Fall 2026 CFO Leadership Conference
Fall 2026
Keynote
Ms. Kgil has served as our Chief Financial Officer since December 2024. Prior to joining Figure, Ms. Kgil served as the Head of Finance at Flow.life, a real estate technology company, which is a position she held from July 2023 to November 2024. From November 2018 to November 2022, Ms. Kgil was also the Chief Financial Officer of Blockchain.com, a digital asset financial technology company. Concurrently, from November 2018 to June 2023, Ms. Kgil served as the Chief Financial Officer of Blockchain Venture Fund, a digital asset investment fund. Ms. Kgil’s career began at PricewaterhouseCoopers, followed by leadership roles at a variety of financial services firms, including Fortress Investment Group and OneMain Financial. Ms. Kgil holds a bachelor’s degree in Mineral and Petroleum Engineering from Seoul National University.
Keynote
Michael Pearce leads US macroeconomic research and forecasting, and his team is ranked among Bloomberg’s top forecasters for major US economic indicators. Before joining Oxford Economics, Michael was a senior economist on the US team at Capital Economics and worked at HM Treasury in the UK. He holds degrees in Economic History from the London School of Economics and in Economics from University College London, and has lived and worked in the UK and Switzerland.
Keynote
Retired U.S. Navy SEAL Mike Sarraille is a 3x bestselling author and 4x Global Top 30 leadership speaker, ranked #3 in the world by Global Gurus in 2026, 2025, 2024, and 2023, and recognized as a Top Military Speaker in 2026. He is known for his work in leadership, organizational culture, the warrior mindset, and building high-performing teams. Mike served 20 years in Special Operations, including assignments with the Joint Special Operations Command, and led combat missions during the Battles of Ramadi and Sadr City.
After military service, Mike founded Talent War Group, a leadership development and executive search firm acquired in 2024. He now serves as Chief Talent Officer at Overwatch Mission Critical, where he helped scale revenue from $19M to $50M and built a high-performance culture recognized with 15 culture awards. In 2026, Overwatch earned Top Workplaces Culture Excellence Awards for Innovation, Employee Well-Being, Leadership, Employee Appreciation, Work-Life Flexibility, Compensation and Benefits, and Purpose and Values. Under his leadership, Glassdoor and Indeed scores increased from 3.0 to 4.9, reflecting a measurable shift in engagement and performance.
Mike is the author of The Talent War, The Everyday Warrior, and Scarlett’s Big Shot, part of the Left of Bang series for young leaders. He leads Everyday Warrior Nation, a leadership platform featured in Sports Illustrated and Men’s Journal, where he hosts a podcast and column focused on leadership and performance. He is also the host of The Unsung of Arlington on FOX Nation, now in Season 1 and Season 2, a series honoring fallen American heroes through powerful storytelling.
Mike is the founder of Legacy Expeditions, leading record-setting missions that honor fallen heroes. In January 2023, his team set four world records by skydiving onto all seven continents in under seven days. He also served as executive producer for the documentaries Drop Zone Everest and Triple 7, released in theaters nationwide. He continues to serve as an ambassador for veteran-focused nonprofits, advancing leadership through service and example.
Most importantly, he is a proud husband and father to 3 future leaders.
Keynote
Valen Tong is drawn to challenges that demand focus, speed, or scale. She thrives on identifying what’s working, uncovering what’s getting in the way, and unlocking what comes next.
Valen brings more than 20 years of experience helping public and private companies grow, turn around, and adapt to the pressures of scale and change. She has worked across CPG, B2B SaaS, retail, manufacturing, media, and edtech in Asia, Europe, and the United States. Valen’s cross-industry and global experience gives her the range to navigate diverse business models, markets, and stages of maturity.
She has served as CFO, Chief Business Officer, and General Manager. Valen has owned P&Ls and led cross-functional teams spanning strategy, partnerships, go-to-market, and product. She uses finance as a strategic lever—to test assumptions, drive alignment, and translate strategy into measurable results. Valen focuses on what scales: sustainable growth, operational efficiency, and long-term impact.
