Richards & Associates, CPAs
Meet Our Team
Founder – William Richards (1918-1997)
William (Bill) Richards was the founder and first CEO of our firm. He earned a law degree from Loyola University before starting his long illustrious career in the credit union industry. Bill started his career as a federal examiner and later served as the chief executive officer for a large credit union. In 1968 he co-founded the National Association of Federal Credit Unions (NAFCU) now one of the premier trade associations for the industry.
As the first president of NAFCU, Bill Richards testified before the United States Congress to obtain deposit insurance for the credit unions nationwide. Although he passed away in 1997, Bill Richards’ vision and entrepreneurial spirit continues to guide our firm.
Michael Richards, CPA – Proprietor/Managing Associate
As our firm’s second CEO, Mike has held that position for nearly thirty-five years. He joined the firm in 1973 after earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from the California State University at Los Angeles and becoming a Certified Public Accountant. In addition to managing the day-to-day operations of Richards and Associates, Mike has introduced many new services we now provide for our clients. He is responsible for quality control of all professional services offered by the firm.
Direct: (714) 615-1635
Marsha Heath – Senior Administrative Associate
Marsha has been with our firm since the early days. She joined us as a part-time office assistant while still attending high school and worked her way up from there. Her experience also includes credit union management, giving her a unique perspective on the industry we serve. As our senior administrative associate, Marsha is responsible for client relations. We believe her personal touch is a key to our success.
Direct: (714) 337-1602
Nancy Richards - Assistant Managing Associate, Accounting & Human Resources
Prior to joining our firm in 1994, Nancy was an executive assistant for a large credit union. Along with other administrative responsibilities, she has worked as our special projects coordinator; assisting with strategic planning, executive recruiting, and other services. Nancy currently manages our accounting and human resource departments.
Direct: (714) 694-0037
Our Audit Team….
Diana Jaffar, CPA, Senior Accountant
Diana has a Bachelor of Science degree (cum laude) with emphasis in accounting/finance and Master of Science in Accountancy from University of Oregon, Eugene. Diana has worked with Richards & Associates for five years. In addition, she also worked for three years as credit risk manager for one of the world’s largest banks. As your senior accountant/auditor for the project, Diana will participate in the risk assessments and perform audit tasks that require technical accounting skills. Upon completion, Diana will review her findings with the appropriate credit union employees and recommend any significant issues for inclusion in the independent accountant’s report. She is also responsible for the processing of audited financial statements and disclosure notes.
Lea Sethiel Dalusong, CPA
Lea has a Bachelor of Science degree with emphasis in Business Administration (graduated summa cum laude) from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Prior to joining Richards and Associates she was an audit manager with Ernst & Young. As our quality control specialist, Lea is responsible for compliance with all applicable professional standards. She monitors all aspects of the project to ensure those standards are met.
Alicia Pedernal, CPA
Alicia has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a major in Accounting. She has more than twenty years experience in the field of accounting and auditing with part of that time in the credit union industry. As your accounting/operations technician for the project, Alicia will be onsite performing compliance testing of internal controls and other vital auditing tasks. Upon completion she will review her findings with the appropriate credit union employees and recommend any significant issues for inclusion in the independent accountant’s report.
Rita Alleyne, Lending Specialist
Rita has a twenty-five year background in credit union management. As a Chief Executive Officer for twenty-three of those years, she brings knowledge of rules, regulations, processes, and procedures for all areas of credit union operations and management, with an emphasis on lending audits and human resource compliance. As your lending specialist for the project, Rita will complete a comprehensive review of underwriting policies, procedures and related internal controls. This will include a detailed review of selected files covering all aspects of the loan portfolio. Upon completion she will review her findings with the lending manager and submit any significant issues for inclusion in the independent accountant’s report.
Jennifer Collom, Administrative Assistant
Jen has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Management from California State University, Chico. She has worked for Richards & Associates for five years. As administrative assistant for the project, Jen will provide clerical support for the R&A team. This will include facilitating the exchange of audit information, processing reports and scheduling meetings.
Erin Brophy, Administrative Assistant
Erin has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Administrative Studies from the University of California, Riverside. She has worked at Richards & Associates for seventeen years as an administrative assistant. As administrative assistant for the project, Erin will provide clerical support for the R&A team. This will include facilitating the exchange of audit information and processing bank and investment verifications.
Stephanie Richards, Administrative Associate
Stephanie has Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from San Diego State University. Her education includes courses in accounting. She has worked for Richards & Associates for over five years. As administrative assistant for the project, Jen will provide clerical support for the R&A team. This will include facilitating the exchange of audit information, processing reports and scheduling meetings.