Our Team

Only the most determined get to space.

Meet the Ascent Team

As current and former students, parents, and mentors, our mission is simple: help students achieve their goals. We want to empower students from all economic backgrounds and disciplines to maximize the return on that investment. Supporting students on their journey through school is important to us, which is why we’re proud to partner and co-create with college students. By staying true to our mission, values, culture, and service to our community, we have been named “Best Places to Work” and named Best Private Student Loan for 2021 by Forbes Advisor and NerdWallet.

Get to know us

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Abby Liu

Marketing Intern

Albert Olivares

Sr. Software Engineer

Alex Stultz

Underwriter

Alicia Chavez

Content Marketing Manager

Allison Thompson

Loan Processor

Angelica Ramos

Jr. UX Designer

Arin Nahapatian

Legal Intern

Art Kang

Sr. Director, Engineering & Technology

Ausleen Acosta

Social Media & Digital Marketing Specialist

Becky White

Customer Service Representative

Bill Brosseau

VP, Business & School Development

Brandon Fortino

Marketing Intern

Carlos Morales

Financial Analyst

Casey Miller

Marketing Operations Specialist

Danny Lopez

Loan Processor

Dasha Scott

School Support Lead

David Diehl

SVP, Analytics & Technology

Dustin Varty

Sr. Director, Marketing

Erica Arvanitis

Marketing Content Creator

Jason Boulter

Business Analyst

JD Ephraim

Loan Processor

Jennifer Ly

Marketing Intern

Jeremy Ogorek

Staff Accountant

Joanna Widmier

Sr. Marketing Manager

Jon Michalik

Director, Origination & Fulfillment

Josh Cagwin

Sr. Director, UX & Design

Karol Raymond

Sr. Loan Processor

Katherine Ngo

Jr. UX Designer

Katie Fallon

Quality Control Analyst

Keane Mayer

Director, Partner Success

Ken Ruggiero

Chairman & Chief Executive Officer

Kevin Boldin

Quality Lead

Kim McNealy

Chief Marketing Officer

Kylie Gard

Sr. Loan Processor

Lauren Garner

Sr. Director, Marketing

Lisa D'Acquisto

VP, Human Resources

Manivannan Karuppusamy

Sr. Program Manager

Meredith Connelly

School Support Lead

Michael Lubensky

Software Automation Test Engineer

Michael Middleton

VP, Product Development

Michelle Beszeditz

Digital Marketer & Affiliate Strategist

Mike Frank

Director, School Partnerships

Olaf Kunkel

Sr. Software Engineer

Olivia Wolf

Social Media Marketing Intern

Patrick Bray

Director, Compliance

Rick Gallagher

VP, Business & School Development

Ruby Kate Galapon

Lead Marketing Intern

Ryan Aditya

Sr. Manager, Business Analysis

Ryan Gray

Chief Financial Officer

Ryan Pearson

UX Front End Developer

Sandi Ovard-Kunkel

Quality Control Analyst

Santhoshi Chandramouly

Sr. Data Engineer

Sara Amirdelfan

Digital Marketing Intern

Seth Formal

VP, Finance & Capital Markets

Shalanda Fuller

Customer Service Representative

Sid Huerta

Sr. Underwriter

Suzanne Sgroi

Executive Assistant

Tayler Grieco

Operations Supervisor

Thomas Waldschmidt

Data Scientist

Tiffany Ferren-Cirino

School Partnership Account Representative

Tristan Fleming

General Counsel

Vanessa Bovell-Villarreal

Underwriter

Zach Taylor

Sr. User Experience Designer

Zara Tariq

Business Operations Specialist

Our Core Values

Trust

We’re accountable to our stakeholders, values, commitments, and ourselves.

Integrity

We act honestly, transparently, and professionally, treating everyone with understanding, care, and respect.

Commitment

We dedicate ourselves to helping our community, promoting employee wellness, and serving clients by doing what we say we are going to do.

Innovation

We challenge the status quo and provide creative solutions.

Collaboration

We embrace a culture of teamwork.

Stay Connected!

Follow us on social media (Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) to get the latest updates on giveaways, scholarships, announcements, and our benefits. We share tips and resources to help them make better financial decisions that last beyond school. Follow Ascent to see for yourself!

What are others saying about Ascent?

Being young I don’t have a strong credit history. Ascent made it possible for me to have my own loan without the help of others – I’m thankful I found them.

Nikara M.
Western Washington University

It was the only decent loan provider that would accept a non-cosigned loan. My loan manager helped a lot.

Robert C.
Texas A&M University

The best thing about Ascent is the fact that they make the process easy. I was able to do everything online and the money was sent directly to my school.

Anjellica C.
Northern Arizona University

Ascent stands out for its range of payment reduction and postponement options, rare among private lenders. Borrowers can choose a graduated repayment plan, which provides a lower monthly payment to start that increases over time.” Read more

Forbes Advisor

College Loans (Ascent Funding, LLC):

Ascent Funding, LLC products are made available through Bank of Lake Mills, Member FDIC.

NMLS#1761645 NMLS Consumer Access – Licenses

Bootcamp Loans (Skills Fund, LLC):

Skills Fund, LLC (d/b/a Ascent Skills Funding) products are made available through Richland State Bank, Member FDIC.

We reserve the right to modify or discontinue (in whole or in part) these loan programs and their associated services and benefits at any time without notice. Check www.ascentfunding.com for the most up-to-date information.