About Us

Helping you transition to your next era

Our Story

The name Protas is derived from the Latin term “proxima aetas”, meaning “next era.” It reflects our mission to guide college students as they transition into the next chapter of their lives: their professional careers.

The idea for Protas Edge was born during an annual ski trip, where friends and former Northwestern classmates Kathy Lai and Deuce Tu reminisced about their undergraduate days. As they reflected on their own experiences navigating the challenges of on-campus recruiting 20 years ago, they realized how much they would have benefited from a service to help them transition from college students to young professionals. Inspired by this realization, they set out to create Protas Edge—a company dedicated to helping students make the leap from their college era to their career era.

At Protas Edge, we understand that entering the workforce can be daunting. The recruiting process is complex, time-consuming, and increasingly competitive. From networking events to resume submissions and behavioral to technical interviews, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. That’s why we’ve designed our services to provide personalized support tailored to each student’s unique goals.

Our mission is simple: to empower college students to achieve career success. Through small group instruction and 1-on-1 coaching, we help students master every aspect of the recruiting process—from building standout resumes and acing interviews to expanding professional networks. At Protas Edge, we don’t just prepare students for their first job; we equip them with the skills and confidence to thrive in their professional journeys.

Join us as we help students step into their next era with confidence, clarity, and purpose. Protas Edge is your trusted partner in career readiness.

Meet The Team

Kathy Lai

Co-Founder

Kathy has been an instructor for investment banking training programs and interview prep seminars for nearly ten years. Her former students have ended up in financial institutions such as Goldman Sachs, Lazard, and Morgan Stanley. She previously worked at JPMorgan, Blackstone Group, and Lincoln International rising to the level of director. She earned a BA and MBA from Northwestern University. She has also co-founded and served as CFO for several successful startups.

Deuce Tu

Co-Founder

Deuce began his career in consulting after earning a BA at Northwestern University and quickly transitioned into finance, where he spent a decade as an equity derivatives trader. During this period, he earned an MBA in Analytic Finance from University of Chicago Booth. Since 2012, Deuce has focused on quantitative data analytics and data science, working with some of the largest financial datasets in the country.