Who We Are
Since 2005, we have been providing financial services to companies in San Francisco and the Greater Bay Area.
In that time, we've helped hundreds of businesses and have grown from a small organization with a handful of faithful clients to a bustling firm with clients in multiple states and countries. Through our offering of personalized strategic business development and our network of preferred partnerships with other financial institutions,
we are a full-service firm that can assist with any and all business needs.
We have performed everything from basic bookkeeping services for sole enterprises and mom and pop shops to controller-level activities for multimillion-dollar corporations and VC-backed Tech startups.
Many of those first dedicated clients still remain with us today and have referred their friends and colleagues who now use our services as well.
Currently, we are involved mainly in business development and helping young entrepreneurs start their own companies and follow their dreams.
With our vast background in finance and general business principles - we take pride in coaching and mentoring many new startup companies in the Bay Area.
Our History
It has always been our goal to ensure that your financial needs are taken care of with minimal effort on your part. We have always customized our methods to suit your individual business needs to streamline duties and take the stress off your shoulders.
We strive to help you maintain a healthy growing business model through accurate financial reporting and strategic development planning.
To that end, we offer the full array of accounting services: everything from basic bookkeeping and reports to controller level actives and business consulting services. We also have a knowledgeable staff of friendly and dedicated accounting specialists and account managers to provide these valued services whenever they are needed.
We also look to offer these services in a
thoughtful and approachable way so that you can feel comfortable with the information and use it to assist you in your day-to-day business decisions.We are also dedicated to providing superior customer service and are attentive and responsive to any of your specific needs or requests. Again, our mission is to take the stress of accounting out of your business life and allow you to use your financials as a positive tool for growth.
Our Team
We pride ourselves in the ability to attract and retain the best and brightest talent in the Bay Area. Our dynamic staff is comprised of professionals with backgrounds in many different areas of business and finance.
Whether they are MBA candidates or studying for the CPA exam, our team members are not just number crunchers, but critical thinkers and problem solvers devoted to the accounting profession.
SFBay Financial is committed to our staff's professional and personal growth and dedicate both the time and resources needed to ensure that they receive continuing education and training in current finance laws and best practices
We implement this through a series of internal developmental classes, a full-time resource center for education, and managerial mentors to track performance for all of our employees.
Our goal is to create a culture of support and growth that allows our staff to excel and succeed and have a path to advancement in the firm.
We feel that it is this pledge to empowering our staff that allows us to select from the best and the brightest in the field; and coupling that with our personal approach to serving our clients individual needs has made us one of the top financial firms in the Bay Area.
Meet The Team
After working in hospitality management for several years, Brian decided it was time to pivot to a more ideal work schedule with a career path that also scratched the analytical part of his brain. Using his depth of knowledge in cost accounting with bar and restaurant management, SFBay Financial quickly found a good home for Brian as the company's restaurant accounting guru.
In 2018, Brian became a partner of SFBay Financial. With his new role as Director of Operations, Brian turned his energy from managing his specific clients to helping all staff and clientele at SFBay Financial with continuing accounting knowledge development, enforcing client compliance, and building monthly accounting process efficiencies.
When he isn't busy helping his staff and clients, Brian enjoys attending live music events, mountain biking, and spending time outdoors in the Lake Tahoe area.
Brian lives in South Lake Tahoe, CA
Brian Hudgens
Partner
Director of Operations
At the age of 26, Scott started his first company and quickly realized that no one gives you a playbook on the right way to run a successful business. From those formative experiences, his goal now is to equip business owners with the tools and resources they need to be empowered, efficient, and successful.
Scott got his start at SFBay in 2012 as an Accounting Specialist but quickly realized that he excelled at client engagement and pivoted into a Business Development role. He was promoted to Director of Business Development in 2015 and became a partner and co-owner in 2018.
When he’s not at work, he enjoys fishing, golf, and cooking, and spending time with his family.
Scott lives in Pleasant Hill, CA
Scott Schambelan
Partner
Director of Business Development
Mishari has several years of experience in both bookkeeping and project supervision and has been an accountant at SFBay Financial since April 2020.
Since then, he's worked on a variety of businesses and industries - from bars to production companies, startups to mom & pop retail stores. He is a great team player that brings a can-do attitude to work every day and loves engaging with clients and co-workers to find efficiencies and solve problems.
When he's not accounting, he enjoys cooking, playing music, and both recording and mixing tracks for bands.
Mishari lives in Rockridge, CA
Mishari Aleisa
Accounting Specialist
Josh Catig has 14 years of experience with accounting. He has a bachelor’s degree in Business Economics from the University of San Francisco and is currently studying for his CPA license.
Josh makes sure all of his clients’ accounting needs are met, whether it’s accounts payable/receivable, payroll, or preparing financial statements. He’s a great communicator and has an eye for detail.
Josh enjoys binge-watching TV shows on Netflix, traveling, and spending time at home in Oakland with his two dogs, Mimi and BoomBox.
Josh lives in Oakland, CA
Josh Catig
Senior Accounting Manager
With her experience in operations
management and accounting, Sarah has
successfully brought her data-driven,
detail-oriented approach to her role as an
Accounting Specialist.
Sarah’s a stickler for precision, and enthusiastic about research and analysis; she ensures our clients’ monthly reports are delivered with timeliness and integrity.
