Our Senior Team

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 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.

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.

Wendy Van Alphen focusses her practice across a variety of industries and sectors, with a deep focus in manufacturing – including Tool &Die and, CPG. Wendy draws from her expertise in manufacturing operations, the automotive sector and agriculture industry to support companies with refinancing, interim management, turnaround advisory and divestitures.

Prior to Aspire CFO, Wendy’s most recent experiences include CFO for a group of international manufacturing operations. She holds significant experiences in assisting secured lenders in performing “Look-sees” and, viability assessments of debtors, statutory insolvency and restructuring assignments. Earlier in her career, Wendy worked with Deloitte advising small to mid-sized companies and supporting clients with financial forecasts, viability assessments, restructuring engagements and turnaround advisory, CFO assistance / financial management, and M&A,

Wendy is a CPA, CA, a Licensed Insolvency Trustee and Chartered Insolvency and Restructuring Professional, and holds an Honours Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Windsor.

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.

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.

Danielle is a seasoned finance professional with over a decade of experience in audit and financial advisory across Canada and the UK. She brings a strong technical foundation and a global perspective to her role at Aspire CFO, where she supports clients in optimizing their finance functions, enhancing operational efficiency, and scaling with confidence.

Danielle began her career in Toronto, spending three years building her expertise in assurance and client service while earning her CPA designation. She then relocated to London, UK, where she spent 6.5 years at Crowe UK, ultimately serving as a Senior Manager. During her time there, she led audit engagements for a wide range of clients—from early-stage startups to multinational corporations—across industries including professional services, manufacturing, and non-profit.

Her international experience has equipped her with the versatility and insight to navigate complex financial environments and deliver tailored solutions that drive long-term success. 

With over 15 years of global finance experience, Swastik Mishra, CPA, CA, has built a career at the intersection of corporate strategy, technology transformation, and sustainable growth. His journey includes shaping landmark initiatives—from financing a 350MW solar project in India with SkyPower Services, to enabling Digital Colony’s $720M acquisition of Cogeco Peer 1, to leading major ERP transformation programs.

Today, as Controller at Aspire CFO, Swastik focuses on providing organizations with clarity on financial health while helping them navigate cashflow challenges and complex transactions. Prior to Aspire CFO, he held roles at Cogeco Peer 1 Inc. and SkyPower Services, and began his career at T.R. Chadha & Co, KPIT Technologies, and BDO India. Guided by a philosophy of automation and efficiency, he empowers businesses to operate smarter, scale faster, and achieve lasting impact in rapidly evolving industries.

Katie Farrand focuses her practice on implementation of software and new systems, providing strong oversight and detailed coordination to onboard new clients to the Aspire CFO firm. Ensuring a seamless handover from the transitional phase, she establishes foundational processes and automations with accurate and complete financial records to support a successful business. Her ongoing analysis and management help to improve profitability, efficiency, and assist in strategic decisions.

Prior to Aspire CFO, Katie’s in-depth experience from bookkeeping and client management developed her strong ability to identify and resolve issues directly. She specialized in bookkeeping at small to medium organizations with clients across multiple industries including clean energy, IT, non-profit and retail.

Katie completed her CFE exams towards earning her CPA and holds an Honours Bachelor of Commerce from George Brown University.