Travis Lay

About Travis Lay

Most transactions don’t fail because of accounting issues. They fail because the right questions weren’t asked early enough.I advise corporate leadership teams, investors and founders during high-stakes M&A moments when decisions are irreversible, timelines are compressed, and clarity matters more than precision.Over the past 13+ years at EY-Parthenon, I’ve worked on 170+ completed and in-process transactions across private equity and corporate buyers, ranging from $7M to $12B in purchase value. My experience spans buy-side diligence, sell-side diligence and complex care-outs often stepping in when the deal is moving quickly and margin for error is low.In parallel, I serve as the Americas Capital Leader for EY’s Entrepreneur Access Network, where I work closely with high-growth founders preparing for capital raises, strategic alternatives, or exits. Through the platform, we’ve supported 300+ companies and helped facilitate $75M in capital raised.I hold an active CPA license in the state of Virginia.Earlier in my career, I was a pro basketball player - an experience that shaped how I operate under pressure, work through uncertainty, and earn trust in team driven environments.I’m motivated by long-term relationships and being the person clients call when stakes are real and the outcome matters.

Experience

1. Senior Director, Deals

   EY-Parthenon

   Mar 2013 — Present · Washington, DC, US

   Active role in 170 completed & in-progress enterprise transactions with purchase values ranging from $7M to $12B for private equity and corporate clients. Engagements include financial buy-side due diligence, full enterprise and carve-out financial sell- side preparation, post-acquisition operational integration and joint-venture structuring- Work closely with privately held businesses and publicly traded companies- Focused on - Adjusted EBITDA, Net working Capital and Debt like considerations- EY Entrepreneur ecosystem leader for 330+ high growth CEOs nationwide. De facto point of contact for any entrepreneur thinking about a transaction, looking for strategic advisor or thought-partner. Through this role, instrumental in helping raise $75M+ for founders- Consistent collaboration with venture ecosystem, private equity, and investment banking in the entrepreneur ecosystem.

Education

• American University - Kogod School of Business

  BSBA, Finance, Accounting, Economics

Skills

• Strategic Planning
• Project Management
• Nonprofits
• Leadership
• Due Diligence
• Management Consulting
• Finance
• Financial Analysis
• Mergers & Acquisitions