As the 2025-2026 chapter year comes to a close, our leadership team is both wrapping up this year’s efforts and preparing for the exciting opportunities ahead. Since our chapter year runs from June 1 through May 31, this season naturally brings both reflection and renewal.
Looking back on the past 12 months, I am incredibly proud of what we accomplished together as a chapter. Highlights from the year include:
The return of in-person training events
Strengthening partnerships with our fellow West 2 district chapters
Recognition for participation in the Key Person Program
Supporting six members in their certification journeys
Establishing a partnership with Cal State East Bay and participating in two student events
These accomplishments were only possible because of the continued support, engagement, and trust of our members. Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to serve this chapter and profession.
I also want to recognize the outstanding leadership team you elected. Their commitment, professionalism, and passion are what drive the training programs, communications, networking opportunities, and community connections our members enjoy throughout the year. Please join me in thanking them for their dedication and service.
As we look ahead to the 2026-2027 chapter year, we remain committed to delivering experiences and opportunities that matter most to you. In June, we will distribute our membership survey, and I encourage you to take a few moments to share your feedback. Your voice helps shape our direction and ensures we continue building a chapter that supports and inspires our members at every stage of their journey.
Thank you for being part of the IIA NCEB community. We look forward to another year of learning, connection, and advancing the profession together.
On May 7, 2026, in celebration of Internal Audit Awareness Month, the NCEB Chapter hosted a combined Continuing Professional Education (CPE) session and social event, bringing members together for both learning and connection.
During the first 1.5 hours, attendees participated in an engaging CPE session titled “Workshopping Beyond IQ: Progress Your Career with Emotional Intelligence,” presented by Nancy Yuen, Senior Director of SOX, Financial Data, and SOX at SoFi and an NCEB Chapter Board Member. Nancy delivered an insightful and interactive session that highlighted the importance of emotional intelligence in leadership and career development. Key takeaways included:
• Strengthening leadership and communication by applying emotional intelligence to decision-making, trust-building, and conflict navigation
• Participating in interactive self-assessments and small-group exercises to better recognize and respond to emotional cues
• Gaining practical, real-world strategies to support professional growth and build stronger workplace relationships
Following the CPE session, attendees enjoyed lunch and a relaxed networking opportunity through a golf activity designed for all experience levels. Whether new to the sport or seasoned players, participants benefited from guidance provided by a golf professional in a welcoming and supportive environment.
This event would not have been possible without the dedication and planning efforts of the following Programs planning team:
• Melissa Rice, President
• Michelle Dizon, Programming Officer
• Dina Lam, Incoming Programming Officer
• Danielle Frei, Hospitality Chair
• Maricel Ortega, Programs Committee Member / Incoming Marketing Officer
We extend our sincere thanks to all members who attended and contributed to the energy and success of this event. Your continued participation and support help strengthen our chapter community, and we look forward to seeing you at future programs!
May 2026 IIA West District 2 Virtual Seminar
On May 20–21, 2026, the IIA West District 2 Chapters successfully hosted a dynamic Virtual Seminar, bringing together members from across the region for two days of engaging learning and professional development. West District 2 Chapters include the: Hawaii, Northern CA East Bay (NCEB), Northern Nevada, Sacramento, San Francisco, and San Jose Chapters. Attendees had the opportunity to earn up to 8 CPE credits (4 per day) while exploring a wide range of timely and impactful topics, including Fraud and Transparency, Increasing Internal Audit’s Value, Ethics, Artificial Intelligence, Continuous Monitoring and Data Analytics, and insights from an experienced CAE Panel.
We are incredibly grateful for the strong member participation in the seminar. Your commitment to professional growth helped make this event a meaningful and successful experience for our entire community.
Thank you
I want to extend my sincere gratitude to all who attended and supported our NCEB Chapter Programs and Seminars this year. Your continued engagement and willingness to participate played an important role in making this a successful and impactful year for the chapter. We truly appreciate the time, expertise, and energy our members bring to each event, and we look forward to continuing this momentum in the upcoming chapter year. If you are interested in getting more involved, we welcome volunteers to help plan programs for the upcoming June 1, 2026 to May 31, 2027 chapter year or to share their expertise by presenting CPE topics – please do not hesitate to reach out.
Please join me in welcoming our newest members who joined NCEB since the beginning of March. We’re so glad you’re here and look forward to getting to know you and supporting your internal audit career. I encourage you to make the most of your NCEB membership, whether that be attending our events or volunteering on our committees. There is no better way to meet like-minded audit professionals than volunteering with the chapter. Volunteer as little or as much time as you want. And did you know that IIA certification holders can receive CPEs for their chapter volunteer activity? Reach out to any board member if you want to volunteer and make this chapter the best it can be.