Sarah brings value to the team with her client care and communication. She is motivated by the opportunity to work alongside clients to develop accounting systems that create efficiencies and enable growth in their business. Your wins are her wins.
Sarah holds a Masters in Arts Policy and
Management, and is currently enrolled in UC
Berkeley’s Financial Analysis and Planning
Certificate. She spends her weekends hiking
trails, reading books, and riding her
motorcycle.
Sarah lives in San Diego, CA
Sarah Marsh
Senior Accounting Manager
When it comes to accounting, Ritu likes to find the missing pieces of the puzzle and put the puzzle together. Born and raised in the Bay Area, Ritu received her Bachelor’s from Cal State Eastbay. She brings several years of accounting experience including AP/AR, revenue recognition, even experience working with clients in various industries as we do here at SFBay.
Ritu brings a can-do attitude and always uses the phrase “Team work makes the dream work” which falls true in almost every case. She also likes the behind-the-scenes view of what goes on in the day-to-day operations of the clients she works with to have a better understanding of how things flow in that particular industry.
When she’s not at work, Ritu loves to draw and travel, sometimes they even go hand in hand.
Ritu lives in Vallejo, CA
Ritu Prabhakar
Accounting Specialist
After 7 years in Technical Support and Sales, Lydia found her favorite place to be was lost in a spreadsheet. After some inspiration from a friend (and a few classes), she’s turned getting lost into an adventure in bookkeeping.
With a certificate from UC Berkeley in Project Management, she uses skills in organization to make sure clients have a smooth experience through clear communication and set goals.
An East Bay native, Lydia spends her free time mindfully doing paint-by-numbers while listening to podcasts/books on tape, binging TV shows, or going on adventures with her furbaby Ziggy.
Lydia lives in Alameda, CA
Lydia Doane
Accounting Specialist
Walter has 7 years of experience providing accounting services to small businesses. From AP, AR, and payroll, to financial reporting, Walter makes sure all of a clients' monthly accounting functions stay in tip-top shape.
Walter loves partnering with clients to create reports that are tailored to their organization so that they get exactly the information they need each month and have more time to concentrate on growing their business.
When he's not in the office, Walter can be found out on the soccer field or putting together a homemade pizza.
Walter lives in Berkeley, CA.
Walter Smith
Senior Accounting Manager
Gabbie is a California native who holds a BA in finance and accounting and an MBA in finance.
Though she works in many different types of industries and has a wide variety of clients she supports, she has come to specialize in real estate management and development companies and early-stage tech startups.
When not on the job, she enjoys hiking, eating, and sleeping, in reverse order.
Gabbie lives in Santa Cruz, CA
Gabbie Jang
Senior Accounting Manager
Having moved from Ireland in 2014, where he achieved his bachelor's degree in accounting and finance, Shane fell in love with the Bay Area.
He enjoys working hands-on with his clients to ensure all of their bookkeeping & accounting needs are met and working with his colleagues on shared accounts where he can both lead and learn from team members.
In his spare time, Shane enjoys traveling and spending time with his family. He is a huge sports fan.
Shane lives in Santa Cruz, CA
Shane O’Brien
Accounting Manager
Originally from a small town in MN, Kristen made her way out to CO in 2012. She spent years working as a customer service representative before making the decision to go back to school; earning her BA in accounting and finance from the University of CO Denver.
Working in the accounting field offers insight into many different industries and how each business functions. It may not sound like the most exciting work for everyone and that's what drew Kristen in even more. She loves to use her accounting knowledge to help others make sense of numbers and help teach others to read and understand accounting.
Outside of work hours, she is a devoted dog mom to two active dogs. She is an avid climber and hiker; usually out every weekend enjoying nature. She loves traveling and is always up for new adventures, especially if the dogs get to join.
Kristen lives in Denver, CO.
Kristen Wedul
Accounting Specialist
Jason Strader
Accounting Manager
Jason lives in Oakland, CA.
Working in various accounting roles for the last ten years, Ryan has developed a wide range of financial accounting skills relevant to the modern business environment. Always striving to continue learning and progressing, recently Ryan became a fully licensed Certified Public Accountant in the State of California.
In his current role, Ryan prides himself on providing excellent service to his clients, the capacity of which is due to his comprehensive accounting industry knowledge, efficiency techniques learned through years of experience, willingness to tackle difficult problems, and organized approach to communicating results and actionable items to interested parties.
In his spare time, Ryan enjoys exploring the surrounding bay area, vacations inside and outside of the States, seeking out quality food spots, experimenting with some home cooking, catching a ball game on TV or a concert with some friends, hanging out with family, or just lounging around with a good book.
Ryan lives in Pleasant Hill, CA
Ryan Smith
Senior Accounting Manager/CPA
Highly effective accounting professional with over 10 years of experience in both startup and corporate environments.
Offering an array of skills in full-cycle accounting, cash flow forecasting, budgetary planning, data analysis, and team management.
Proven track record of success providing problem-solving and implementing workflow efficiencies while exceeding all goals and deadlines in fast-paced, dynamic environments.
And when I'm not counting beans, I enjoy rooting for my favorite Bay Area sports teams as well as playing any and every sport there is to offer.
Nate lives in Walnut Creek, CA
Nate Calachan
Senior Accounting Manager