She cares about technology not for the hype, but for what it enables. Valen thinks deliberately about where the future is heading and how to build for it today. She has recently focused on applying AI not just to streamline work, but to unlock growth—accelerating innovation, strengthening teams, and rethinking how organizations invest time, talent, and capital.
Valen is the author of Finance Rewired: A Field Guide for Finance Leaders in the Age of AI, which offers practical frameworks and real-world case studies for teams navigating this transformation. She believes the future isn’t AI or humans—it’s both. Valen sees competitive advantage going to companies that can scale good judgment and build systems that support both speed and clarity.
She knows that what lasts isn’t just the numbers, but the people who grew, the systems that endured, and the problems that became simpler. Valen is driven by a mission to build what lasts and leave every business—and hopefully the world—a little better than she found it.
Keynote
Dorothy Walter is the Global CFO at Accel, a venture capital firm with over $40 billion in assets under management. She joined Accel in 2025 to further scale and institutionalize the firm’s global operations and support continued growth. She previously served as Partner and CFO at Alpine Investors where she significantly expanded the firm’s team and capabilities, including launching a portfolio advisory group and founding the firm’s capital markets team. Earlier in her career, Dorothy worked at Apple and as a fund-of-funds investor, experiences that shaped her approach to financial management and managing long-term investor relationships.
Originally from Beijing, China, Dorothy graduated from Vassar College and earned her MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business. Outside of work, she has a deep passion for art and the outdoors. She serves on the Board of the Point Reyes National Seashore Association and believes in promoting healthy access to nature for all.
Vice President of Sales,
HighRadius
Breakfast Roundtable
Wednesday | 8:00 – 8:50 am ET
Angela Lurie is executive director of the management resources practice at Robert Half. She is the lead strategist for the program and leverages her accounting and consulting background, as well as her 22 years of experience at Robert Half. Most recently, Angela served as senior vice president of our full-time engagement professionals (FTEP) practice, focusing on refining our strategy and enhancing visibility for this unique service offering. With nearly two decades of experience in the staffing business, Angela is a leader in her industry and the business community. She serves on the advisory board for the Minneapolis-St. Paul chapter of the CFO Leadership Council and is a frequent speaker and panelist at Twin Cities industry events for organizations such as IABC MN, Team Women, Ready to Work and the Good Leadership Breakfast Series. Additionally, as a member of TeamWomen, Angela actively mentors emerging female leaders.
Founder and CEO,
Tilled
Breakout Sessions
Tuesday | 11:20 am & 3:00 pm
For over 25 years, Marybeth Gray has been dedicated to helping employers nationwide lower healthcare costs and enhance quality. Throughout her career, she has effectively reduced insurance costs and employer liability, thanks to her extensive knowledge of the insurance marketplace. Currently, she holds the position of Senior Vice President of Health and Welfare Benefits at Marsh McLennan Agency, where she oversees comprehensive account management for her clients. With expertise in analyzing healthcare utilization data and cost trends, particularly in pharmacy for large, selfinsured clients, Marybeth is a prominent thought leader at Marsh McLennan Agency, speaking at more than ten national conferences each year.
One of the key advantages she offers her clients is a unique insight into future cost drivers. She assists employers in grasping the potential financial impacts of pharmacogenomics, newly introduced specialty medications, and gene therapies. Her objective is to enhance the health of the population while reducing healthcare costs for both members and employers.
Co-founder & CEO,
Zenskar
Breakout Session
Wednesday | 12:10 pm
Apurv Bansal is the Co-founder and CEO of Zenskar, a Bessemer-backed AI-native revenue automation platform that automates the full order-to-cash process for B2B companies. Harvard MBA and former Google Product Manager, he previously served as VP at Elevation Capital as well. Zenskar recently closed Series A round, and Apurv is leading its mission to build an autonomous future of finance.
Partner and CFO,
Capstan Tax Strategies
Breakout Sessions
Tuesday | 11:20 am & 3:00 pm
Mike is the Managing Partner and Chief Financial Officer of Capstan Tax Strategies. With over 25 years of progressive experience in management, business planning, financial analysis, financial services, capital planning, technology, and real estate, Mike is uniquely qualified to oversee all aspects of Capstan’s financial and operational strategy. Known for his sincerity, creativity, and upbeat “can-do” style, Mike’s ability to turn relationships into solutions is one of his greatest strengths.
