Finance and Investing is pleased to announce The Top 25 CFOs of Los Angeles for 2023. Powered by world-leading companies, a thriving tech industry, and a rapidly increasing venture capital investment in startups along with the nation’s most extensive manufacturing base, LA is a hub known for innovation due to the overlapping industries that drive new business concepts and entirely new sectors. It wouldn’t be a stretch to call the city an epicenter of growth and creativity; many of our awardees work for companies that are at the forefront of retail, gaming, entertainment, nutrition, tech, healthcare, and fitness, such as Reddit, Crooked Media, Orangetheory Fitness, Beyond Meat, and Thrive Market.
Among this year’s awardees is Greg Ramirez, Chief Financial Officer of Pepperdine University, who led the university's largest and most cost-effective bond issuance to date. Awardee Jesse Timmermans, Chief Financial Officer of REVOLVE, helmed the company through its IPO in June 2019. Also awarded is Karen Morris, Chief Financial Officer of Main Electric Supply. Since her arrival, she’s worked with the senior leadership team to take the company from $185M to $800M in nine years.
Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of The Top 25 CFOs of Los Angeles for 2023.
1. Stephan Lombardo
Chief Financial Officer, Arbonne
Stephan Lombardo is the Chief Financial Officer of Arbonne. He is a strong finance professional with more than 15 years of experience in Arbonne’s parent company, Groupe Rocher. In recent years, he has held the positions of YR North America CFO, based in Canada, then CFO for YR France before joining Petit Bateau, where he successfully worked to restore financial profitability and support business transformation.
Previously, he was the Business Controller at Grünenthal Group and Neuf Telecom. Lombardo has an MBA from the Université Paris Dauphine, a master’s degree in accounting and finance from Grenoble Ecole de Management, and a bachelor's degree in accounting and finance from Aix-Marseille University.
2. Arianna Ozzanto
Chief Financial Officer, SAG-AFTRA
Arianna Ozzanto is the Chief Financial Officer of SAG-AFTRA. During her 19-year tenure, she has held various positions, including Senior Manager of Finance, Director of Finance and Strategy, and National Director of Finance and Administration. She was appointed as SAG’s Chief Financial Officer in 2009. She is responsible for the accounting, finance, and payroll departments, membership, and the contact center in this role.
Ozzanto’s previous employment includes positions at WellPoint Inc. and 20th Century Fox in corporate finance positions. She currently serves on the USC Economics Leadership Council board and as a member of the governing body for the CFO Executive Summit. Ozzanto has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Southern California.
3. Cameron Stewart
Chief Financial Officer of West Coast Fitness, Orangetheory Fitness
Cameron Stewart is the Chief Financial Officer of West Coast Fitness at Orangetheory Fitness. In this role, he oversees all aspects of finance and accounting for the private equity portfolio company of Orangetheory. He first joined the company in 2020.
Previously, Stewart was the Head of Finance and Accounting at Fragrant Jewels. Before that, he was the VP of Finance at Fox Rent a Car. Earlier in his career, he worked with Ameriprise Financial Services as a Financial Advisor. Stewart earned an undergraduate degree in finance from California State University-Long Beach College of Business.
4. Neil Varghese
Chief Financial Officer, Crooked Media
Neil Varghese is the Chief Financial Officer of Crooked Media. At Crooked, Varghese oversees all financial functions of the company, including banking, risk management, FP&A, tax, corporate governance, and compliance. Additionally, he provides strategic guidance for corporate sales, talent and content acquisition, and other enterprise deals.
Over the course of his 17-year career, Varghese has worked in various capacities in client service, production accounting, controllership, FP&A, deal analysis, capital raises, wages and benefits, strategy, and operations. His experience has taken him to the largest sports and entertainment companies and leadership roles in the emerging virtual reality and podcast space. In addition to his passion for entertainment, Varghese has a deep interest in community service and mentoring. He has an MBA from USC’s Marshall School of Business and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Hofstra University.
