Meet the VentureWell staff— a team of experts, leaders, and high-performing individuals committed to expanding the impact of innovation and entrepreneurship.
finance
Department
Meet the VentureWell staff— a team of experts, leaders, and high-performing individuals committed to expanding the impact of innovation and entrepreneurship.
Department
OKina Alford
Vendor Manager
OKina is responsible for managing vendor relationships and overseeing procurement processes at VentureWell. She has 10 years of federal procurement experience in the public sector, specifically school district procurement. She holds a Doctorate in Business Administration, an MBO in Operations Management, and a Bachelor’s in Journalism; she is also a certified Registered Texas School Business Administrator through the Texas Association of School Business Officials.
Emma Angus
Accountant
Emma works in accounts payable and receivable functions, handles VentureWell’s expense reports and credit card expenses, and assists in month-end and year-end close tasks. She has worked in the accounting field for eight years, predominantly in accounts payable, where prior accomplishments include process improvement and the development of different accounting systems. She holds a B.A. in Accounting from Colorado State University.
Kendra Balukonis
Accounts Payable Coordinator
Kendra is involved in all aspects of the accounts payable process at VentureWell. Kendra has experience in a number of complex aspects of accounting, including managing a company’s credit card system, reconciling accounts, and applying proper practices and procedures to finance work. She is currently enrolled at Southern New Hampshire University, pursuing an Associate’s Degree in Accounting.
Sarah Bucko
Accounting Manager
Sarah assists with financial reporting and accounting functions at VentureWell, including federal award compliance, budget management, and account reconciliations. She is also responsible for overseeing accounts receivable, and accounts payable. Sarah is a C.P.A. with a background in Audit and received her B.B.A. with a concentration in Accounting from the Isenberg School of Management at University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Allyson Chabot
Controller
Allyson leads the financial reporting and accounting functions at VentureWell including grants accounting, funder/federal compliance, tax matters, and budget management. She also oversees the payroll, accounts payable/purchasing, and accounts receivable functions of the organization with a focus on internal controls and process efficiency. She holds a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst as well as an M.S. in Accounting from Western New England University.
Chris Desrosiers
Vice President, Finance and Administration
Chris Desrosiers oversees the accounting, contracts, compliance, financial planning, and analysis functions of the organization. Chris has over 15 years of experience managing federal awards with various government agencies. Prior to joining VentureWell, Chris was an entrepreneur in the mortgage and real estate industries. Chris earned his B.A. in sociology from the University of Massachusetts and his M.B.A. from American International College.
Rokia Diakite
Accountant
Rokia works in accounting with the finance team at VentureWell. She began her career in accounting several years ago, when she started her own business providing tax and bookkeeping services to local small businesses. Since then, she has held a range of roles in the field, including Staff Accountant, Senior Accountant, Accounting Office Manager, and Human Resource Administrator. She holds both an Associate’s degree and a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting.
Kelly Gorman
Contract Administrator
Kelly supports the intake and processing of accounts payable, and assists with consultant contracting. Drawing on her strong background in administration and customer service, she cheerfully balances the routine of regular implementation against the ever changing tide of as-needed items. Her prior work experience is predominantly administrative, but also includes several years of organic farming. She is deeply invested in sustainability, as well as supporting innovators and entrepreneurs working to change the world.
Shari Kouame
Senior Accountant
Shari deploys a myriad of financial reporting and accounting functions at VentureWell, including grants accounting, budget management, proposal development, and contract compliance. Her previous experience includes performing reconciliations, closing processes, tasks involved in the full grant/contract life cycle, proposal development, budget development, project management, contract compliance, and coordination of technical and financial deliverables. Shari holds a B.A. in Business Administration with a focus in Accounting, an M.A. in Public Administration, and an M.A. in Educational Administration from the University of Nebraska.
Colleen Matte
Director, Contracts
Colleen is responsible for full cycle contract administration with the many vendors and consultants VentureWell engages with. As a member of the Finance team, vendor relations and commitment management are among her top priorities. With a background in hospitality and corporate finance, Colleen brings a solutions based approach to the management and adherence of funder rules and regulations. Colleen holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Robert Morris University.
Liz Muenzen
Contract Administrator
Liz supports the Finance Department and the RADx Initiative in processing accounts payable and tracking consultant documentation. She has a background in Social Work and has worked in area nonprofits for five years in homelessness and mental health, with a focus on helping youth and young adults. Liz holds a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Ana Ramos de Almeida
Accounts Payable Administrator
Ana’s work on the finance team includes assisting in reviewing, verifying, and processing consultant and vendor invoices for payment. Ana brings three years of accounts payable experience to VentureWell, including work dealing with hundreds of invoices every week, making sure everything is processed accurately and on time. Ana holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and a Certificate in Organizational Planning and Management.
Ahmed Rashid
Director, Financial Planning and Analysis
Ahmed leads the financial planning and analysis function at VentureWell. He is responsible for managing the overall budget of the organization, assists with departmental budgets, manages cash flow, and is the point of contact for Adaptive. Ahmed holds a B.A. in Biology from The University of Texas at Austin and an M.B.A. from The University of Houston.
Sydney Rollinson
Accounting Administrator
Sydney supports the Finance team with a focus on consultant payroll processing within the RADx initiative. She has a background in Human Resources and hospitality with a focus on community health. She values approaching each situation with positivity and readiness to learn. Her experiences outside of the US have her deeply invested in sustainability and health of our ecosystems. Sydney holds a B.A. in Marketing from Southern Illinois University.
Lyris Safa
Senior Financial Planning Analyst
Lyris Safa works closely with members of the Finance team to support in the financial planning of VentureWell. With over a decade of previous accounting experience, she has prepared budgets for multiple programs, overseen process flow for managing budgets, and successfully helped a charter organization spend down restricted state funding before its expiration date. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business, with an emphasis in Accounting, from California State Polytechnic University.
Colby Tuck
Accountant
Colby’s accounting work at VentureWell focuses on government contracts and grants, specifically supporting Biomedical Engineering (BME) programs. His professional experiences include accounting work at organizations of various sizes, where he helped achieve greater efficiencies in internal workflows. Colby holds an accounting degree from Albion College.
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