a huge interest in Middle Eastern Diplomacy. On the weekends, you can find Daniel exploring new restaurants in LA, going to concerts and music festivals, bodysurfing at the beach, or watching a drag show in LA.

Aamir is a Director of Business Development and Operations at HighPoint Associates. In this role, Aamir is responsible for overseeing business operations including managing vendor relationships, office administration, marketing, and resource management for consultants. He is also responsible for onboarding and supporting consultant teams on projects, ensuring they have the resources and tools necessary to deliver on client engagements throughout their time staffed on projects with HPA.

Prior to joining HPA in November 2019, Aamir was a Business Risk Services Associate in Grant Thornton’s London office, where he worked on the Securities team to support audits at leading financial institutions. Aamir graduated from Occidental College in 2018 with a degree in Economics. While at Occidental, Aamir was President of the South Asian Students Association and President of his fraternity, Phi Kappa Psi. He also was a member of The Occidental Newspaper and the Occidental College Men’s Rugby Football Club.

Outside of HPA, Aamir enjoys hiking, trying out new recipes, and supporting Arsenal FC.

As a Business Development at HighPoint Associates, Kobe works closely with the HPA Partners to develop client relationships and support topline growth. Kobe also provides support to HPA’s consultant teams, helping them to deliver strategy and execution acceleration solutions to clients.

Prior to joining HPA in April 2023, Kobe graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a BA in Business Administration. At UCI, Kobe served as Vice President of Corporate Relations for the Undergraduate Business Association, the largest and oldest business club on campus and as a Representative for the Merage Undergraduate Student Association, the student leadership council for the Merage School of Business.

During his undergraduate years, Kobe gained diverse internship experience in consulting, technology, venture capital, and virtual reality. At Cosm, an up-and-coming company delivering immersive experiences through virtual reality, his work included developing the go-to-market strategy, building out the 5-year strategic roadmap, and streamlining internal operations. At UCI, Kobe interned for the Beall Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, where he led student and club outreach efforts and created a company sponsorship program, successfully securing partnerships with multiple F1000 companies in Orange County, CA.

Kobe was born and raised in the heart of Orange County, CA and continues to live there with his family. His hobbies include staying active with sports and outdoor activities, consuming NFL and NBA content, traveling, and spending time with loved ones.

Denise is a Senior Director of Operations and Finance at HighPoint Associates.  She oversees the day-to-day internal operations with a focus on client contracting, insurance, forecasting, and partnering with the Controller on invoicing and consultant payroll processes. She also manages special projects and technology enablement, and leads PMO efforts.

Prior to joining HighPoint, Denise enjoyed a 25-year career with Mattel that spanned various functions such as corporate FP&A, financial reporting, treasury, brand finance, European finance, indirect procurement, and licensing finance.  Most recently, she was a consultant at American Honda Finance Corporation leading an indirect procurement purchase-to-pay system implementation.

Denise holds an MBA from the University of Southern California Business School and a BA in Finance from California State University, Fullerton.

Denise is based in Los Angeles with her husband and three kids.  She is the biggest cheerleader and videographer of her kids when they’re climbing hills on the dusty cross country trails, driving the basket on the basketball court and running 3,200 meters on the track.  She enjoys her annual trips to Maui and Napa Valley.

Nikesh is an Associate within the Business Development Team at HighPoint Associates (HPA), where he collaborates closely with fellow associates and HPA partners to foster the firm’s growth through initiatives that cultivate enduring client relationships. Nikesh also supports consultant teams to deliver strategic solutions and accelerate execution for clients.

A graduate of the University of California, Irvine, Nikesh holds a B.S. in Business Information Management. At UCI, he held leadership roles and made significant contributions to the Undergraduate Finance Association and 180 Degrees Consulting, a premier university-based consultancy for nonprofits and social enterprises.

Nikesh’s professional journey reflects diverse experiences spanning consulting, financial services, technology, startups, and law. Before joining HPA, he served as an M&A Consulting Intern at West Monroe, performing buy-side diligence work for prominent private equity firms, refining his skills and deepening his industry understanding.

