Our PeopleWe are a collective force with unrivaled flexibility.
Our Founders
Our founders bring decades of hands-on experience turning complex challenges into simple, impactful, outcome-based solutions. They’ve launched businesses, led digital transformation at scale, and navigated industries where precision, speed, and clarity are everything.
Our founders have deep knowledge in many areas, including Risk, Regulatory & Compliance, Information Technology, & Financial Services.
Steve AlessiCEO | Founder
Steve has over 30+ years experience serving clients across multiple industries like Communications, High-Tech, Financial Services, and Products with the common goal of helping them to execute initiatives that fuel strategic gains and long term, sustainable business growth. He is extremely passionate about the work that he does and the value the work brings to his clients. Outside of work, Steve is focused on mentoring young professionals. He also enjoys the outdoors and cherishes spending time with his wife and two children.
Peter ViolichChief Revenue Officer | Co-Founder
Peter is a seasoned senior sales executive with a strong track record across consulting, technology, and financial services. He thrives on understanding each client’s unique needs and collaborating to craft strategic solutions that consistently exceed expectations. With a talent for building long-term relationships, Peter is committed to delivering innovation through partnership and cross-functional teamwork.
Beyond his professional life, Peter deeply values family and enjoys cheering on his two collegiate rowers, as well as the simple pleasure of walks with his wife and two dogs.
Paul SternhagenRisk Lead | Co-Founder
Paul has had a 20-year career in financial services, holding senior roles with the Federal Reserve System, management consulting, and in-industry. Paul’s work has focused on issues at the intersection of risk, regulation, and strategy – supporting financial services firms to develop stable and compliant growth platforms and risk processes to serve their customers and manage stakeholder expectations. In his free time, Paul enjoys playing tennis and golf, and trying his best to keep up with his three boys: Theo and twins William and Marcus.
Charles BreedenChief Delivery & Risk Officer | Co-Founder
Charles is a seasoned risk management expert with decades of experience leading major initiatives for regional banks, SIFIs, investment firms, and auto captives. His expertise spans stress testing (DFAST & CCAR), credit risk modeling, predictive model development and validation, and enterprise risk frameworks. Charles has successfully led large project teams, advised executive leadership on complex risk issues, and strengthened regulatory compliance through automation and process improvements. Prior to joining WGS2D, he served as Managing Director at Accenture and Chief Risk Officer at Hyundai Capital America. He holds an MBA from NYU Stern. Outside of work, Charles enjoys spending time with his family and playing tennis with friends.
Chris PorsenaCOO | Co-Founder
Chris has 20 years of experience advising payments and fintech companies on risk and compliance matters. He’s a watch enthusiast and music lover. When he’s not advising clients, he enjoys spending time with family and traveling across the U.S. for live music shows.
Our Leadership
Our leadership team is the backbone of WGS2D – driving the systems, culture and vision that keeps our mission moving forward. Our team ensures that WGS2D runs with precision, empowers our people and amplifies our mission.
Kailash LaljiCFO
As an experienced Finance Executive and Management Consultant, Kailash has worked in the UK and the USA with multinational companies in a variety of industries including property and casualty insurance, energy, construction, manufacturing, and non-profit. He has over 50 years of experience in Company Transformation and Turnarounds, Financial Systems Migration and Integration, and Audits. He has successfully guided his clients by implementing strategic planning accompanied by tight operational controls.
Kailash is a UK Chartered Accountant and earned his MBA from Warwick Business School, England. Kailash enjoys the company of family and friends, walking on the beach, listening to music, and watching soccer.
Chris AlessiCMO
Chris brings deep marketing expertise and a strategic, creative mindset to her role as CMO of WGS2D. With a degree in marketing and a career spanning brand strategy, design, creative direction, and digital marketing, she has built and led campaigns across many platforms.
Her extensive background includes entrepreneurship and life coaching, which gives her a unique ability to understand what drives people and how to communicate with clarity and impact. As CMO, Chris is passionate about bringing the WGS2D message to life—elevating our voice, expanding our reach, and ensuring our values come through in every interaction.
In her free time, Chris loves listening to live music, traveling with her husband Steve and spending as much time with family as possible. She also loves to give back and continues to coach women in wellness combining her love of nutrition and fitness.
Lauren FisherHR Lead
Lauren Fisher brings over a decade of strategic and operational Human Resources expertise to WGS2D, serving as the firm’s HR Lead through their partnership with Tru HR Solutions. Known for her pragmatic approach and strong business acumen, Lauren helps WGS2D navigate complex people-related matters with confidence—from employee relations and performance management to compliance, training, and organizational development.
A former track and field athlete at UCLA, Lauren applies the same discipline and focus to her work with leadership teams—offering clear, practical guidance and a steady hand through everything from handbook updates to harassment investigations. Her ability to build trust at all levels of an organization makes her a valued partner to the WGS2D team.
Our Advisors
We are proud to have a distinguished group of advisors—leaders in their fields—who bring deep expertise, strategic insight, and a shared commitment to our mission. Their guidance helps shape our vision and accelerate our impact.
Fuad Sweiss
With over 38 years of experience in leading projects across public and private sectors, Fuad brings a global perspective and a passion for sustainable development. His recent work focuses on modular building innovations to create jobs, deliver affordable housing, and expand access to healthcare. As founder of Hospitals Without Borders, Fuad is committed to bringing modular medical facilities to underserved and crisis-affected regions worldwide.
Given the lack of medical facilities in impoverished areas around the world and the destruction of medical facilities and hospitals in was torn zones, I founded Hospitals Without Borders to accelerate the fabrication and delivery if modular medical clinics and hospitals to areas in need.
Tony Sherwood
For 25 years, Tony has been the leader of a nationally recognized IT Staffing, Recruiting, and Consulting firm, with a proven track record of supporting clients across the globe. With deep industry expertise and a strong entrepreneurial spirit, Tony is passionate about connecting top-tier talent with meaningful opportunities—transforming workforce challenges into strategic wins for both clients and candidates. Known for a people-first approach, Tony thrives on building lasting relationships and delivering tailored talent solutions that drive business success.
Outside of work, Tony has been happily married to his high school sweetheart for over 25 years. He is a proud father to a son and daughter, an avid Chicago sports fan, quoting movie lines and enjoys staying active—especially on the Pickleball court.
What you gain working with us
Our leadership team brings decades of experience from top firms but operates differently: faster, more efficient, and truly aligned with your success. We skip the fluff and focus on what matters—getting real results with no friction.
Less stress, more confidence
Your project is in the hands of experienced professionals who deliver.
Relief
Know you’re working with a straightforward, fair, and reputable team.
A true partner
We're focused on your growth, efficiency, and success, without the corporate nonsense.
No nonsense
We’re real, experienced professionals who know how to cut through complexity and get things done.
Delivering results, every time
Bold, no-nonsense consulting that drives real results—fast, strategic, and execution-focused solutions that get you to where you want to be.