FEISV Chapter Newsletter | July 24, 2026 
FEI Silicon Valley Events
07/24 - Financial Officers Forum (Virtual)
08/19 - FEISV TopGolf & Social
09/15 - Monthly Speaker Event - Save the Date!
10/20 - Monthly Speaker Event - Save the Date!
11/18 - Annual Women CFOs of the Year Awards - Save the Date!
12/09 - Annual President's Party
Partners & Other Chapter Events
08/11 - AI Controls in Financial Reporting: An Introduction to FEI's Framework (Virtual) | FEI
08/12 - The Tomorrow Show: The CxO of 2035 (Virtual) | FEI
08/25 - Close the AI Trust Deficit: Aligning the C-Suite on Data Strategy (Virtual) | FEI
09/09 - ICONS: Women of Note (Hybrid Event) | FEI
10/28 - 10/29 - AI Update and Use Cases Conference (Virtual) | FEI
Latest Trends in FEI
Connecting with fellow financial executives at Topgolf offers a refreshing way to strengthen professional relationships outside the boardroom. In a relaxed, social setting, conversations flow more naturally, creating space for meaningful dialogue, idea exchange, and authentic connection.
For FEI Silicon Valley Members and Partners, these moments foster a sense of community while opening the door to new perspectives on leadership, strategy, and the evolving financial landscape.
Beyond networking, events like these reinforce the value of shared experience among peers who understand the unique challenges and opportunities within the financial sector.
Whether you are building new relationships or deepening existing ones, the combination of friendly competition, great conversation, and a dynamic environment makes Topgolf an ideal setting to engage, collaborate, and strengthen the foundation of the FEI Silicon Valley community.
FEISV Topgolf & Social will be held at Topgolf in Burlingame on Wednesday, August 19th, from 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm Pacific.
FEISV Members & Partners: Free | Registration: Here
From CPA to Founder: Why This CFO Says It's Time for Finance Leaders to Take More Risk
Chrissy O’Hara built her career along a familiar path—EY, Fannie Mae, Citadel, and an MBA earned at night—before stepping into something far less predictable. What began as a side project to create better accounting software evolved into SoftLedger, and she eventually moved from helping behind the scenes to leading as CFO. The shift from a structured corporate environment to a startup brought new opportunities, but also a level of uncertainty she had not faced before.
The experience quickly challenged the idea that entrepreneurship equals freedom. Plans took longer than expected, deals fell through, and the pressure to adapt never really let up. Along the way, O’Hara realized that the perfectionism ingrained in traditional accounting had to give way to progress, prioritizing momentum, growth, and flexibility over getting every detail exactly right.
That mindset shift continues to shape how she leads today, from embracing AI as a practical tool for faster, more informed decisions to rethinking how financial systems should support a business. For O’Hara, the move into entrepreneurship was not just a career change. It was a recalibration of how to think, operate, and create impact as a financial leader.
Learn more. Read From CPA to Founder: Why This CFO Says It's Time for Finance Leaders to Take More Risk via FEI Daily.
AI Controls in Financial Reporting: An Introduction to FEI's Framework
As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in finance and accounting processes, management teams face a critical question: how do you adopt AI responsibly without compromising the reliability of financial reporting?
Join FEI for a free virtual session introducing a practical, principles-based resource created by FEI’s Committee on Corporate Reporting in partnership with Chief Accounting Officers and Corporate Controllers from Fortune 100 companies. Attendees will learn the basics of AI-related risks in financial reporting and the four approaches to AI business controls included in the framework.
Applicable to finance and accounting professionals across industries, this session offers a practical introduction to managing AI within an ICFR environment.
AI Controls in Financial Reporting: An Introduction to FEI's Framework will be held virtually on Tuesday, August 11th, from 11:00 am - 12:00 pm Pacific.
FEI Silicon Valley and Other FEI Members: Free | Registration: Here
Congratulations to Members Celebrating an Anniversary
Our Members are at the heart of FEI Silicon Valley, and we are deeply grateful for everything they contribute to our community. Their leadership, experience, and ongoing engagement are what make this chapter such a vibrant, trusted home for finance executives.
We are especially proud to have so many long-standing Members whose commitment over the years has shaped our culture and impact.
