Ascend NorCal Growth Program
Unlock Your Career Potential: Navigate, Ascend, Thrive
Speaker Bios:
Keynote Speakers
Michael Kanazawa
Consulting Partner, Former CEO/Founder; Board Member; Author
EY
Michael is EY Global Innovation Realized Leader and EY Americas Consulting Growth Strategy Leader. He also leads the EY wavespace™ innovation labs in Silicon Valley and San Francisco. With over 20 years of strategy and innovation experience, he is seasoned in developing corporate strategy and transformation as well as in building businesses – both within global corporations and as an entrepreneur. Prior to joining EY through the acquisition of his own company, he served as a founder, partner and board member of several growth companies. He also served in operating and corporate strategy roles in a global telecom company before moving into the field of consulting. Michael co-authored BIG Ideas to BIG Results: Leading Corporate Transformation in a Disruptive World, a leader’s guide to accelerating corporate transformation. He earned an MBA from the University of Southern California, and BA in Economics and Mathematics from the University of California at Santa Barbara.
Bhavit Desai
Vice President, Business Transformation Strategy
Robert Half
Bhavit Desai, Vice President of Business Transformation Strategy at Robert Half, is driven by customer success. As a digital transformation strategist, Fortune 500 executive, and trusted advisor, he excels at helping organizations leverage their technology investments to achieve business goals. Throughout his career, the constant has been his passion for seeing clients and employees succeed. From startups to global market leaders, Bhavit has honed deep listening, problem-solving, strategic planning, program management, and executive relationship-building expertise needed to deliver successfully on a wide range of outcomes. At Robert Half, he has held leadership positions in customer success, global strategy, enterprise solutions, pricing and price optimization, marketing, and consulting. Bhavit is at his best when driving transformations that enable clients to achieve outcomes previously thought impossible. Drawing on his collective experience, he advises business leaders on how to translate a vision into an actionable strategy, and then brings that strategy to life by bridging the gaps between strategy and operations. Challenge inspires Bhavit to innovate. He welcomes challenges as opportunities to solve business problems using new solutions, tools, and capabilities. Through collaboration with business leaders and clients, he has helped drive transformative initiatives that are reshaping the way the world operates. In his personal life, Bhavit is an ardent supporter of non-profits that invest in educating youth. He is an active member of the Board of Directors for the Danville Girls Chorus and a fierce advocate for promoting equality.
Francisco Sarmiento, Jr
Consulting Partner
Moss Adams LLP
Francisco Sarmiento has years of professional experience in the field of accounting and consulting services. Based in San Francisco, he is currently a Risk Advisory and Consulting partner at Moss Adams LLP. He has been performing internal audits, operational reviews, compliance reviews, financial audits, attestation services, and other consulting engagements for local and international companies of various sizes. His work has encompassed a wide variety of industries that include manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, oil and gas, retail and marketing, professional services, insurance, energy and utilities, real estate, technology, and life sciences. Francisco received his Bachelor of Science in Accounting, magna cum laude, from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and holds a Certification in Control Self-Assessment (CCSA). Francisco's specialties include Enterprise Risk Management (ERM), Internal Audit Services, Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404 Compliance, Forensic Accounting/Fraud Examination, and Litigation Support Services.
Mentors
Rianna Au
Senior Product Owner, First Republic Bank
JP Morgan Chase
Rianna Au is a Product Manager at First Republic with a demonstrated history of working in the banking, investment, and tech industry with experience in Databases, Product Management, Business Intelligence, and Data Dictionary. She’s continually learning and looking for ways to collaborate better with project stakeholders. She graduated from San Francisco State University, College of Business with an MBA. She’s a parent of a 12 and a 9 year-old, which challenges her to prioritize and advocate for herself and her family, resulting in many lessons learned to align her career journey with her values.
Rucha Bhatt
Tax Senior Manager
Moss Adams LLP
Rucha has worked in public accounting since 2012. She primarily serves both private and public companies in the technology, life sciences, and communications industries. Rucha has also worked with public companies and registration statements related to public stock offerings. Rucha’s passion is to advise enterprising companies growing within their respective industries.
Ashley Huang
Consulting & Analytics Sr.Manager
Visa
Ashley Huang is a Consulting & Analytics Senior Manager at Visa, based in the Greater San Francisco Area. With over 7 years of career experience and worked in various roles throughout her career, she embodies the importance of self-reflection and taking the time to assess one’s own progress and career goals. Ashley is a seasoned professional with a MBA degree from UCLA Anderson School of Management. She is a compassionate and experienced professional who is dedicated to helping the AAPI community and others succeed in their careers, considering pursuing an MBA, and achieving their goals.
Candy Hong
Controller
Engine Room
Candy Hong is a Certified Public Accountant and works as a Controller at Engine Room, with over a decade of expertise in auditing and accounting. She specializes in the Technology and Life Sciences sectors. Her career journey started in Public Accounting, transitioned to Corporate America, and is now a consultant for outsourced finance and accounting teams. In her experience, she was passionate about coaching and training. Beyond her professional endeavors, she has a passion for travel, exploring different cultures, and indulging in culinary delights, particularly discovering hidden gem restaurants and bakeries. Additionally, she enjoys learning about various gemstones, adding a touch of curiosity and exploration to my personal interests.
