Elisha Stratford
CONTROLLER
PROFILE
Elisha is an experienced professional committed to integrity, ethics, and the Level10 CFO® value of being “Tech-Forward”. As a Controller, she applies a distinctive “risk-based control environment mindset” to every engagement, ensuring that whether she is converting accounting methods or refining processes, the work will withstand the scrutiny of an external audit. Elisha views her role as a true partnership; she strives to be a helper rather than a critic, creating a collaborative environment where clients feel relieved to have her support. She excels at “thinking outside the box” to challenge the status quo, firmly believing that even established processes have room for improvement. By combining a holistic view of the business with a passion for “logically implemented technology,” she helps clients embrace tools—from Excel macros to Salesforce—to eliminate duplicated efforts and close operational gaps.
EDUCATION
Elisha holds a Master of Science and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Southern New Hampshire University, as well as an Associate of Science in Computer Information Systems. She is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in Vermont and a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA). A believer in lifelong learning, she took an untraditional route to finance, holding degrees and certificates in diverse fields such as American Sign Language and healthcare before finding her true calling in accounting.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Elisha’s career reflects a deep expertise in risk assessment, internal controls, and operational auditing across a wide variety of industries, including biotech, manufacturing, SaaS, and crypto. She “cut her teeth” in the manufacturing industry as a Staff Cost Accountant for FIBA Technologies, where she gained hands-on experience automating manual testing using Excel macros and managing month-end closes. Her passion for compliance and process improvement led her to roles in public accounting and internal audit at firms like Baker Tilly US and Hologic. Throughout her tenure as a Senior Internal Auditor and Audit Senior, Elisha led SOX compliance audits, conducted operational reviews, and managed SEC filings (10-K, 10-Q) for companies with revenues ranging from $1 million to over $5 billion. She has a track record of identifying control gaps and streamlining workflows, such as preventing duplicate vendor payments and validating ESG reports. Prior to joining Level10 CFO®, she served as a Consultant for Riverway Risk Advisory and an Audit Senior at Zwick, CPA, where she focused on financial statement auditing and analyzing client control environments to foster trust and improve performance.
MORE INFORMATION
Aligning with the Level10 CFO® spirit that “we’re not boring,” Elisha brings a personable and humorous energy to her work. She resides in Grafton, Southern Vermont, where she takes full advantage of the outdoors. In the warmer months, she enjoys kayaking and hiking, while in the winter, she embraces a “hibernating” mode to focus on reading and cross-stitching—a hobby she jokingly admits has become “very nerdy”. Elisha is a mother to two grown children and shares her home with a “plethora of animals,” including a dog and three affectionate cats.