5. Greg Ramirez
Chief Financial Officer, Pepperdine University
Greg Ramirez is the Chief Financial Officer of Pepperdine University. As CFO, he provides strategic leadership for the university's operating budget, financial and capital resources, and finance operations. He oversees the Controller's office, payroll, accounting, finance systems, payables, purchasing, tax, and financial planning. Ramirez has served in multiple roles within the University's finance department since 2006, most recently as the Associate Vice President of Finance, in which he successfully led the university's largest and most cost-effective bond issuance to date. He was selected into the 2019 Western Association of College and University Business Officers Leadership Program and was also named Pepperdine University's 2019 Helen M. Young Fellow.
An active community member, he serves as Vice Chair of the Conejo Valley Unified School District's Bond Oversight Committee for the implementation of a $197 million bond measure. Ramirez was previously a professional baseball player as part of the New York Mets. Ramirez received an MBA with a concentration in finance from Auburn University and a BS in business administration from Pepperdine University.
6. Drew Vollero
Chief Financial Officer, Reddit
Drew Vollero is the Chief Financial Officer of Reddit. He focuses on building out Reddit’s finance team across all areas, including tax, treasury, audit, financial planning, sales finance, accounting, procurement, and investor relations.
Vollero joined Reddit from Allied Universal, the largest U.S. security and facility services firm. Previously he served as Snap’s first CFO, scaling the finance, accounting, and audit functions and leading the company through its IPO as a public company. Earlier in his career, he led various areas of finance at Mattel and Pepsi. Vollero has a master’s degree in management from Oxford University and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics from Yale University.
7. Bradford Reynolds
Chief Financial Officer, Blaze Pizza
Bradford Reynolds is the Chief Financial Officer of Blaze Pizza. Reynolds brings to Blaze years of experience leading strategy, M&A, and corporate and franchise development for national restaurant brands. He leverages his strategic expertise to support Blaze's significant growth trajectory.
Before joining Blaze, Reynolds served as the COO of C3, an innovative restaurant group focused on off-premise growth, where he led all operational business units for the rapidly growing company. He also spent over four years at Smashburger serving as the CFO and Senior Vice President of Franchise Strategy, leading strategic new store openings, IT, supply chain, licensing brand development, and strategic mergers and acquisitions. Reynolds graduated from Kenyon College with a bachelor's degree in political science.
8. Eric Muhlheim
Chief Financial Officer, Mozilla
Eric Muhlheim is the Chief Financial Officer of Mozilla. Muhlheim is responsible for leading the company's financial operations as it scales its mission impact with new and existing products, technology, and business models. He first joined the company in 2021.
Previously, Muhlheim was the Chief Financial and Administrative Officer and Treasurer at BuzzFeed. Before that, he was the CFO at OpenX. Earlier in his career, he worked with Morgan Stanley and Co. Inc. as a Senior Analyst of Corporate Finance. Muhlheim earned an MBA in general management from Stanford University Graduate School of Business and an undergraduate degree in mathematics from Princeton University.
9. Noel Watson
Chief Financial Officer, LegalZoom
Noel Watson is the Chief Financial Officer of LegalZoom. Watson joined LegalZoom as a seasoned financial executive with over twenty years of financial operations and leadership experience across private and public companies. Most recently, Watson served as Chief Financial Officer of TrueCar Inc., where he led financial operations, including financial planning and analysis, accounting, and investor relations. Before that, he was the Chief Accounting Officer of TripAdvisor, where he served in various accounting and FP&A roles, including Vice President of Accounting and Controller. Watson holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Bryant University.
10. Mark Wallace
Chief Financial Officer, Instawork
Mark Wallace is the Chief Financial Officer of Instawork. He helps shape and execute growth strategies in this role and oversees all company financial matters. He was previously the CFO of The Black Tux and DogVacay. Before this, he was the Senior Manager of Accounting at Hulu, Assistant Manager of Finance at MOSAIC Homes, and Senior Accountant at Deloitte. Earlier in his career, he worked with Grouse Mountain as an Accountant. Wallace graduated from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of BC with an undergraduate degree in accounting.
