About Us
Lake Partners was founded in 1997 with the idea that there is a better way to approach consulting – better for our clients and better for our consultants.
The goal is to keep the projects focused, the analysis solid and the recommendations clear. Treat employees and clients well, and always strive to earn their respect and trust. Our clients look to us for our expertise, insight and tenacity, and in turn we translate data into clear recommendations that our clients can use.
Our continued growth is a testament to these ideals.
our Values
We care deeply about what we do. Our philosophy is to approach both life and work positively, achieving a healthy balance between compassion for people and drive for business. We lead by example. We are principled and respectful, intuitive and analytical, inspired and practical. This is what we love to do.
At Lake Partners, each one of us is inherently motivated. Curiosity drives us and we love a challenge. Tell us something can’t be accomplished, and we’ll find the path to get there. When we arrive at a solution that appears to be “good enough,” we work tirelessly to take it to the next level for our clients.
Our approach will never be just about the individual. We view ourselves as part of a collective that includes our clients along with our employees. We are supportive of each other and we genuinely enjoy working together. At Lake Partners, we foster each other’s success.
“We work tirelessly to take it to the
next level for our clients”
GIVING
Our research shows that people are either givers or they’re not, and most people choose their path early in life. Lake Partners supports employees in choosing the path of giving by matching up to $1,000 of donations per year, per employee. We’re proud to say that we routinely achieve close to 100% participation.
VOLUNTEERING
Lake Partners employees actively donate their time as volunteers to various community non-profit organizations. Our people sit on numerous local boards and the firm supports their efforts with time, money and expertise.
PRO BONO
Lake Partners values opportunities to use its strategic and analytical expertise to support local non-profit organizations. It’s a win-win-win: for the community, for our employees and for our business. We’ve worked with the Seattle Children’s Museum, NPower, the YMCA and the Seattle Repertory Theatre to help better define and execute on their mission and community impact.
Our Community
At Lake Partners, we value the community around us and are committed to making it a better place.
Joe Barer
President
The founder and President of Lake Partners, Joe has a broad experience base applying research and analysis to high stakes topics and rapidly changing industries. He has significant expertise in segmentation and targeting, pricing strategy, new market entry, economic analysis and modeling, government regulation and operational improvements.
Joe has worked extensively with corporate clients, institutional investors and non-profits. He has wide-ranging industry experience including technology, financial services, energy, health care, agriculture and manufacturing.
Prior to returning home to Seattle and founding Lake Partners in 1997, Joe was part of the management team at Dean and Company in Vienna, VA. He began his consulting career with Strategic Planning Associates (SPA), a Washington, D.C. firm which has since merged to become Oliver Wyman.
Joe graduated magna cum laude with a B.S.E. from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, with concentrations in finance and marketing, and a B.A.S. from the Moore School of Electrical Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania.
Kelsey Dunn
Partner
As a Partner, Kelsey brings experience in supporting a wide range of clients, from operating companies and technology firms to institutional investors and non-profits. She brings deep expertise in financial modeling, investment research, and market strategy, with a particular focus on translating complex data into clear strategic recommendations for senior leaders.
Kelsey first joined Lake Partners in 2018 and returned to the firm in 2024 after earning her law degree.
Kelsey graduated with honors from the University of Chicago, where she majored in History and minored in Mathematics. She earned her J.D. from the University of Washington, graduating at the top of her class. Her academic research focused on law and economics and has been published in the Florida Law Review and the Texas A&M Journal of Property Law.
