Building Open Future Forum has introduced me to accounting and finance advisory professionals who contribute well beyond their client work. They help organise CFO discussions, introduce speakers, support founder events and bring investors and executives together.
This list starts with people in our own network, including colleagues we have worked with on events, people introduced by colleagues and advisers whose work is relevant to the executives we bring together. It covers accounting, tax, finance transformation and transaction advisory, alongside the people who build relationships across those practices.
I am starting with Christina Bui because of her contribution to our CFO community.
How this list was made
This one is different from our other Bay Area guides. Those were built entirely from public records. This list starts from our own network, so the basis varies by entry and each entry says which it is.
Most entries carry a public source linked in the entry: a firm biography, an association profile, or a colleague or client comment quoted with its source. Four rest instead on a working relationship or an introduction from someone we work with, and carry no outside link. Those are Hitesh Shah, Melanie Walker, Stephen Wares and Ben Shappell, and each entry explains how the connection came about rather than implying a public record we do not have.
Nobody paid for inclusion. Groupings are approximate, and several of these advisers work across more than one of them.
Building the CFO community
Christina Bui, Robert Half and Protiviti
Christina has helped us build the CFO Executive Forum through speaker introductions, panel preparation and event support. For our July discussion on using AI to scale lean finance teams, she worked with the panellists on the questions and the shape of the conversation.
That preparation matters. A useful CFO discussion needs people who understand the work, and questions that get beyond a general conversation about technology. Christina puts time into both. Her work in managed business solutions also connects directly with the staffing, systems and operating challenges finance leaders face.
The San Francisco CFO Leadership Council publicly thanked Christina and Rob Bonner for "generously hosting and helping to arrange our talented panel." It is recognition of the work that goes into bringing finance leaders together. Read the public acknowledgement
Adam Fauvre, RSM
Adam brings together CFOs, investors and technology leaders across the Bay Area. We have worked together on event programming, and he regularly makes introductions across the local finance and investment network.
His activity includes panel preparation, introductions and gatherings such as RSM's Bay Area golf tournament. He belongs on this list because there is a consistent pattern of bringing people together and following through on the details.
After a venture capital dinner Adam hosted in Palo Alto, Armello Rodriguez wrote: "Great group and great times! Thanks Adam Fauvre for expertly organizing." Read the comment
Accounting, audit and tax
Hitesh Shah, RSM
Hitesh was one of the people Louis Lehot recommended when we discussed expanding the accounting relationships around our CFO community.
For this article, that connection is the starting point: a recommendation from someone we work with closely, within an established executive network. Hitesh adds another RSM relationship for readers getting to know the people around the Bay Area's accounting and finance community.
Laszlo Schneider, KPMG
Laszlo is an audit partner at KPMG in the San Francisco Bay Area and a contact in our local professional network.
When Laszlo marked his admission to the KPMG partnership, Jerry Carlson wrote: "Laszlo Schneider congratulations on your admission to the partnership! I am proud of you!" Read the comment
Stephanie Byford, BDO
Stephanie is a director of business development at BDO and a board member of How Women Lead Silicon Valley. Her community work focuses on women founders and senior executives across the Bay Area.
She also participates in Financial Women of San Francisco. That gives her profile a clear focus: connecting finance and business leaders while supporting women's participation in leadership. Financial Women of San Francisco profile, board biography
Nisha Golcha, GHJ
Nisha is a Silicon Valley based partner and GHJ's Corporate Tax Practice Leader. We were already in conversation when her name came up in our CFO community planning.
Her work covers corporate tax planning and the needs of growing businesses. She also serves on CalCPA's Community Advisory Council and has presented to professional audiences, including Silicon Valley Joint Venture. She brings both technical tax experience and involvement in the accounting community. GHJ biography
Her colleague Miso Moon, CPA, described working with Nisha for almost four years: "I learned so much about how to be a leader and build relationships internally and externally." Read Miso's post
Transactions, transformation and international growth
Melanie Walker, CFGI
Melanie is a CFGI partner who helps organise discussions for senior executives. Our correspondence has covered panel preparation, investor discussions and M&A topics for senior executives.
She brings an accounting advisory perspective to those conversations while also helping develop the programme itself. That combination makes her relevant to CFOs who want to discuss finance issues with advisers and peers.
Greg Mochizuki, CohnReznick
Greg came into our network during conversations about bringing private equity, investment banking and venture capital professionals together.
His invitation to a San Francisco discussion on creating value amid M&A uncertainty was particularly relevant. The programme addressed deal and operating professionals, including corporate buyers. Greg's transaction advisory work makes him a useful addition for readers interested in the financial questions around acquisitions and exits.
Fellow partner Mark Hooley publicly praised Greg's "phenomenal leadership" and added: "Proud to have you as a partner my friend." Read the comment
Jeff Meyer, Protiviti
Jeff is a managing director and Protiviti's West Region Public Company Transformation leader. Christina introduced him for an upcoming Open Future Forum panel.
His experience includes financial controls, internal audit, risk management and integration work. Those subjects become increasingly important as a company prepares for public ownership or builds a more complex finance organisation. Protiviti biography
Ben Shappell, RSM
Adam introduced Ben as a Bay Area partner in RSM's national technology, media and telecommunications practice, working with venture capital and venture-backed businesses.
That focus brings the venture-backed company perspective into the list. Our connection began through an introduction around the local technology community, rather than a completed joint event.
Stephen Wares, CCW Business Solutions and Crowe
Stephen works in international business expansion from Palo Alto. We participated together in BABC's Funding, Exits and IPOs programme, a longstanding event bringing together people from finance, technology and investment.
His follow-up with the speakers reflected the relationships behind a recurring programme. For executives expanding internationally, he adds a cross-border business and compliance perspective to this list.
Jason Stork, Frank, Rimerman + Co.
Jason is a partner in Frank, Rimerman's Assurance and Advisory Practice. He works with venture-backed and closely held companies on financial audits and transaction readiness.
His experience includes revenue recognition, equity accounting, international operations and M&A transactions. That makes him relevant to finance leaders preparing their businesses for investment, acquisition or a more demanding reporting environment. Firm biography
Further connections from our network
Some relationships extend beyond a strictly local list and are worth keeping in view.
Tanner Ellis, Aline Accounting Partners
Tanner is now Director of Client Development at Aline Accounting Partners and was previously a contact through Withum. Our conversations included founder events and opportunities to bring clients together. His current role continues that focus on client relationships within accounting. Current biography
George Brown, Protiviti
George is based in Washington, DC, and connects with our work through discussions about private equity events. He is a national private equity relationship with relevance to our developing community. Professional profile
Mohammad Hasham, CohnReznick
Mohammad is another contact from our network, through a meeting arranged with Faraz Naqvi. The capital markets, IPO and CFO advisory work identified in that correspondence is relevant to the finance leaders we serve.
Responding to Mohammad's post marking a year since an inaugural event, Nita R. wrote: "Congratulations on an incredible first year! Wishing you another successful event!" Read the comment
Continuing the conversation
At Open Future Forum, we bring CFOs, founders, investors and other senior executives together throughout the year. Accounting and finance advisers contribute to those conversations through their experience across companies, transactions and stages of growth.
We will continue adding to this list as we meet more people doing useful work in the community. If there is someone whose contribution we should know about, I would welcome an introduction.
Explore the CFO Executive Forum and Open Future Forum's research.
Last updated: September 13, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Continuing the Conversation
Open Future Forum brings CFOs, founders, investors and other senior executives together throughout the year, in private rooms and open sessions across the Bay Area.