Michelle Shum

Michelle joined Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors in March 2019, and serves as Assistant Controller of the Finance team. She primarily works with the Sponsored Projects & Funds (SP&F) team to provide financial analysis and reporting support to clients, and collaborates with the Finance team on general accounting tasks. Michelle interacts closely with internal advisors and program coordinators in managing the partnerships and communications surrounding financial reporting, such as budgeting and expense analysis, grants tracking, and fund reporting. She also participated in the preparation for periodic Program/Grant audits as well as Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors’ Annual Audit, assisting in providing documentation and schedules as needed.

Before becoming part of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, Michelle worked as a Senior Accountant for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). She worked alongside with the Accounting Director, the Controller and the CFO on all accounting and administrative areas related to investments. These included month-end entries preparation, process documentation, account reconciliations, financial reporting and general ledger analysis. She also liaised with banks and brokerage firms on investment-related matters. Prior to the ASPCA, Michelle was a Senior Auditor at Deloitte Hong Kong. Her clients were widely diverse both industry-wise and geographical-wise. Her 5 years with Deloitte helped her gain extensive exposure on auditing and accounting professionalism.

Michelle received her B.B.A. with a major in Accounting and Finance from the University of Hong Kong, and is a CPA registered in both the US and Hong Kong. Born and raised in Hong Kong, she is a native Hongkonger who is deeply in love with Hong Kong street food, but also fascinated by New York City’s unique vibes. Cantonese is her mother tongue, while she is fluent in Mandarin and English as well. Being a photography and travel lover, Michelle enjoys wandering in nature, experiencing different cultures, and listening to others’ life stories. She is also interested in films, literature, art, and spending time with her 6 cats and 7 birds. Among social issues, Michelle is particularly concerned about animal equality and environmental protection.

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