Senior Vice President, Health & Welfare Benefits Consulting, Marsh McLennan Agency
Visionary Session
Tuesday | 10:00 am
For over 25 years, Marybeth Gray has been dedicated to helping employers nationwide lower healthcare costs and enhance quality. Throughout her career, she has effectively reduced insurance costs and employer liability, thanks to her extensive knowledge of the insurance marketplace. Currently, she holds the position of Senior Vice President of Health and Welfare Benefits at Marsh McLennan Agency, where she oversees comprehensive account management for her clients. With expertise in analyzing healthcare utilization data and cost trends, particularly in pharmacy for large, selfinsured clients, Marybeth is a prominent thought leader at Marsh McLennan Agency, speaking at more than ten national conferences each year.
One of the key advantages she offers her clients is a unique insight into future cost drivers. She assists employers in grasping the potential financial impacts of pharmacogenomics, newly introduced specialty medications, and gene therapies. Her objective is to enhance the health of the population while reducing healthcare costs for both members and employers.
CFO,
Cyflare
Breakout Session
Wednesday | 12:10 pm
Chirag Desai is CFO of CyFlare, a Top 100 Global MSSP, and Managing Partner of Vireo Group, a management consultancy through which he serves as a growth and financial advisor to several companies. He is also a Partner at Chloe Capital, a gender- and diversity-focused VC firm.
Regional Director and Vice President, Robert Half
Breakfast Roundtable
Wednesday | 8:00 – 8:50 am ET
Alicia Holmes is a regional director and vice president for the Technology practice at Robert Half, where she helps organizations build the teams and capabilities needed to compete in today’s evolving business environment. During her 19-year career with Robert Half, she has specialized in talent solutions across technology, marketing, and creative functions, advising clients on workforce strategy, leadership, and talent acquisition. Alicia holds a degree in finance and spent the first seven years of her Robert Half career supporting the Finance & Accounting practice, giving her a unique perspective on the talent and leadership challenges facing today’s organizations.
Recognized for her strategic insight and collaborative leadership style, Alicia has led high-performing teams and helped organizations navigate change, embrace innovation, and achieve business objectives. She is passionate about developing talent, fostering strong partnerships, and helping leaders prepare for the future of work.
Executive Director, Management Resources Practice, Robert Half
Breakfast Roundtable
Wednesday | 8:00 – 8:50 am ET
Angela Lurie is executive director of the management resources practice at Robert Half. She is the lead strategist for the program and leverages her accounting and consulting background, as well as her 22 years of experience at Robert Half. Most recently, Angela served as senior vice president of our full-time engagement professionals (FTEP) practice, focusing on refining our strategy and enhancing visibility for this unique service offering. With nearly two decades of experience in the staffing business, Angela is a leader in her industry and the business community. She serves on the advisory board for the Minneapolis-St. Paul chapter of the CFO Leadership Council and is a frequent speaker and panelist at Twin Cities industry events for organizations such as IABC MN, Team Women, Ready to Work and the Good Leadership Breakfast Series. Additionally, as a member of TeamWomen, Angela actively mentors emerging female leaders.
Charlie Tice, Private Equity National Practice Lead, Travelers
Visionary Session
Tuesday | 1:45 PM
Based in the New York metropolitan area, Charlie Tice brings more than 20 years of experience helping businesses manage complex risks. As Travelers’ National Private Equity Practice Leader within Business Insurance, he’s responsible for portfolio management across Travelers’ PE client base and provides executive-level support to implement enterprise-wide PE strategies.
Partner,
Capstan Tax Strategies
Breakout Sessions
Tuesday | 11:20 am & 3:00 pm
Jacob works closely with his clients – planning with them, building with them, and celebrating with them. He prides himself on creating long-term relationships – not short-term sales — and his analytical skills and financial expertise allow him to function strategically as a trusted advisor. In the last decade, Jacob has overseen thousands of R&D, Cost Segregation, and 179D Studies resulting in over $800M of tax benefit.
Jacob speaks to audiences from coast to coast, infusing his informative talks with straightforward examples and a dash of humor.
Fall 2026 CFO Leadership Conference