About Us
We created My Next Stage because hiring today is broken and we believe better connections lead to better hires. Too often, decisions rely on rushed conversations or surface impressions, leaving candidates feeling misunderstood and teams unsure about alignment. This is especially true for people in transition, who need clarity, direction, and a way to translate their strengths into what organizations actually value.
My Next Stage brings insight and structure back into the process. By revealing strengths, motivations, and work styles, we help candidates show their best selves and help teams make smarter, more confident decisions.
Better connections. Better hires. Better outcomes.
Our Core Values & Philosophy
Privacy First
Your data belongs to you. You control who sees your results and how they're used.
Assess Both Sides
Great hiring requires mutual understanding. Candidates and teams take the same assessment, creating real alignment and transparency from the start.
All Traits Are Good
No personality traits are "bad." Each reflects strengths and natural work styles. We help individuals and teams understand how those strengths complement each other.
Our Founding Team
Paul Hatch
Chairman
- • Graduate of the United States Naval Academy, served nearly five years as a U.S. Navy officer, developing a foundation of leadership and discipline.
- • Former Head of Global Wealth Management at Morgan Stanley and UBS, overseeing multibillion-dollar businesses and global teams.
- • Led large-scale transformations across major financial centers with decades of global leadership experience.
- • Guides strategic direction, operating discipline, and long-term growth at My Next Stage.
- • Believes leaders deserve clearer insight into talent and that people deserve workplaces where they truly fit and thrive.
Juliana Lutzi Sherwood
Co-Founder & Co-President
- • Multi-industry entrepreneur who has launched and scaled companies in FinTech, EdTech, women's apparel, and STEM education.
- • Created more than 1,000 products, built global manufacturing and distribution, raised venture capital, and led a successful exit.
- • Founded FIRE Solutions (first e-learning company in financial services), Pure Style Girlfriends (global apparel brand in 16 countries), and iSprowt (award-winning STEM education platform).
- • Holds multiple patents, trademarks, and published works.
- • Leads product strategy and experience design, translating complex psychometric science into intuitive tools.
Steve Davis
Co-Founder & Co-President
- • More than 25 years in high-stakes hiring, including Partner at Heidrick & Struggles and senior talent leadership at Goldman Sachs.
- • Former Head of Talent Acquisition at Broadridge, an S&P 500 company, overseeing thousands of searches and building global recruiting functions.
- • Co-founded My Next Stage to bring science, structure, and predictability to talent selection and career navigation.
- • Leads company mission, product direction, and go-to-market strategy.
- • Combines executive search background with modern psychometrics to help organizations make smarter, more confident decisions.
Dr. Galen Buckwalter
Chief Scientist
- • One of the leading psychometric researchers of the past three decades.
- • Founding Chief Science Officer at eHarmony, pioneered large-scale psychological assessment and trait-matching models used by millions.
- • Specialist in HEXACO, predictive modeling, and trait interaction.
- • Designed the scientific foundation of the MNS Essence and Impact profiles.
- • Ensures My Next Stage delivers rigorous, research-grade insights that help companies identify aligned talent and individuals understand where they thrive.
Mark Distaulo
Chief Technology Officer
- • Experienced engineering leader with deep expertise in talent-technology platforms.
- • Previously helped build and modernize data and assessment systems for Russell Reynolds Associates, a top executive search and leadership advisory firm.
- • Oversees engineering, platform architecture, data infrastructure, and AI enablement at My Next Stage.
- • Ensures psychometric science is delivered through technology that is secure, scalable, and easy to use.
Jeff Callan
Chief Product Officer
- • Leads product strategy and user experience for My Next Stage.
- • Career spanning enterprise product development, UX design, and digital transformation.
- • Specializes in turning complex ideas into intuitive experiences.
- • Owns the product roadmap and design vision.
- • Ensures candidates, hiring managers, and HR teams all receive clear, actionable insights through thoughtful, modern, and genuinely useful design.