Chief Financial Officer
CommerceWest Bank
Leeann Cochran is a graduate of Cal Poly Pomona, with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration with an emphasis in accounting. She joined CommerceWest Bank in November 2005 having previously held various audit and accounting positions at First Interstate Bank, Kinecta FCU, Quaker City Bank, and Inland Empire National Bank. She is a CPA and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Under Cochran’s financial stewardship as CFO, CommerceWest Bank remains true to its mission to redefine banking for small- and mid-sized businesses in California. Within an intelligently organized framework, the bank provides flexibility, creating a complete, safe, and sound banking experience for each client, servicing owners and catering to their specific business and individual banking needs.
Cochran and the team at the bank work to accommodate their clients, rather than force their clients to accommodate the bank, providing high-quality, low-stress, and personally tailored banking and financial services. By employing a strategically selected team of experienced professionals, she and other members of the leadership team carefully shepherd the assets with which they are entrusted. In the process of doing so, they maximize the financial potential of these accounts, ensure the stability of the institution, and deliver profitable returns, enhancing shareholder value.
As established financial experts, Cochran and the team strategically collaborate with clients to create a true business partnership. She and her colleagues are often sought after to provide financial guidance, banking advice, economic updates, and a refreshing perspective toward business.
In addition to her day-to-day work in banking, Cochran was a founding director of CIELO, a nonprofit organization that assists with community job creation and skill development in the technology and finance sectors available in the current economy. CIELO has become the world’s leading talent acquisition partner, delivering enhanced talent experiences for everyone through recruitment process outsourcing, executive search, contingent workforce solutions, and consulting services.
Company Executives: Small-Midsize Company Finalists
Jessica Nicole Aliotti
Wealth Management Advisor
Northwestern Mutual Orange County
Jessica Aliotti joined Northwestern Mutual as a financial advisor in 2014 and has acquired 70 new clients per year since then. She is currently a Lives Leader Summit and FORUM qualifier. As an expert in tax efficiency, risk mitigation, and wealth preservation, she is passionate about helping others realize their vision of a sound financial future.
In the fiscal year 2021–2022, Aliotti achieved the coveted Northwestern Mutual FORUM recognition, which represents approximately the top 5% of advisors in the country. Her specialty is in working with sales executives, tech professionals, and women in law to find the solutions that work best for their unique needs. She also improves the lives of children and families in need through financial support, volunteerism, thought leadership, and collaboration with community partners.
Elise Diaz
Financial Advisor
Northwestern Mutual Orange County
With a marketing and business development background, Elise Diaz started her career in the financial services industry as the chief of staff for Northwestern Mutual Irvine. While in that role, she discovered her passion for helping people on an individual level achieve both personal and professional goals, which led to her current position as a financial planner. She is a financial planner with expertise in tax efficiency, risk management, retirement planning, investment strategy, and wealth preservation & distribution.
Diaz works with clients across many different industries but specializes in working with breadwinning women, tech professionals, and women in sales or who own businesses. Her clients can expect to gain clarity and organization around their financial well-being, education on how to address areas of opportunity best, and accountability around the execution of their customized, personal financial plan.
Shayna Goldburg
Chief of Human Resources
SetSchedule
Shayna Goldburg is a highly skilled, strategic, and focused hands-on human resources leader with experience in a variety of industries and organizational structures, including finance, sales, marketing, and technology. In addition to being knowledgeable in regard to state and federal employment laws and regulations, her roles have heavily emphasized recruiting, training, management, compensation, performance management, strategy, and organizational development.
Goldburg has had a significant influence on all team members when it comes to talent acquisition, employee morale, turnover, training, compensation, company values, and company culture. She is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, ensures that the hiring process understands and attempts to remove any unconscious bias, and actively works to create a culture of inclusion for all.
Recently, Goldburg was at the forefront of opening SetSchedule’s new offices in Phoenix and Plano, in addition to recent company acquisitions.
Jo-E Lopez
Chief Relationship Officer
Snyder Langston
Jo-E Lopez, chief relationship officer at Snyder Langston, excels in building client relationships, driving revenue, and diversifying market sectors and geographic reach. Collaborating with senior leadership, she has achieved $400 million in annual revenue for the firm and is the second female to reach an executive level at Snyder Langston. Lopez also drives Snyder Langston's employee giving program, BRIDGE, and the newly launched scholarship program supporting students in the construction industry with a focus on diversity and inclusion, and is actively involved in supporting Southern California charitable organizations, including Orangewood Foundation and Crime Survivors. As a board member of the Orangewood Foundation, Lopez played a key role in raising over $1 million at the 25th annual Stars and Stripes fundraising event and serves on the NAIOP U committee for NAIOP SoCal.
Cathy Tran Moses
Partner
Cox, Castle & Nicholson
Cox Castle & NIcholson partner Cathy Tran Moses specializes in complex business and real estate litigation. With victories in partnership disputes, contract breaches, and real estate conflicts, she's a proven litigation expert.
In the past year, Moses has secured successes in partnership disputes, developer-property owner litigations, and low-income housing tax credit project conflicts. Adept at every litigation stage, Moses has had specific successes in wrongful termination arbitration. She actively participates in professional bodies, serving as director for the Constitutional Rights Foundation Orange County Chapter and as a professionalism and ethics committee member of the OC Bar Association. Moses received the ACLU Foundation's 2010 Social Justice Award and was named a “Southern California Rising Star” by Super Lawyers. Prior to Cox Castle, she was a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice.
Mary-Christine (M.C.) Sungaila
Complex Appellate Litigation Group
M.C. Sungaila, an esteemed appellate attorney and author, has shaped legal landscapes through groundbreaking work. Notably she launched the Complex Appellate Litigation Group's Orange County office, achieving remarkable success within a short span. Her appellate prowess spans constitutional law, human rights, and more. Sungaila has submitted amicus briefs to the U.S. Supreme Court, led cases on public defender access, achieved political asylum victories, and pioneered The Portia Project® podcast.
With over 100 episodes, it highlights trailblazing women in law, reflecting her commitment to empowering the next generation. Her impact extends to pro bono work, mentoring law students, and community service, earning her prestigious honors, including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, which only a select few have received. As a dedicated advocate, Sungaila stands as a beacon of leadership in appellate law and women's advancement.
