Lisha Yates

Lisha Yates is the Director of FP&A, supporting the Center’s goals and activities through financial analysis and long-term planning. She brings over 10 years of finance and accounting experience, with a focus on transforming systems into scalable operations at high-growth tech startups. Her work streamlining accounting procedures, implementing budgeting and forecasting cycles, and building financial models has guided several companies through fundraising rounds and acquisitions. Lisha has seen firsthand how the tech industry stunts its own potential through a lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion. She is thrilled to be a part of an organization that seeks to advance racial and social justice in tech workplaces. A Virginia native, Lisha has lived in the Bay Area since 2014 and loves the Oakland community. When she’s not crunching numbers, you can find her teaching dance fitness at a local womxn-only studio or making homemade buttermilk biscuits for family and friends. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia with a degree in Spanish and Kinesiology.