About Us -

Our Story

Traditional consulting firms help build a plan or solve a problem. Persistently focuses on building businesses that regularly solve problems, using less energy on firefighting, and more energy on tackling new horizons. We build future-resilient organizations that put people and customers first. Our clients emerge with a drive to continually evolve in a world of ever-increasing change.

Our approach is informed by our Persistence Management Philosophy™ – an approach inspired by three themes that make us human.

These three themes inform our management approach. If you’re interested in moving past the latest management fads and want to build a strong, resilient culture that brings out the best in our human nature and enables consistent performance, we’re here to help.

Your Team

Dustin Campbell

CO-FOUNDER

Dustin is an experienced executive with a track record of leading turnarounds and building high-performing, culture-driven companies. He and longtime partner Erik Waters transformed Adtech Systems into a global managed service provider, developing their Persistence Management Philosophy along the way. After exiting in 2022, they launched Persistently and Persistence Management Holdings, acquiring CultureWise in 2025. Earlier, Dustin held roles at Eli Lilly, BCG, and Cerberus Capital. He has an MBA from Harvard and a BS from Indiana University. Outside work, he’s an endurance athlete, dad, and lifelong learner.

Erik Waters

CO-FOUNDER

Erik is a seasoned operator, investor and business owner with a diverse background spanning private equity, venture capital, and other privately held businesses. At Persistently he focuses on aligning and accelerating company execution, culture, and strategy. Previously, Erik and his partner Dustin Campbell successfully acquired, transformed and exited Adtech Systems, an audio-visual service provider, serving as COO and CFO. Earlier in his career Erik worked for Ascend Learning, GreatPoint Energy, Cerberus Capital Management, and Cambridge Associates. Erik holds an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a B.A. in Economics from Colby College.

Alex Hill

OPERATING PARTNER

Alex is an Operating Partner at Persistence Management Holdings (PMH), a firm dedicated to building and backing culture-driven businesses. He also serves as President of CultureWise, guiding organizations in designing world-class workplace cultures. With over a decade of expertise in operations, IT services, and people strategy, Alex has led high-growth teams, scaling revenue and optimizing workforce performance. Previously, he held leadership roles at Adtech, AVI-SPL, KDH Doors & Hardware, and RSM US LLP. Alex holds an MBA from Boston College and a BS in Economics & Finance from Bentley University.

Kristen Saponaro

MANAGING DIRECTOR, GTM EXCELLENCE

Kristen Saponaro is a strategic growth leader with 20+ years of experience in business transformation, revenue acceleration, and culture-driven success. As Chief Revenue Officer at Persistence Management Holdings, she drives scalable growth strategies, ensuring companies achieve operational excellence and long-term impact. With deep expertise in sales enablement, brand elevation, and change management, Kristen has held C-level roles at Savista, nThrive, and Precyse, leading high-impact initiatives. A problem-solver and innovator, she refocuses businesses with clarity, alignment, and executional precision. Beyond work, Kristen enjoys baking, tennis, and beach outings with her family.

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