Please join us in congratulating Members who recently celebrated an anniversary with us:
- 29 Years: George de Urioste, CFO and Audit Committee Chairman
- 22 Years: Steven Vattone, CFO
- 21 Years: Kimy Chan, Principal, Kimy Chan, LLC.
- 18 Years: Naresh Bansal, CFO
- 16 Years: Manpreet Grover, CEO & Managing Partner, SOAProjects, Inc.
- 15 Years: Brenda Swiney, Founder, mieCFO
- 11 Years: Stephen Hilton, SVP Finance and Treasurer, Robert Half
- 9 Years: Ronald Koling, Corporate Controller – Western Region, Resource Label Group
- 9 Years: Robert Worthington, Managing Partner, WorthingtonCFOs
- 8 Years: Gabor Turschl, VP, AI Compute and Infrastructure Controller, OpenAI
- 7 Years: Andrew Katcher, Consulting CFO, Rapid Results, Inc.
- 7 Years: Yogesh Shah, VP – Assistant Controller, Visa Inc.
- 5 Years: Beth Howe, CFO, SiTime
- 4 Years: Tamara Allen, CFO, AchieveKids
- 4 Years: Kriya Chantalat, CFO, Arcadia Companies & Affiliates
- 3 Years: Helen Ponce, VP, Corporate Controller, Netflix, Inc.
- 1 Year: Chithra Rajagopalan, Head of Finance, Obsidian Security
We look forward to another year together!
Don't Wait to RSVP: You are Invited to the Annual President's Party
Calendars are filling up quickly for the rest of the year, so be sure to reserve your spot on December 9th for our Annual President’s Party, returning to the beautiful Los Altos Golf and Country Club!
Join us for an evening of camaraderie and good cheer, featuring cocktails, socializing, elegant hors d’oeuvres, and fine wine.
Our organization thrives because of our gracious Partners, dedicated Members, and the time and energy you give. Your commitment continues to help us grow into one of the premier Chapters in the country. Let's celebrate together!
Annual President's Day Party will be held at the Los Altos Golf & Country Club on Wednesday, December 9th, from 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm Pacific.
FEISV Members & Partners: Free | Non-Members: $150 | Registration: Here
How Modern Accountants are Leveraging Automation
Accounting and finance are changing fast as automation takes over routine accounting tasks such as bank reconciliations and invoice processing. For job seekers and accounting professionals, this shift can feel unsettling, raising an important question: how can accountants leverage automation to reshape their roles?
That shift is already well underway. By taking over repetitive tasks, automation allows accountants to focus more on higher-value work such as data analysis, forecasting, and advising clients. The professionals who adapt view automation tools as a way to expand their impact rather than replace their responsibilities.
Learn more. Read How Modern Accountants are Leveraging Automation via our Silver Partners at Vaco.
FEISV Member of the Week
Robert Dixon is a Director of Accounting and CPA with 20+ years of leadership in publicly traded companies, including $1B+ revenue organizations. Currently, Robert serves as Director of Accounting, Equity, and Payroll for Natera.
Previous Director, Controller, and other senior-level financial executive experience includes roles at Onto Innovation, Protagonist Therapeutics, Aimmune Therapeutics, and HotChalk, Inc., among other organizations. Robert earned a Bachelor of Science in Financial Accounting from the University of New Haven.
FEISV Partner of the Week

Vaco is a global talent and solutions firm that helps organizations solve complex business challenges by aligning strategy with the right people. As part of Highspring, Vaco combines deep industry expertise with a relationship-driven approach to deliver consulting, managed services, and talent solutions across accounting, finance, technology, and operations.
At its core, Vaco believes that growth starts with people. The company partners with clients to build high-performing teams, drive transformation, and turn change into opportunity – providing both the strategy and the talent needed to make it happen.
With a global presence and a commitment to accountability and results, Vaco doesn’t just advise, it executes, helping businesses move faster, adapt smarter, and achieve meaningful outcomes.
CONTACT:
Jonathan W. Chan
Director Client Strategy and Expansion
T: 415.366.8053 C: 805.455.8392 | [email protected]
201 Mission St. Suite 720, San Francisco, CA 94105
www.vaco.com