Management Team

Josh Peirez joined Sterling as co-Chief Executive Officer and Director in July 2018 and was named Chief Executive Officer in April 2019. He brings extensive strategy, product, and operational experience to the company, and plays an instrumental role in driving Sterling toward its global mission of providing a foundation of trust and safety for clients.

Prior to Sterling, Josh served as President and Chief Operating Officer for Dun & Bradstreet, leading all aspects of customer-facing operations including the company’s lines of business, multi-channel sales platform, service of client solutions, strategy, as well as mergers and acquisitions. Prior to joining Dun & Bradstreet, Josh spent ten years with MasterCard, most recently in the role of Chief Innovation Officer for MasterCard Worldwide. He also served as the company’s Group Executive, Global Public Policy and Associate General Counsel. Before joining MasterCard in 2000, Josh was an associate at Clifford Chance Rogers and Wells, focusing on antitrust litigation.

Josh has served on the Federal Reserve Board’s Consumer Advisory Council and the Board of Directors for the Westchester County Association. He was named in the Top 10 Innovators of 2009 ranked by Bank Technology News.

Josh earned a B.S. in Policy Analysis, Economic, and Government Studies from Cornell University and a J.D. from Brooklyn Law School, where he received the Corpus Juris Secundum Award in Criminal Law and Comparative Constitutional Law.

 

Theresa Strong joined Sterling in January 2016 as Controller and has since been promoted repeatedly into leadership roles of increasing responsibility. With an extensive background in accounting and finance, Ms. Strong brings global expertise in financial reporting and regulatory compliance, finance operations, internal controls, finance strategy, treasury, capital management, and mergers and acquisitions. She was a key contributor to the effort to take Sterling public via an IPO in 2021.

Theresa joined Sterling as a result of the acquisition of TalentWise, Inc., where she had been Corporate Controller for four years, leading all finance and accounting functions. Prior to TalentWise, she served in various finance leadership positions in the technology and business services sector, including at Intelius, Inc., Amazon, Inc., and DocuSign, Inc. She began her professional career at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, serving on lead engagements such as Microsoft, Inc. and Starbucks Corporation.

She received a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Seattle University and a Master’s in Professional Accounting from Seattle University.

Lou Paglia joined Sterling as interim Chief Product Officer in October 2015. In January 2016, he was promoted to Executive Vice President, Ventures. Lou became Chief Innovation Officer in April 2018, President in December 2018, and Chief Operating Officer in March 2021. He now leads global operations for Sterling, responsible for driving revenue growth, delivering unrivaled client service, and ensuring Sterling’s tech-enabled business services meet the evolving needs of the market.

Prior to joining Sterling, Lou held executive roles in product, operations, and general management, for companies including MTV Networks (a division of Viacom), Infogroup, Factiva (a joint venture between Dow Jones and Reuters), as well as numerous early-stage companies.

Lou earned a B.B.A. in Computer Information Systems from James Madison University and an M.B.A. from MIT’s Sloan School of Management.

Steve Barnett joined Sterling in January 2016 as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary. He was named Chief Legal & Risk Officer in March 2020. Steve brings extensive experience in legal, compliance, regulatory, and government affairs, having served as general counsel and outside counsel for both public and private companies.

Prior to joining Sterling, Steve served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel at Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc. and at NRT, now part of Realogy Corporation. He began his career as a corporate lawyer with Skadden Arps in New York, where he specialized in mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance transactions.

Steve received a B.S. in Business Administration from the State University of New York at Albany and a J.D. from Fordham University School of Law.

Angela Stelle joined Sterling in July 2019 as Chief Marketing Officer and her role expanded to include Head of Client Experience in March 2020. She brings extensive marketing, operations, and customer support experience with leading companies in information and business services.

Prior to joining Sterling, Angela spent nine years at Dun & Bradstreet, holding several marketing and operations leadership roles, most recently as Head of Customer Experience, where she led customer service, customer success, and product delivery. Prior to Dun & Bradstreet, Angela led marketing strategy and execution for various public companies, including Wolters Kluwer and Verizon Wireless.

Angela earned a B.A. from Rutgers University and a Certificate in Digital & Graphic Design from Parsons School of Design at the New School.

Robyn Price Stonehill joined Sterling in November 2021 as Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer and her role expanded to include Chief Administrative Officer in November 2023. She brings extensive human resources experience and has strategically advised leaders on organizational transformation, acquisitions, and divestitures, and is focused on enhancing the employee experience, developing talent, and building a strong culture.

Prior to joining Sterling, Robyn was EVP, Chief Human Resources Officer at Assurant. Throughout Robyn’s 21-year career with Assurant, she held a variety of leadership roles related to total rewards, talent acquisition, operations, and other human resources functions. Robyn began her professional career in consulting at KPMG.

As an advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion, Robyn was recognized by Diversity Journal as a Woman Worth Watching in 2015.

Robyn graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Mathematics from Queens College of the City University of New York.

Peter Lehmann joined Sterling in April 2019 as Chief Strategy Officer. He brings extensive strategy and corporate development experience with leading companies in financial, information, and business services.

Prior to Sterling, Peter spent twelve years with Dun & Bradstreet, most recently in the role of Chief Strategy Officer, where he led corporate strategy, competitive intelligence, and mergers and acquisitions globally.

Prior to joining Dun & Bradstreet, Peter held senior leadership positions with Merrill Lynch, Intuit, and American Express. He was also part of the founding team of EmployeeMatters, a cloud-based payroll company acquired by Intuit.

Peter began his professional career in strategy consulting with Mercer Management Consulting (now Oliver Wyman) where he was a Principal in the Financial Institutions practice.

Peter earned a B.A. in Government from Dartmouth College.