Who We Are

Founded in January 2020, with over 25 years of recruiting for the most reputable companies across the Carolinas, Carolina Professional Recruiting Group (PRG) is a boutique recruiting firm that offers top-level recruiting services in the Charlotte metro area. We pride ourselves in being a trusted guide to both candidate patrons and client partners by offering local and personalized professional recruiting and staffing services.

What We Do

We are a full-service recruiting firm specializing in Accounting, Finance, Human Resources Administration, Office Administration, Marketing, and Engineering and Supply Chain. We pride ourselves in building long-lasting relationships and are fully committed to both parties’ success by taking a collaborative approach when working with our client partners and candidate patrons.

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What We Stand By:

Mission: To “Create Remarkable Career Moments®.” We aim to be a professional guide for both our client partners as well as candidate patrons not only for a moment in time but throughout their careers. We believe when the right talent finds the right role, incredible magic happens.

Vision: We aim to shape a future for Charlotte area professionals where every career move is a meaningful step forward, built on shared values and lasting partnerships.

Core Values: We understand the true value of our relationships and want to help organizations find candidates whose talents, interests, and experience match the needs of the job and culture of the team

Guiding Principles

INTEGRITY

We conduct our jobs with fairness, honesty, and respect, and in a professional, genuine, and courteous manner. We strive to always act with sincerity and a high ethical standard

SERVICE DRIVEN

We aim to provide the same superior level of service we would expect and work diligently, quickly, and efficiently towards every opportunity

RELATIONSHIP-CENTRIC

We are in the people business with our relationships being at the core of what we do. Our clients’ and candidates successes reflect our success – If you ‘win’, we “win”.

PROACTIVE & INNOVATIVE

Embrace new ideas and perspectives, be nimble in an ever- changing environment and committed to continuous learning and improvement

CARRIE QUINLAN

President and Co-Founder

Carrie Quinlan is a former Charlotte Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 recipient with 20+ years of devotion to the Charlotte Accounting & Finance Recruiting world. After a successful 14-year career as an Executive in a former Charlotte Recruiting firm start-up, she decided to venture out with an exceptional business partner, Brian Passarelli, to form Carolina PRG. As the President & Co-Founder of Carolina PRG, Carrie is committed to the company’s mission of creating remarkable career moments for the patrons they serve.

Carrie lives in the fast growing suburb of Fort Mill. She and her husband, Tom, have four children, are actively involved in their church community at St. Philip Neri, and have enjoyed their involvement with York County Foster Care and the York County Foster Care Review Board. Although her favorite college football team, the University of South Carolina Gamecocks, has not seen her same level of success over the past 20+ years, she still proudly wears garnet and black.

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BRIAN PASSARELLI, CPA

Managing Partner and Co-Founder

Brian Passarelli is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) who started his career as an auditor in the Big 4 with KPMG in Boston. Brian quickly learned public accounting was not his long term passion and decided to pursue real estate for seven years until the arrival of his twins led to a transition into the executive recruiting industry. Brian quickly excelled and found the recruiting space allowed for the connection with people he was seeking in his career. Prior to launching Carolina PRG, Brian spent over six years working for a local executive recruiting firm specializing in placing Accounting and Finance professionals in the Charlotte market.

When not recruiting, Brian enjoys sharing experiences and creating memories with his family, golfing, skiing, traveling, reading, and hiking with his two labs, Bailey and Lola.

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Michael Lewandowski

Director of Recruiting

Mike Lewandowski is the Director of Recruiting at Carolina PRG, bringing over a decade of experience matching outstanding professionals with leading organizations. Mike began his career in recruiting in 2009. In 2011, he refocused on engineering and manufacturing recruitment helping drive new client development before stepping into his current leadership role.

Mike joined Carolina PRG in 2020 as Director of Recruiting. He leads the team, focusing on developing talent and training future recruiters. Known for his strategic approach and commitment to building lasting relationships, Mike has been instrumental in shaping the company’s success.