Originally from Nepal and raised in the Bay Area, Nikesh currently resides in Los Angeles. Outside of work, he enjoys staying informed about the startup and venture capital ecosystem, exploring the diverse offerings of Los Angeles, enjoying outdoor activities such as hiking and tennis, and spending quality time with friends and family.

Susan Shah is Senior Director of People and Human Resource Operations. In her People role, Susan is responsible for employee well-being and cultivating the HPA culture. In her role in Human Resource Operations, she is responsible for recruiting, training, and development. Susan also supports the consultant recruiting team.

Prior to joining HighPoint Associates, she had management, leadership, finance training and retention roles across Fortune 500, start-ups, and non-profit organizations.

Susan lives in Manhattan Beach, CA with her husband and two daughters. She is a certified health coach and yoga instructor. When she is not teaching her daughters how to do a handstand, she enjoys cooking healthy meals and outdoor adventures with the family.

Theo is the Vice President of Talent with HighPoint Associates. As the VP of Talent, he recruits top-tier independent consultants into the HighPoint network, identifying areas of expertise and determining relevant client opportunities. He also leads the project staffing function for the Firm, ensuring each project is set up for success from the start.

Prior to joining HighPoint, Theo worked in strategy consulting with Bain & Company, plus a variety of industries including consumer products, electronics, footwear and apparel. He has served private-equity clients in their portfolio companies and also worked directly for a Fortune 500 company. During his career, Theo has had the opportunity to work internationally in Europe, Asia and Latin America.

Theo holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BS from the Wharton School of Business.

Theo is based in Los Angeles where he enjoys spending time with his daughters, volunteering as a coach and referee for their sports teams. On the weekends you can usually find him at the beach, or at the dog park trying to teach his puppy new tricks.

Dan joined HighPoint Associates as a Business Development (BD) Associate in July 2023. He works alongside the BD team and HPA partners to nurture client relationships and drive growth in the firm’s topline. Dan furthers efforts in developing lead generation strategies to achieve broader and more effective outreach.

Dan graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Pomona College in Claremont, California, where he completed a double major in Physics and Sociology. During his time in college, Dan was the lead student researcher in a Physics laboratory developing custom low-cost fabrication techniques for cutting-edge solar technology; conducted sociology research in organizational teamwork and modern constructions of masculinity; and transformed two manufacturing firms through applying lean principles and concepts in engineering management. He was the engineering team lead for a mechanical design engagement with a local F&B equipment manufacturer, which led to the filing of a provisional patent for the team’s work in early 2023.

Born and raised on the sunny island of Singapore, Dan completed two years of military service prior to starting college and left the army a full lieutenant in 2019. He served a full year as a platoon commander in the 40^th Battalion, Singapore Armored Regiment, where he fondly remembers working with the 31 soldiers under his command, travelling from Brunei to Northern Australia for peacetime training.

Outside of work, Dan was an avid baritone in the Pomona College Choir and enjoys a good jam session on the guitar and drums. When he’s not in the office, you can find him in the gym working on his powerbuilding routine; rock climbing on natural and indoor walls; or rallying on a badminton court. He loves all things mountaineering, hiking and camping, and having solo conquered the three tallest peaks in Southern California – Mount San Antonio (Baldy), San Jacinto and San Gorgonio – Dan’s now turning his attention to bigger and bolder climbs. Stay tuned for his next adventure!

Tom is the Controller at Highpoint Associates. He oversees the Accounting/Finance operations and manages the firm’s financial statements, payroll, budget, and tax compliance process.

Prior to joining HighPoint, Tom spent over 13 years in Public Accounting and industry accounting with internal audit consulting roles at Protiviti and RSM focusing on internal audit and SOX compliance consulting, and an external audit role focusing on Banking/Asset Management audit at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Tom most recently served as the Audit/Accounting Manager at MGM Resorts International, where he managed a team of eight accountants performing month-end closing and auditing work for MGM’s ten subsidiaries.

Tom holds an MS in Finance from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a BS in Accounting from USC Leventhal School of Accounting, and a BS in Business Administration from USC Marshall School of Business.

Tom is based in Los Angeles with his wife and two children. Tom enjoys exploring nature with his kids on the weekend and having Chinese hotpot with his family at least twice a month, and KBBQ at least once a month.