Michelle Ausburn – Partner in Assurance and Craft Beverage Industry Group Leader – BPM

Her current practice focuses on assurance services for wineries, vineyards, negociants, food and beverage manufacturers, agriculture, and real estate, both publicly-held and private.  Michelle says, “If you have to be an auditor, I can’t imagine more fun industries to work in.”

In 2012, she joined BPM, one of the largest Bay Area based full-service accounting and consulting firms with six offices including Santa Rosa and St. Helena.  BPM has the depth and breadth of services equivalent to a national or international firm and is extremely client-service oriented – they refer to their delivery model as “big firm know-how…small firm know-you.”  It’s a strong differentiator for the firm in the North Bay.

In addition to providing traditional audit and review services, she offers guidance in the areas of business combinations, consolidations, lease accounting, inventory valuation, revenue recognition, and evaluation of internal control. Michelle has experience working with companies in the start-up phase through ownership transition, including IPO.  She also oversees employee benefit plan audits.

Michelle has served on several boards including on the Executive Committee of North Bay Leadership Council, Treasurer for the Napa/Sonoma Chapter for Women for WineSense (2011-2013) and Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair for The Healdsburg School (2013-2015). Since 2009, she has served on the planning committee for the Cal CPA Wine Industry Conference where she has also presented on GAAP accounting and reporting in the wine industry. Michelle has also participated as a speaker at the Wine Industry Technology Symposium and through Sonoma State University’s Wine Business Program.

She is active in the Firm’s recruiting efforts at SSU and leads the Firm’s WIN! Initiative – a program dedicated to creating opportunities that improve women leadership participation from its current level to a level that is more reflective of women in the workforce.

Michelle received a Women in Business Award in 2014 in recognition of her business accomplishments and contributions to the community.