CARLOS MENDEZ
Instructor
Carlos Mendez is a partner and the Head of GP Advisory at Lucashill, an investment firm, and a retired U.S. Navy SEAL. Over a 21-year career, he served in multiple SEAL Teams, holding roles such as medic, primary sniper, point man, and team leader. Carlos completed deployments to Southeast Asia, Central America, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He also served under Jocko Willink as the lead instructor for Close Quarter Combat training for all West Coast SEAL Teams.
During his time there, Carlos was chosen for the prestigious Seaman to Admiral program through which the SEAL Teams cut the members away to complete their undergrad degree and come back as an officer. Former recipients of this award include Jocko Willink and Jonny Kim. His final role in the Navy was as the Executive Officer of the Training Detachment, responsible for training all West Coast SEALs in leadership, strategy, and tactics.
After retiring from the military, Carlos became an Investment Banker, working on M&A transactions, as well as leveraged buyouts with Financial Sponsors. At Lucashill, Carlos uses his leadership expertise to partner with the entrepreneurs of their portfolio companies to accelerate the growth stage of their businesses.
Carlos holds a BBA in Finance from the University of San Diego and an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management.