Outside of work, Mike enjoys playing golf and rooting for his favorite baseball team, the Chicago Cubs. Married in 2024, Mike and his spouse enjoy exploring the Charlotte area and spending time with friends and family.

Christina Teague

Executive Recruiter

Christina Teague is an experienced recruiter specializing in Accounting and Finance talent for the Charlotte market. With nearly four years in the industry, she has built a reputation for connecting top professionals with the right opportunities.

A proud graduate of UNC Wilmington, Christina majored in Business Administration with a focus on Human Resources. She spent her college years soaking up the sun on Wrightsville Beach.

Outside of work, Christina enjoys spending time with her Labradoodle, Stuart, and her boyfriend, Sam, a commercial airline pilot. Together, they’ve explored numerous countries in Europe, relaxed on Caribbean islands, and hit the slopes out West. She’s also an active volunteer with the North Carolina Board of Elections.

You’ll usually find Christina on a last-minute flight, in a yoga studio, or enjoying the outdoors – she’s always finding ways to make the most of every moment.

Lauren Roberts

Executive Recruiter

Lauren Roberts is an Executive Recruiter specializing in Accounting, Finance, and Human Resources. With over a decade of experience in recruiting and leadership, Lauren brings a unique blend of expertise and passion to her role, connecting top talent with exceptional career opportunities.

Before joining Carolina PRG, Lauren was an Operations Director for a travel company, where she successfully led a team of 50+ employees across four departments. Her strategic leadership and dedication to fostering growth laid the foundation for her transition into executive recruiting.

Lauren recently returned to her hometown of Charlotte after spending 14 years in Asheville, NC. She has been married for six years and is the proud mom of a spirited 5-year-old son. When she’s not helping professionals and organizations achieve their goals, Lauren enjoys exploring Charlotte’s vibrant community, traveling, and making cherished memories with her family.

Vanessa Hoogsteen

Executive Recruiter

Vanessa Hoogsteen is an Executive Recruiter here at Carolina PRG. She recently graduated from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, earning her degree in May 2024. During her academic journey, Vanessa interned as an Operations Analyst with a recruiting firm, where she discovered her passion for connecting people with the right opportunities. After graduation, she eagerly joined the dynamic team at Carolina PRG.

With Vanessa’s background as a history major, she has developed strong research skills and an analytical mindset that has helped translate into the recruiting field. Vanessa finds fulfillment in helping others navigate their careers, which solidified her decision to pursue recruiting as a profession.

Originally from Michigan, Vanessa now proudly calls Charlotte home. In her free time, she enjoys reading, volunteering as part of the worship team at her church, Moments of Hope, and going to the gym. Vanessa is excited to continue developing her recruiting skills and contribute to the success of Carolina PRG, where she looks forward to growing alongside an exceptional team.

Jenny Peralta

Office Manager & HR Coordinator

Jenny is an experienced office administration professional with over 20 years of expertise supporting C-suite executives. She is passionate about helping leaders and team members focus on strategic priorities by managing day-to-day operations efficiently and effectively.

Originally from the Dominican Republic, Jenny launched her business administration career in the Caribbean before relocating to Charlotte, NC, in 2015 with her husband and two daughters.

Determined to continue her professional journey in the U.S., she pursued a dual associate degree in business & medical office administration in 2019 while volunteering at Central Piedmont Community College. There, she supported staff and fellow students, leading to a position at a respected accounting firm in Charlotte. It was during this time that Jenny discovered her passion for accounting and bookkeeping.

Since joining Carolina PRG as our office manager in 2022, Jenny has brought her enthusiasm, cultural richness, and dynamic leadership to our team. She actively incorporates her Latino heritage into office events, ensuring that our workplace remains vibrant and inclusive while staying aligned with our company’s values and objectives.

Outside of work, Jenny loves to travel and explore new places, embracing the beauty and opportunities of the country she now proudly calls her second home.