A longtime leader, adviser and coach to colleagues and clients alike, Lou brings practical expertise to his work as the firm’s chief operating officer. Lou leverages his years of operational and executive experience to prepare and guide Navigate through its next phase of growth. He also leads teams on a variety of client engagements and is responsible for overseeing the success and delivery of all supply chain-related work for the firm’s largest clients.
Before joining Navigate, Lou served as chief operating officer of SmileDirectClub, the first digital, direct-to-consumer brand for straightening teeth. His work there centered on implementing changes to improve customer experience and meet growing demand, including enhanced supply chain capabilities and call center alignment. Prior to that, Lou was president and chief operating officer of Systech International, which provides product serialization and anti-counterfeiting technology for brands in a variety of industries. He led the company’s development and growth into the anti-counterfeiting space, including transformation of the company’s consulting organization, and use of Agile product development and software engineering to create two new growth-driving SaaS products.
Earlier in his career, Lou amassed deep transformation experience in business operations and held several senior executive positions at companies including Dorman Products, NutriSystem and Cardone Industries. He was also a partner at Logistics Resources International and a frequent lecturer at the Supply Chain Logistics Institute at Georgia Tech University.
Lou earned his MBA from Pennsylvania State University and his B.S. from Messiah College.

Rob Kathol
Founder & Managing Partner

Lou Arace
Chief Operating Officer

Eileen Bartholomew
Partner
Lauren Black
Director of Talent
Amber Chubb
Principal Consultant
Melissa Dimitri
Partner

Rebecca Feinberg
Chief People Officer

Brady Halligan
Principal Consultant

Jill Heist
Principal Consultant

Gabriela Hess
Principal Consultant

Patrick Hoban
Principal Consultant

Brian Lee
Partner
Tatsiana Martynava
Controller
Margie Otto
Principal Consultant
Jeff Summer
Partner

Adam Taicher
Partner

Erin Thibault
Principal Consultant

Marc Watrous, PhD
Strategic Advisor