11. Thorsten Struck
Chief Financial Officer, TechStyle Fashion Group
Thorsten Struck is the Group Chief Financial Officer of TechStyle Fashion Group. He oversees the company’s financial strategy, capital structure, ongoing investment strategy, and international business.
Before this, Thorsten held Chief Financial Officer roles at leading European eCommerce companies, including eBay Spain, the Ricardo Group, and mobile.de, Germany’s largest online vehicle marketplace. Earlier in his career, he worked at Dresdner Bank (now known as Commerzbank). Thorsten has an MBA from the Technical University of Berlin.
12. Lubi Kutua
Chief Financial Officer, Beyond Meat
Lubi Kutua is the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Beyond Meat. Kutua previously served as the company’s Vice President of FP&A and Investor Relations. Before joining Beyond Meat, he served as Vice President of Equity Research at Jefferies, with a focus on the packaged foods and agribusiness sectors. Prior to that, Kutua served as Associate-Analyst, Equity Research and at KeyBanc Capital Markets. He began his career in financial services at Goldman Sachs, most recently serving as Associate, Divisional Management Reporting. Kutua received his MBA from The New York University Leonard N. Stern School of Business and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and physics from Hamilton College.
13. Todd Koning
Chief Financial Officer, Alphatec Spine
Todd Koning is the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Alphatec Spine. He brings over 20 years of focused medical device finance, accounting, and international experience.
Before this, he was at Masimo Corporation as SVP of Finance and Chief Accounting Officer. He most recently served as Senior Vice President of Finance and Chief Accounting Officer, responsible for corporate planning and analysis, global accounting, SEC reporting, financial systems, and investor outreach. Prior to his role at Masimo, Koning served as Vice President of Finance at NuVasive, Inc. and Vice President of Finance at Ellipse Technologies, Inc., which was acquired by NuVasive in 2016. He also held various domestic and international finance and accounting leadership roles at Boston Scientific Corporation and Guidant Corporation. Koning has an MBA from Purdue University and a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Michigan State University.
14. Jesse Timmermans
Chief Financial Officer, REVOLVE
Jesse Timmermans is the Chief Financial Officer of Revolve. He joined the company in 2017. He leads all aspects of finance, accounting, treasury, and risk management. Notably, he led the company through its IPO in June 2019. Timmermans also manages the functions of the legal and human resources at Revolve.
Before Revolve, he served as the CFO of Jobalign, a Seattle mobile-first technology and marketplace startup. Before Jobalign, Timmermans spent 10 years at Blue Nile in various finance roles, most recently as VP of Finance and Controller. He started his career at KPMG and also spent several years at T-Mobile in financial reporting roles. Timmermans graduated from Central Washington University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.
15. Daniel Hart
Chief Financial Officer, Avid Bioservices
Daniel Hart is the Chief Financial Officer of Avid Bioservices. He oversees and manages all of Avid’s accounting and finance responsibilities. Prior to joining Avid, Hart served as CFO of ENO Holdings, Inc., a family of real estate companies. In this role, he helped improve the company’s organizational results, focusing on establishing repeatable financial and operating processes, cash forecasts, strategic planning, and financial transactions. Prior to this role, Hart served as Chief Financial Officer at SM&A. Hart also previously held positions with Biolase Technology, Inc., a Nasdaq-listed medical device manufacturer, FutureLink Corp., a Nasdaq-listed hosted application service provider, and Deloitte and Touche LLP. Hart has a Bachelor of Science from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
16. Karen Morris
Chief Financial Officer, Main Electric Supply
Karen Morris has been Main Electric Supply’s Chief Financial Officer since 2013. Morris passionately oversees the accounting, business support and expansion, financial planning and analysis, treasury, real estate, internal and external audit, and tax functions at Main Electric. She has worked closely with Main’s senior leadership since her arrival, taking the company from $185M to $800M in 9 years.
