Leila Melody Email & Phone Number

San Francisco, California, Us

WildAid inspires change and empowers the world to protect wildlife and vital habitats from critical threats including illegal wildlife trafficking, climate change, and illegal fishing. Winner of the 2023 Earthshot Prize.Develop annual operating budget in alignment with strategic priorities and growth goals. Oversee cash flow, payroll, and accounts payable with substantial international activity.Collaborate with Finance Committee on budgeting and reserve management, and with the Audit Committee and external CPAs on annual audit, financial statement review and tax submissions, implementing any related accounting recommendations.Implement new grant accounting system to facilitate funder compliance and improve ability to track restricted net assets.Ensure financial activity meets requirements from grantors and performance metrics of rating agencies.Oversee Human Resources, corporate insurance, technology & legal contract review.

Optimize financial performance for 7 corporate entities supporting 2 brands with 14 locations in California and annual revenue exceeding $25 millionPartner with Founder/CEO and COO on strategic planning through turbulent pandemic to adapt tochanging regulations, consumer preferences and shifting landscape of restaurant industry, includinglaunching online ordering platform, expanding delivery options, and revamping dining areas.Transitioned all financial responsibility from external contractors to in-house staff, mentoring internal team, and improving communication and reporting practices between corporate staff and operations.Handle all internal aspects of acquisition of 8 units sold to Yum Brands. Provided financial analyses,created projections, negotiated terms of asset purchase and management services agreements, andprovided due diligence materials requested by the buyer. Oversee all aspects of employee layoffs, vendor contract terminations, prorations, and other transitional items.Enhanced employee benefit package to attract and retain talent including new hiring bonus plan, 401Kretirement plan, and an annual scholarship program for employees and their family members.Collaborate with HR team and external employment attorneys to oversee all facets of Human Resourcesfor over 350 employees at 15 sites in California.Secured $3.5 million in funding across 8 loans through the Paycheck Protection Program. Ensured fundswere spent according to requirements, achieving 100% forgiveness for all loans. Also secured over $1Min Employee Retention Credits and $450,000 from the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.Structured plan for restorative and assistance pay for all employees who were impacted by reductions inhours during the early stages of the pandemic.Handle all insurance matters determining required coverage, and developing related protocols.Primary point of contact internally for all legal contracts and technology decisions.

I joined the leadership team on a 1 year contract shortly after the merger of two schools that created a combined PreK - grade 12 independent college preparatory school which enrolls 375 students. Focused on establishing robust budgeting and financial modeling to ensure the future sustainability of the school. Educated the newly combined Board of Directors on the school's financial position and collaborated with Board and management on financial planning. Transformed approximately $6M budget from a deficit to surplus by significantly restructuring the organization’s budget with adjustments to tuition, overhead costs, personnel and programs. Oversaw Human Resources for a staff of 60 and facilities on 3 campuses.Drafted and implemented new financial policies and created foundational documents and processes forstudent enrollment, tuition assistance, and tuition accounts receivable collections.Served on Tuition Assistance Committee with board members to determine scholarship allocations.

Watkins Glen, Ny, Us

Continued to serve as the organization's CFO leading all financial aspects of the growing $13 million organization in an expanded role that also includes oversight of operations. See prior CFO/CAO description below for details on continuing CFO responsibilities. Partnered with the CEO to revise and refine the organization’s growth strategy, and created a financial and operational plan to effectuate the new strategic direction.Managed and enhanced revenue generating guest services, including tours, special events, conferences, and overnight accommodations, increasing visitation by over 40% to over 16,000 visitors in 2017, and more than doubling revenue in these areas within 3 years.Managed Human Resources, including recruitment, onboarding, evaluation, payroll, employee engagement, handbook, staffing models, compensation, training, collaboration tools and an online HRIS system for distributed staff of about 100 employees across the US. Oversaw Facilities Department, including site planning, construction projects, and maintenance of over 500 acres of land, dozens of buildings, and equipment at multiple sites in California and New York. Implemented facilities maintenance software for online tracking of work orders, and improved management of deferred maintenance.Managed team of 5 direct and 30 indirect reports who support financial, information technology, human resources, facilities management, and visitor program functions.Continued responsibilities of Chief Financial Officer below.

Watkins Glen, Ny, Us

Lead the organization’s financial planning, analysis and reporting, and manage IT and administrative processes Develop and oversee $11 million annual operating budget, and approximately $500,000 annual capital budget, guiding all financial planning for the organization. Conduct thorough budget forecasting and perform regular reviews of financial performance with department leaders, CEO, Finance Committee, and the Board of Directors.Design effective and streamlined financial policies and internal control mechanisms, prepare financial statements, oversee annual audit activities, and manage over $15 million investment portfolio, including quasi-endowed fund. Ensure proper use of restricted funding from foundations, corporations, and private donors.Guide various department heads in setting benchmarks to improve financial performance.Redesigned the corporate dashboard to succinctly and visually display critical metrics and key performance indicators for management and Board of Directors.Lead IT Department, including website design and updates, database coding and reconciliation, adoption of point-of-sale system, improvements to internet access, and transition to cloud-based technologies to increase efficiency and build infrastructure to support organizational growth.Partner with General Counsel to develop and review legal, financial and operational impacts of contracts, update employment policies, and address insurance needs.Secured $2.5 million in bank financing to facilitate growth goals.Negotiated 30% reduction in fees for merchant payment processing for annual savings over $40,000.Member of Internal Communications Task Force that researched best practices and provided recommendations to CEO on improving information sharing of geographically distributed staff.

Advise for-profit and not-for-profit start-ups on business plans, financial projections, pricing models, market analyses and investment/fundraising strategies.

A purchaser and servicer of consumer debt portfolios. I joined the company in 2002, shortly after it was founded. We grew the business quickly from an Illinois operation to become a national player in the collection industry. Our rapid success earned the company the 28th spot on the Inc 500 list of fastest-growing private companies in 2006.Oversaw treasury management, internal cash management, and bank services for $10 million in revenue annually across multiple banks and business unitsCollaborated with CFO on annual budgeting, yearly financial audit processes, and semi-annual bank audits, including implementation of best practices and procedural adaptationsDelivered thorough financial and analytical reporting to identify underperforming accounts, inform operational practices, and improve due diligence processes for portfolio purchase decisionsLed HR department: Developed detailed employee training manuals, recruitment policies, benefits administration procedures, incentive programs, and conflict resolution practices to improve culture and ensure compliance. Implemented 360 degree evaluation system, created standard operating procedure documentation, and created and edited the company newsletter.Restructured organizational design allowing 15% increase in work volume without adding staffMentored supervisors on hiring, training, orientation, and employee relations issues to support expanding internal needs during phase of significant, rapid growth Led cross-functional team of 8 staff in a new market expansion, including location selection, corporate licensing, recruiting, training, and development of new proceduresThe new office opened within budget and 5 weeks ahead of original scheduleHead of Strategic Task Force - Addressed concerns across the organization, solved interdisciplinary problems, and vetted company-wide technology decisionsDirectly supervised staff of 4 involved in HR administration, client relations, and accounting

In a senior leadership role, managed finance and human resources during period of intense organizational growth.

Mba, Management & Strategy, Social Enterprise, International Business And Management & Organizations

Ba, Statistics, Psychology

Year Abroad, Psychology, International Relations