Ashleigh Marks, CPA

Consulting CFO

Ashleigh is a leader in AAFCPAs’ Outsourced Accounting & Fractional CFO (OAFC) practice, providing finance and accounting support for companies at various stages of growth, including emerging, growth-stage, mature companies, and those seeking exit or IPO. She is a recognized leader in the firm’s specialized life sciences, technology, and SaaS practices.

As an experienced Fractional CFO, Ashleigh excels in providing strategic financial leadership and management support. She specializes in financial planning and analysis (FP&A), developing key business questions and KPIs, and enhancing management reporting. Ashleigh is adept at evaluating various debt and equity structuring options, managing cash flow, and providing valuable perspectives for mergers and acquisitions. Her expertise extends to compensation modeling, profit optimization, governance and compliance, audit committee liaison, and board presentations. Additionally, she is proficient in technical accounting adoption and more, ensuring comprehensive financial oversight and strategic guidance for her clients. Ashleigh is also charged with leading and overseeing a team that clients may right sized to achieve a smart, lean, and scalable finance function.

As a former global firm auditor, Ashleigh has a strong background examining financial statements, disclosures, and internal control procedures under various frameworks such as GAAS, GAAP, IFRS, PCAOB, AICPA, SOX, and COSO for both public and privately-held companies. She advises AAFCPAs clients on best practices to improve investor confidence through accurate and reliable financial statements and corporate disclosures.

Ashleigh’s diverse background includes advising management in achieving IPO readiness, including managing cross-functional teams to attain entity-wide transformation. Additionally, she provides guidance on due diligence and integrations for buy and sell-side mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures, and she works with executive management to define financial processes and implement infrastructure and systems needed to support organizational goals and manage change.

Outside of the office, Ashleigh serves as the Boys & Girls Track and Field (Hurdles) coach at Lexington High School. She is a former Division I Track and Field athlete.

Education

University of Rhode Island – Bachelor of Administration, Accounting, summa cum laude

Prior Experience

Profitero – Accounting Manager
EY East Commercial Assurance – Senior Accountant

Service

Back on My Feet – Volunteer Running and Career Coach
MassCPAs’ Mentor Match Program – Mentor

Contributed Insights

Navigating Funding Uncertainty: Strategies for Life Sciences Organizations to Mitigate Risk

In the life sciences sector, where innovation often relies on grant funding, financial stability has become increasingly uncertain. Federal budget constraints and shifting political priorities pressure organizations to adopt a proactive approach to managing grants. As opposed to reacting to changes as they happen, AAFCPAs advises that clients anticipate potential funding risks and implement strategies […]

Managing Cash Flow and Expenses in Life Sciences

In this article: Managing cash flow presents ongoing challenges for those in the life sciences, particularly those navigating pre-clinical research and early clinical stages. With significant resources devoted to research and development (R&D), precise cash tracking across R&D and general and administrative (G&A) categories is essential for sustaining growth and demonstrating financial responsibility. Distinguishing between […]

1099 Reporting: Key Deadlines and Requirements for 2024

In this article: 1099 Reporting Requirements AAFCPAs reminds clients that payments exceeding $600 made to non-employees, including contractors and other service providers, must be reported to the IRS using Forms 1099. If your business hired consultants in 2024, paid dividends, or managed a complex debt structure involving independent contractors, you may face penalties if 1099 […]