Morris has over 30 years of experience building and leading corporations through complex acquisitions, system implementation, design, expansion, downsizing, capital market transactions, and SOX compliance. Prior to joining Main Electric, Morris spent 15 years as CFO for a clothing importer generating international sales of $46 million annually. From there, she joined Sundown Lighting & Electrical, an electrical service provider and project contractor, as CFO reporting directly to the CEO. Morris was part of the team that took this privately held organization through revenue and income growth of 40% over 36 months through organic growth and acquisitions. Morris holds a degree from California State University Long Beach, has an active CPA license, and is a member of the AICPA.
17. Richard Park
Chief Financial Officer of Corporate Development, HdL Companies
Richard Park is the Chief Financial Officer of Corporate Development for HdL Companies. HdL is the market leading government services provider with diversified holdings in software, tax services, economic development, compliance and business process outsourcing. In his current role, Park serves as a strategic CFO, managing corporate finance, accounting, contracts, risk, and active mergers & acquisitions, alliances and new ventures within the data and tech enabled government services sector.
Prior to joining HdL, Park served as the Head of M&A, Corporate Venture Capital for Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd. where he focused on software HR tech and managed early-stage equity fund HRTech. Prior to that, he served as a Partner with Poudre Valley Capital and early on as a Vice President with ADP. Park graduated from Boston University with an undergraduate degree in economics and sociology, and from Northwestern University with an MBA.
18. Amy Dickerson
Chief Financial Officer, REGENESIS Remediation
Amy Dickerson is the Chief Financial Officer of REGENESIS Remediation. REGENESIS is the global leader in technology-based solutions for the environment with an emphasis on contaminated site remediation. Started in 1994, the company has developed a range of widely-used specialty chemicals for the proven and low-cost cleanup of contaminated soil and groundwater. Amy is responsible for the overall financial management of the company including financial reporting and transparency. She oversees multiple corporate functions including accounting, budget, credit, insurance, tax, treasury and human resources.
Prior to joining REGENESIS, Ms. Dickerson held CFO and Controller positions within the banking industry after starting her career with KPMG in public accounting. She holds undergraduate degrees in accounting and psychology from Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR.
19. Darrell Cross
Chief Financial Officer, MarVista Entertainment
Darrell Cross is the Chief Financial Officer of MarVista Entertainment. Cross is responsible for overseeing financial operations and growth opportunities, leveraging new business models, and capital management.
Cross is a media and entertainment executive with a broad finance and accounting background in domestic and international business across various industries, including entertainment, technology, and telecommunications. Before joining MarVista, Cross was the COO and CFO for Wild Card, where he was responsible for the company's financial operations. He oversaw the formation of the 3 AM Creative Group, a social media marketing company geared towards the development of new forms of content and marketing for modern, global audiences, including strategy analysis, positioning, and partner analysis integration opportunities. Cross has an MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management and a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Oregon.
20. Matt Mishalow
Chief Financial Officer, Guided Discoveries
Matt Mishalow is the Chief Financial Officer for Guided Discoveries. Guided Discoveries operates AstroCamp, Catalina Sea Camp, and the Catalina Island Marine Institute in Southern California. AstroCamp focuses on physical science and mountain adventure, while Catalina Sea Camp and CIMI focus on marine biology and ocean adventure. All three camps operate during the school year as outdoor education science camp programs and during the summer as individualized summer camps.
Mishalow is responsible for budgeting and controlling expenses, and strategizing revenue and growth enhancements. He also spends time managing all financial accounts and external financial relationships. Mishalow has been with Guided Discoveries for over 15 years and first attended the Catalina Sea Camp summer program when he was nine. He has volunteered as the chair for several industry conferences. Mishalow currently sits on the Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times Board as Treasurer and works with the legislative association the California Collaboration for Youth. Mishalow earned his Executive MBA from the University of Southern California and a BS in business administration and finance from the University of Oregon.
21. Robert Benn
Chief Financial Officer, STG Auto Group
Robert Benn is the Chief Financial Officer of St. George Automotive Group (STG), the third largest privately owned independent automotive group in the USA. In this role, Benn is responsible for refining the company’s processes and structures as it expands. Benn has a proven record of driving finance transformation, championing multimillion-dollar cost savings, and implementing processes that optimize performance.
