Julieta LaMalfa

Julieta LaMalfa is a strategic CFO, SEC Qualified Financial Expert, and Public Company Board Director, Audit Chair, and Credit Risk Committee Member. She provides companies and boards with strategic and financial governance while advising on scaling growth, international expansion, regulatory compliance, products, and risk mitigation through her unique expertise honed across forensic accounting, due diligence, valuation, revenue/cost modeling, and data. As Board Director of Wintrust Bank, N.A., Julieta provides strategic and financial oversight to the largest of 15 charter banks of Wintrust Financial Corporation with $43B+ in assets. As Audit Chair and Credit Risk Committee member, she fulfills the charter including review of internal/external audit findings to ensure compliance with accounting, tax, statutory, regulatory, and local rules, laws and policies. Julieta ensures long-term sustainability and stability, advising on interest rate matters, risk and crisis management, communication strategy, and impact on stakeholders. She guides on the bank’s digital transformation and launch of Wintrust Bank’s app and capabilities to deliver a top consumer experience. Julieta currently leads as the CFO of Canela Media, a leading digital media tech company offering on-demand Latino-focused movies, TV series, News, & Sports entertainment. She provides the strategic growth direction and fiscal governance, overseeing Finance, Accounting, IT, and HR. Julieta guides this minority/female-owned disruptive business – the first OTT media streaming business with a 100% ad-based/supported model of licensed content and original productions, scaling it from $27M to $55M and on target to reach $100M. Previously, at the global investment bank and advisory firm Stout Risius Ross, Julieta provided financial and litigation services to clients across industries in F500 corporations, business owners, boards, and government agencies. She led and advised clients with Forensic Accounting, Financial Modeling, Transaction & Valuation, Disputes (incl. shareholders), and Compliance & Fraud Investigation services, often steering clients in navigating complex litigious issues. ADDITIONAL BOARD VALUE IMPACT Scaling Growth – Scaled Canela Media from 10 to 50 US FTEs and from 0 to 105 employees/full-time contractors in Mexico, building out LatAm operations. Financial Expert – Performed financial modeling on behalf of FDIC on 5 community bank failures; conducted an in-depth analysis of balance sheet accounts including cash, real estate, and short-term liabilities. Forensic Accounting – Advised/assisted corporations navigate litigious issues: shareholder disputes, accounting irregularities, regulatory investigations, assets’ misappropriations, embezzlement by govt. agencies – SEC, DOJ, and IRS. Advised large healthcare on Executive Leadership team’s $50M fraud scheme. Valuation Diligence – Provide due diligence/models for valuing assets and potential risk/damages for litigation. Led valuations using income, transaction, and market for large corporate decision-making including M&A. Born in Mexico, Julieta is a native Spanish speaker and passionate community leader recognized for her DEI work. She established Stout’s robust DEI program and champions diversity across the arts, education, and employment on the Latino boards Instituto Del Progreso Latino and Teatro Vista. Julieta enjoys spending active time with her husband and two young sons, Gio and Nico.