I founded Portecua Consulting with the goal of helping impact-driven businesses achieve their goals with confidence and peace of mind. While I loved the type of work I was doing, something was missing and I knew that it was time to trust the magic of new beginnings. I wanted to stand in my power and scale my worth, and my dream is to help you do the same.
So here I am, excited to bring my risk knowledge, experience and resources to help businesses strategically protect and optimize their operations with a risk lens. I’m ready to work with entrepreneurs, C-suite, and investors that share the drive to make a difference in the community and on the environment, and more specifically, work with women + BIPOC-led businesses that have historically been undervalued and underserved.
I want to create the safe, authentic and growth spaces that we deserve, so we can scale our worth, and use that to drive change because representation matters and we all deserve to build wealth.
I envision a future where our businesses, careers and lives are empowered with the risk mindset, strategies and tactics, that allows us to thrive and make an impact in our communities.
#letsdothis #yaeshora #estanahora
Prior to launching my own entrepreneurial venture, I spent several years managing risk and optimizing operations at a Fortune 500 global beauty company, working my way around the world and up the ladder to Director of Global Operational Excellence in internal audit, before bringing my expertise to build and lead the internal audit function at a fast growing NY based apparel startup. I have extensive experience in risk management, internal audit, operational excellence and transformation spanning across strategy, execution and reporting. My career started in external audit as a Big Four accounting professional.
Throughout my life and career, I've served my clients, stakeholders and community in English, Spanish and Portuguese. I am a CPA, CIA, and earned a dual degree from the University of California at Berkeley in Business Administration and Latin American Studies.
I am a Bay Area native and a proud Portuguese-Ecuadorian-American, who currently resides in New York City. I enjoy experiencing life through travel, food and tennis, and with my rescue dog Kira.
Mar 2023
Cafecito con Jefas For WOmen's Month
Apr 2023
Institute of Internal Auditors Magazine
May 2023
All THINGS Internal Audit Podcast
Jun 2023
Elevating la cultura Podcast
Sep 2023
chapina building wealth
Oct 2023
MUJERÓN MOVEMENT PODCAST
Dec 2023
HIP LATINA
Dec 2023
FIERCE BY MITÚ
Jan 2024
SEMILLAS CREATIVE
Jan 2024
DREAM LAB PODCAST
Feb 2024
Medium Magazine
Feb 2024
GIRLS TRAVEL TOO
PODCAST
May 2024
CONFESSIONS WITH JESS AND CINDY PODCAST
Coming August 2024
CAFECITO CON JEFAS PODCAST
In my 13+ year career, I’ve managed and executed over 50+ global operational and financial audits, advisory engagements, and special projects, working actively to identify and assess key business and process risks ranging from financial reporting, vendor / customer / inventory management, information technology, HR & payroll to company culture. As part of these projects, I’ve evaluated process and control gaps, fraud exposures and best practice opportunities to drive improvements, and additionally conducted integration and pre-IPO readiness assessments to prepare entities for incoming company and SOX compliance requirements.
I’ve worked across multiple sales affiliates, functions and processes in the organizations, collaborating with cross-functional teams to implement the best solutions that create value for the organization. I’ve held leadership roles as the key audit leader for the LATAM region and retail stores, as well as stretch assignments as the audit leader for the North America region and PMO leader for the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) pillar of an enterprise-wide Racial Equity Program.
After working on the front-lines of projects for several years, I was tapped to develop and implement a multi-year global program to transform the internal audit function with best in-class capabilities across people, processes and systems, moving from the front-lines to back-end operations where I drove us toward operational excellence. Amongst 150+ initiatives, both small and large-scale, this included repositioning the department, developing KPIs, overhauling audit methodology and rolling out a people development platform.
Once I honed in on my skills at a large corporate company, I took my learnings to build and lead an internal audit function at a fast-growing startup. I designed it from the ground-up, everything from a strategy, operations and relationships perspective, including managing a team of both internal and co-sourced hires. In my time there, I developed a company-wide SOX compliance program that mapped out and evaluated the internal control environment across key processes, as well as executed strategic business projects in partnership with management to address risks identified in areas of customer service, supply chain, environment, social and governance (ESG), and compliance. I also deployed a curated risk education curriculum to embed a risk mindset into the organization.
During my career, I’ve also had the wonderful opportunity to be a speaker at numerous trainings, workshops, conferences and town halls, live, virtual and hybrid, on topics ranging from business acumen, technical skills to soft skills, including professional development and DEI trainings on unconscious bias. My speaker experience spans a wide variety of audiences, including employees, management, senior leaders, board of directors, audit committees, in sizes from five to 200.
I’ve consistently received high performance ratings and recognitions for the work that I do, the fact that I continuously challenge myself, and the way I am able to deliver in a clear, dependable and quality manner. My approach to leadership is rooted in being helpful, objective and transparent, landing in the intersection where accountability meets empathy. I firmly believe together we can contribute to the best outcomes for individuals, teams and companies.
Phew, that’s a mouthful. At the end of the day, I have a lot of experience to share and that paired with the drive to help my communities thrive, is a powerful combination.
To empower everyone to make confident and risk-informed decisions, no matter their background or role in the world.
To empower the world to see Portecua Consulting, and internal audit, as a strategic partner, trusted advisor and value driver.
To help impact-driven entrepreneurs, CEOs and investors strategically protect and scale their worth by equipping them with a risk lens to assess, manage and optimize their businesses and use that to propel growth, representation and wealth.
To help lifepreneurs and internal auditors learn and apply risk knowledge by providing resources and support.
We believe in equality. We should all have equal access to the knowledge, resources and opportunities to be empowered, to grow and to succeed for the long-term.
We believe empowerment leads to growth. We should have the risk mindset to grow, thrive and evolve as individuals, teams, businesses and communities. We should scale our worth.
We believe in the empowerment of knowledge. We should have the risk knowledge, tools and support to make confident and informed decisions. We should know our worth.