Benn has spent over 25 years as a corporate finance leader with previous positions at AutoNation Inc, Asbury Automotive Group, and Porsche Cars North America. Benn has also been involved in the startup and early-stage IT industry. Benn is a dedicated mentor, sharing his knowledge and expertise with up-and-coming finance professionals. In addition, he’s a trusted advisor to colleagues, providing financial guidance and support that enables them to make sound business decisions. Benn received a Bachelor of Arts in business administration from Rider University.
22. Brian Parisi
Chief Financial Officer, Break the Floor Productions
Brian Parisi is currently the CFO at Break the Floor Productions in Hollywood, CA. He is an experienced executive with over 25 years of experience in the high-tech and entertainment industries. In addition to his breadth of experience across finance, accounting, M&A, and strategy for top global companies, he has a strong focus on academics.
Previously, Parisi was the CFO at the NFL Hall of Fame Village and Head of Finance for Live Nation’s Festivals Division. In these roles, he was instrumental in raising institutional capital and private equity through a strong focus on operational efficiency, financial discipline, and business sensibility. At Live Nation, Parisi was responsible for the integration of several music festival brands into the Live Nation corporate infrastructure, generating 20 annual festivals and over 1.3 million fans worldwide. Parisi has also held leadership positions at Warner Bros. Entertainment and Universal Studios. Parisi received his MBA from the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business and his Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management.
23. Anthony Scott
Chief Operating Officer & Chief Financial Officer, Unbroken Studios
Anthony Scott is the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Unbroken Studios. Unbroken Studios is a world-class, independent video games developer based in Los Angeles that creates video games enjoyed by millions around the world.
Scott is originally from Scotland and has a mix of finance and video game development experience. Before joining Unbroken, he worked at Rocksteady Studios, Kuju, and KPMG London. He qualified as a CPA and worked in the investment banking audit practice and financial modeling team on M&A transactions. Scott has an undergraduate in mechanical engineering from Edinburgh University and is currently earning an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
24. Karen Cate
Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, Thrive Market
Karen Cate is the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Thrive Market. She’s a finance executive with over 25 years of experience in grocery, CPG, beauty, manufacturing, eCommerce, and wholesale markets.
She has a broad range of experience, including tenure at large, publicly held companies and numerous startups in various growth stages. After receiving her CPA from McGladrey and Pullen, she joined a team of four that created and launched the Disney Stores concept, opening over 50 stores and a restaurant during her tenure. She progressed in her career by holding several critical finance and accounting roles at Avery Dennison and Nestle USA. She worked at the corporate level and as the divisional finance head for Confections. Subsequent roles included a mix of big box and smaller companies, including Sun Microsystems, Guidance Software, Trader Joe’s, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, TOMS, and Kendo Brands (LVMH). Cate has an MBA from the Drucker School of Management and a bachelor's degree in accounting and business administration from California State Polytechnic University-Pomona.
25. Norman Bullock
VP, Finance & IT and CFO, Chrysalis
Norman Bullock is the Chief Financial officer of Chrysalis. He joined the organization as an accomplished business and thought partner with an extensive background in nonprofit leadership, business & financial management, and social enterprise. He has held senior finance leadership positions with several mission-driven organizations and has a history of building strong teams, process improvement, leveraging technology, and improved financial performance. He is a servant leader with a business mindset and a deep commitment to impacting social change.
Prior to joining Chrysalis, Norman was an Executive at ExED, a mission-driven nonprofit organization that works to provide access to an excellent public education, which opens the doors to opportunity and provides a pathway out of poverty for many. In his capacity, he served as CFO and Thought Partner, providing business management services to several nonprofit charter school organizations. In addition to his professional journey, Norman has leveraged his professional experience with volunteer work including: Past President, California NAACP; Present Board Member, American Baptist Foundation; and some of the organizations where he previously served as a board member include: Ruach Community Development Corp., Kappa Achievement Fund, and 100 Black Men of Los Angeles.
