Our Senior Team
Nicole Ballestrin, CPA, CA Founder & CEO | CFO
Nicole Ballestrin is the Founder and CEO of Aspire CFO. Nicole provides strategic and operational leadership for Aspire CFO and also delivers client services in select fractional CFO / COO roles. Nicole drives CFO standards of excellence for the Firm and is recognized as a highly dynamic leader in the Canadian accounting industry. Nicole also supports several early and growth stage companies in select client engagements as CFO, leveraging leadership expertise she has gained from over 20 years across a wide variety of industries including, technology (including SaaS), professional services, energy, retail, advertising, not-for-profit and healthcare in the public and private sectors.
Prior to founding Aspire CFO, Nicole was CFO and Head of HR at McKinsey & Company Canada, a renowned management consulting firm. Nicole was also previously CFO at McMillan LLP and held a number of senior finance positions at Sears Canada, Nortel Networks and EY.
Nicole is a CPA, CA, and holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto.
Hélène Madeleine Asselbergs, LL.M. COO
Hélène Asselbergs builds high impact firms. She provides strategic and operational leadership for Aspire CFO in partnership with the Founder. In addition, Hélène also provides executive advisory services to clients in select fractional Chief Executive roles to achieve high growth for companies, starting from a strong finance foundation designed by Aspire CFO.
Prior to Aspire CFO, Hélène’s former roles included General Manager, Financial Modeling Institute; Executive Director of Canadian Operations, Canadian Bar Association; fractional CEO start-up and management consulting roles; adjunct professor at Osgoode Hall Law School; and, board leader roles.
Fully bilingual, Hélène holds a Master of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School and, an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Toronto.
Katherine Ayotte, CPA CFO
Kate Ayotte focuses her practice on the strategic design and management of finance functions for clients in private and public markets, while also serving as a strategic advisor to CEOs, their boards and management teams across sectors and industries that include, energy - including clean-tech, construction, CPG, in both private and public markets.
Prior to Aspire CFO, Kate held CFO roles across diverse sectors and industries including energy (oil & gas, clean-tech), CPG, real estate construction and development, property management, and complex multi-tiered trust, limited partnership, joint venture and corporate structures in both public and private business entities, for companies that included Exaltexx Inc., NewNorth Projects Ltd., Pumbline Group of Companies, among others. Kate holds expertise in corporate reorganization and development, and intellectual property management.
Kate is a CPA and holds a CMA from SAIT.
Karen Inman, CPA CFO
Karen Inman focuses her practice on strategic finance, leading strategic planning and the implementation of finance systems and operations in support of business growth, with a focus on the manufacturing, CPG, transportation/logistics industries for national and multi-national companies.
Prior to Aspire CFO, Karen held CFO and COO roles with responsibilities for overseeing finance, human resources, information systems, logistics, procurement and customer service, in manufacturing, CPG, transportation and logistics industries. Karen was CFO at multi-national port operator DP World and, was CFO and COO for promotional apparel brand Stormtech Performance Apparel. Karen began her career in audit at Kessel Feinstein, a member firm of Grant Thornton, in South Africa, and later shifted her career into Canada to work with multi-national and small-medium business enterprises.
Karen is a CPA, and holds a bachelor and honours in Accounting Science from the University of South Africa.
Asiah Kawa, CPA CFO
Asiah Kawa focuses her Aspire CFO practice on designing finance functions to fully support the strategic direction of businesses supporting a portfolio of clients in various industries including technology, professional services, construction and manufacturing.
Prior to Aspire CFO, Asiah navigated a career in finance moving through progressively senior roles across various industries - construction, property development and maintenance, mining, industrial products and services, transportation, software development, and managed IT services. Asiah has led finance teams in FP&A, capital management, debt and equity financing, acquisitions and integrations, business and system transformations, business restructuring, investor relations, human resources and risk management.
Asiah Kawa is a CPA, holds an EMBA from Simon Fraser University and, an Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree from Laurentian University.
Melanie Litoski, CPA, CA CFO
Melanie Litoski focuses her Aspire CFO client practice on system and process transformations as a CFO leader, providing a sharp focus on turnaround strategies that improve profitability, operating efficiencies, and people development.
Prior to Aspire CFO, Melanie’s career spanned sectors and industries, from aviation, energy, transportation, retail, to financial services, for privately held, publicly listed, and private equity-owned companies. Melanie established her finance career at KPMG, and in addition to VP and CFO roles, she has provided cross-functional oversight for IT, HR, and corporate board governance. Melanie contributes to community initiatives in support of women’s causes and minor hockey.
Melanie is a CPA, CA, and holds a Bachelor in Commerce from the University of Alberta.
Lisa MacLean, ACCA CFO
Lisa MacLean focuses her Aspire CFO client practice on developing the strategic and operational performance of the finance function. This includes delivering excellence in the core areas of business planning, treasury, controllership, and overall organizational effectiveness.
Prior to Aspire CFO, Lisa's career spanned senior finance roles across a range of sectors and industries, including CPG, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Distribution, Oil and Gas, and Trading. Through her experiences, Lisa has delivered business change programs, rapid growth, M&A, restructuring, continuous improvement, reporting and controls, risk and compliance, financial modeling, ERP implementation, and achieved efficiencies through automations.
Lisa holds the ACCA and AAT certifications.
Gillian Wright, CPA, CA CFO
Gill Wright focuses her Aspire CFO practice on the modernization of finance functions in the manufacturing and CPG industries as a strategic finance leader.
Prior to Aspire CFO, Gill moved through progressively senior roles in industries and sectors that include, retail, manufacturing, professional services, technology (including media and SaaS), and financial services. Gill led the Finance team at Mooseknuckles Canada as they expanded internationally; she established the finance function for SSENSE and, supported significant international growth and $5 billion dollar valuation in 2021; and, earlier she worked for PWC in the Audit practice.
Gill is a CPA, CA, holds a Bachelor of Management from Western University and, an EMBA from the John Molson School of Business.
Diane Cesta, CPA, CA VP Finance
Diane Cesta is a finance leader focused on establishing and implementing well-performing finance functions for the Aspire CFO client portfolio in industries that include manufacturing, retail, technology and services.
Prior to Aspire CFO, Diane held progressively senior roles in Financial Planning & Analysis for companies undergoing expansion, such as, Moose Knuckles Canada, Sephora Canada and TD Bank Group. Diane started her career at PWC in the Audit & Assurance practice, later moving into other practices and roles that included, court-appointed monitor and receiver.
Diane is a CPA, CA, and holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Toronto.