Constance Hsu
M&A Strategic Finance Director
Visa
Constance Hsu is a highly skilled finance professional with a focus on strategic finance, M&A finance, fintech valuation, and corporate analysis. As the current Director of Strategic Finance, she brings her extensive expertise to bear on a range of financial operations. Before this role, Constance served as the Treasury of Capital Markets at Stanford University, where she managed the university's short- and long-term cash, financing, and investment needs. Her responsibilities included overseeing external financing for a ~$5B debt portfolio, internal banking, liquidity analysis, and long-term capital investment strategy. Prior to Stanford, Constance spent four years at UC Berkeley as an Assistant Director, Finance & Capital Assets. In this role, she was responsible for investment strategy, financial planning and analysis, and capital structure/debt oversight for UC Berkeley's new capital projects and maintenance/renewal of the built environment, managing a capital asset/debt portfolio of approximately $2 billion. Constance is also a Chartered Financial Analyst, a testament to her expertise and commitment to the highest standards of financial analysis and ethical practice. Her career is marked by strategic financial leadership and a deep understanding of capital markets and investment strategies.
May Lee
R&D Tax Director
Moss Adams LLP
May has specialized in federal and state R&D tax credits since 2001, helping companies identify, increase, document, and support credit claims related to R&D tax credits. She has extensive experience in the technology, biotech, manufacturing, hardware, and software industries and has helped companies and business owners save millions of dollars in taxes each year. Prior to joining Moss Adams, May performed R&D tax credit studies at two Big Four firms.
Francisco Sarmiento
Consulting Partner
Moss Adams LLP
Francisco Sarmiento has years of professional experience in the field of accounting and consulting services. Based in San Francisco, he is currently a Risk Advisory and Consulting partner at Moss Adams LLP. He has been performing internal audits, operational reviews, compliance reviews, financial audits, attestation services, and other consulting engagements for local and international companies of various sizes. His work has encompassed a wide variety of industries that include manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, oil and gas, retail and marketing, professional services, insurance, energy and utilities, real estate, technology, and life sciences. Francisco received his Bachelor of Science in Accounting, magna cum laude, from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and holds a Certification in Control Self-Assessment (CCSA). Francisco's specialties include Enterprise Risk Management (ERM), Internal Audit Services, Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404 Compliance, Forensic Accounting/Fraud Examination, and Litigation Support Services.
Andrew Wang
Innovation & Global Digital Partnerships
Visa
Andrew is a Senior Manager in Innovation & Global Digital Partnerships at Visa who is passionate about collaboration, data visualization, and connection making. Prior to Visa, he was senior auditor at Ernst & Young, with experience in Financial statement reporting, public security offerings, budgeting, and data analytics. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling, testing new recipes, and watching live sports.
Winny Wong
Advisory Partner
BPM LLP
Winny is a Partner on the Business Enterprise Services Team in BPM’s San Jose office. She has over 15 years of experience in accounting and financial reporting, and she focuses on assisting clients in the Real Estate and Technology industries. Winny has extensive knowledge of industry-specific accounting procedures for Real Estate companies and commonly helps clients who own or operate commercial and multifamily properties, as well as REITs and joint ventures. She also specializes in helping technology startups by creating accounting processes and procedures as well as financial statements and budget reports, so clients can focus their energy on building up their product and/or services for their company. Her background includes assisting tech companies by implementing accounting software into their day-to-day accounting and month-end process. She commonly assists her clients who may have fallen behind on their accounting and prepares clients for future financial success by creating monthly plans for businesses to follow years after her work is completed. Winny also helps ensure a company’s audit success by reviewing its financial records and accounting processes to ensure its compliance before the audit process starts. She effectively works to meet the individual needs of each client to help analyze, organize and maintain financial records.
Moderator
Jennie Ly
Assurance Innovation & Strategy Sr. Manager
Moss Adams LLP
Jennie Ly is an Innovation & Strategy Senior Manager and a certified public accountant at Moss Adams, LLP. Jennie pursued Accounting and Management Information Systems at University of the Pacific, and went straight into public accounting providing assurance services for the last 10+ years at Deloitte and Moss Adams. In 2020, Jennie transitioned into Innovation by leading innovation-related projects (data analytics, automation, machine learning) and business transformation initiatives, focusing on solutioning, implementing, and training new technology platforms and applications, and upskilling the workforce. Jennie is also the leader of Moss Adam’s Asian Business Resource Group and a big advocate for renewable skills (don’t leave the firm just yet (being replaceable), find your new passion first and transfer – renewing your skill sets) and work-life balance. Jennie married her high school sweetheart, has 2 children (4 if you count the fur-babies) and loves spending time with her family in Sacramento, CA. Jennie loves tapping into her creative side with arts & craft projects or playing video games with her family, seeing smiles from friends eating her delicious infamous cheesecake, and indulging in her desires for adventure.