WHO WE ARE
Our experienced team will
fuel your goals and growth.
We function as your business and financial management backbone, quickly integrating into your organization and culture. We pride ourselves on our accessible, high-touch, human-centered approach, successfully creating dynamic, long-term client partnerships that foster optimal company performance.
Balance proudly works with companies that share our core philosophy that profit and social impact are complementary goals. Our people-centric approach gives actionable insights into your financials to ultimately serve every level of your teams, business, and community.
MEET OUR LEADERSHIP
Our women-led firm values people and financial performance.
Our founders work with values-driven organizations
that share our commitment to generating positive financial and social impacts.
Diana H. Pereira, JD, Founder
Diana is passionate about building businesses and social enterprises that make positive, long-lasting change in our communities. Her 20+ years of business start-up and management experience has seen the successful launch of multiple startups, non-profits, private equity and investment management companies, including several high-profile Santa Barbara-based entrepreneurial ventures that she envisioned and built.
Diana founded Balance in 2009 to support innovative businesses who also see profit and social impact as complementary goals, bringing the Balance team’s holistic approach to providing full–service strategic business counsel and customized financial management solutions for a spectrum of clients.
She specializes in all aspects of cost accounting, including non-profit and federal cost allocation plans, multiple entity structures, partnerships and consolidations and multi-currency transactions. She has managed numerous multi-million-dollar federal agency grants for the Department of Energy, Department of Defense, National Institutes of Health and other agencies.
Diana is the visionary and founder of the Impact Hub Santa Barbara (now Kiva Cowork), a successful entrepreneurial co-working space. Diana remains a managing member of Kiva Cowork, is a partner in a thriving local coffee company and partner in a new community kitchen opening in late 2020.
Prior to forming Balance, Diana served as Chief Compliance Officer of Morton Capital Management, Chief Financial and Compliance Officer of West Coast Asset Management and as Chief Financial Officer at a venture engineering firm.
Diana holds a B.A. in Business Economics from the University of California Santa Barbara, her J.D. from the Santa Barbara College of Law and is a member of the State Bar of California. She has been a Social Venture Partners member and served on the boards of UCSB Affiliates, the California Coast Venture Forum and Wilderness Youth Project. Diana lives in Santa Barbara with her husband and two sons.
Jaime Kuczkowski, CPA, Partner
Jaime brings more than 15 years of experience in accounting and operations to Balance, enabling her to develop highly customized solutions for the most complex business and nonprofit financial needs.
A partner since Balance’s inception, Jaime brings a diverse background in corporate, government, medical, hospitality, and education sectors to all client ventures. Prior positions include controller with an investment advisory firm, accounting manager at a leading national public affairs firm, accountant and grants manager at a venture engineering firm, and site supervisor in a busy medical practice.
Jaime has in-depth experience managing all aspects of the financial cycle, including general ledger, accounts payable, receivable, payroll, and client billing, including a specialization in cost accounting and project tracking. She has managed multiple federal grant contracts (from proposal to final report), drafted indirect cost rate proposals, and managed Medi-Cal billings and insurance reimbursement, while meeting federal and state audit requirements and providing the structure for OMB-level reporting.
Jaime’s focus for Balance clients includes assessing financial operations to increase effectiveness and efficiency, reviewing internal controls and implementing various software systems, OMB accounting and reporting for nonprofits, meeting compliance requirements, and integrating indirect cost structuring. Additionally, Jaime reviews budgeting processes and makes recommendations on budgeting tools, performs financial reorganizations, and creates custom reports and presentations.
Balance is a business management partner who works with leaders to build solid financial structures for their companies
- Phone: 805.618.3125
- Email: hello@balancefm.com