·Muthalagan Annamalai
·Jennifer Irwin Gabriel Medina
·Badamtsetseg Otgonbaatar
·Danielle Ritter
·Richard Toledo
·Marina Basta
·Andrea Bradley
·Arushi Gupta
·Timothy Huynh
·Leslie Ma
·Blanca Martinez
·Eric Martinez Flores
·Angelica Panlasigui
·Carolina Perez Pablo
·Sushantraj Shrestha
·Henriette Browne
·Katie DeWitt
·Derek Dominguez
·Shalini Jayasundera
I also want to recognize the following members who celebrated 5, 10, 15, 20, 35, and 30-year IIA anniversary milestones in December and January. Congratulations to the following members for their years of dedication to the IIA:
30 Years
Valerie Ann Zelmer
Dino J. Mendoza
25 Years
Norman Jiro Shikuzawa
Ahmad Ghafouri
Janice Lee
Dorothy Lipari
20 Years
Neeraj Goenka
Carolina Zalis
Miguel Barajas
15 Years
Danielle Ritter
Sally Walsh
10 Years
Harikesh Nanji
Natasha Bansal
Mellie Sibayan
5 Years
Umit Ozdemir
Nikolay Nikolov
Jonathan Smith
Marianne Kambel
Deepal Madalani
Kameran Dage
And finally, I would like to welcome Ron Singh as your new Membership Officer. It’s been a pleasure serving you as Membership Officer over the past two years. If you have any questions about your membership or its benefits, or if you have ideas for how we can make our chapter even better, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Ron or me. Your feedback and suggestions are truly valued.
The IIA Political Action Committee (IIA PAC) helps ensure the internal audit profession maintains a strong, credible voice with U.S. policymakers. By supporting IIA PAC, eligible IIA members help advance legislative and regulatory priorities that protect the profession, promote transparency, and reinforce the value of internal auditing.
What Your Support Makes Possible
Contributions to IIA PAC help:
▪ Educate policymakers about the role and importance of internal audit
▪ Strengthen relationships with U.S. lawmakers
▪ Elevate the visibility and influence of the profession on Capitol Hill
Ways to Give
Eligible IIA members may make a one-time or recurring personal contribution to IIA PAC. Contributions must be made using personal funds in accordance with federal law (see ‘Legal Disclaimer’ below).
Scan the QR code below to make your contribution today and help strengthen the profession’s voice in Washington.
Make an Impact
Your participation – at any level – helps ensure the profession’s perspective is heard where it matters most. Even modest contributions, when combined with others, create meaningful impact.
Our NCEB Chapter fundraising goal is $700 by 12/31/2026.
For questions about IIA PAC, please visit the PAC website and/or contact IIA Advocacy at PAC@TheIIA.org.
Legal Disclaimer
1. Contributions to The Institute of Internal Auditors Political Action Committee (“IIA PAC”) are not tax deductible.
2. Contributions to IIA PAC will be used for political purposes and are entirely voluntary. You are free to choose whether and how much to contribute, and IIA will not favor or disadvantage anyone by reason of the amount of your contribution or your decision not to contribute.
3. The recommended contribution amounts shown are merely a suggestion; you are free to contribute more (up to $5,000 per year), less, or nothing at all without reprisal.
4. Individuals may contribute up to $5,000 per calendar year to IIA PAC. Contributions must be made from personal funds and may not be reimbursed by any other person, including any corporation, and may not be made using a business credit card. IIA PAC may not accept contributions from corporations, national banks, labor organizations, federal government contractors, or foreign nationals who are not lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States.
5. Federal law requires IIA PAC to collect and report the name, mailing address, occupation, and employer for each individual whose contributions aggregate more than $200 in a calendar year.
Sponsorship
The IIA NCEB Chapter is proud to partner with organizations that support the growth and advancement of the internal audit profession. We offer sponsorship opportunities for both year-long chapter support and individual events throughout the year, including training programs, networking events, and member engagement activities.
Our sponsorship program is a great way to connect with the local internal audit community while supporting professional development and chapter initiatives.
If earning an IIA certification has been on your professional development roadmap, this May may be the perfect time to take the next step.
In honor of Internal Audit Month, IIA members can save 20% on new application and exam registration fees for several certifications, including the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certification in Risk Management Assurance (CRMA), and Internal Audit Practitioner (IAP).
Whether you are beginning your certification journey or continuing to build your expertise, earning an IIA certification can help strengthen your professional credibility, expand your knowledge, and demonstrate your commitment to the profession. Certifications also help internal auditors stand out in an increasingly dynamic and evolving audit environment.
To take advantage of the discount, members must complete their application or exam registration by May 31st and apply the designated promo code, May20%, at checkout.
Investing in yourself is one of the most meaningful steps you can take for your career. If certification has been on your mind, now is a great opportunity to move forward.
IIA Global Quality Certification and Quality Reviews
As expectations for internal audit continue to evolve, demonstrating quality and effectiveness has never been more important. The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) offers both External Quality Assessments and the new Global Quality Certification to help internal audit functions validate performance and showcase their value to stakeholders.
At the core of this effort is the Quality Assurance and Improvement Program (QAIP), a requirement under the IIA Global Internal Audit Standards. A QAIP helps evaluate conformance with the Standards, assess the effectiveness of the internal audit function, and identify opportunities for continuous improvement. As part of this process, internal audit functions are required to undergo an independent External Quality Assessment at least once every five years.
An External Quality Assessment provides an objective review of the internal audit function’s governance, methodology, processes, and overall impact. Beyond meeting professional requirements, these reviews can strengthen credibility with boards, audit committees, and executive leadership by demonstrating alignment with leading practices.
Building on this foundation, the IIA Global Quality Certification recognizes internal audit functions that achieve the highest level of conformance and performance through a full external quality assessment or independent validation. The certification highlights functions that go beyond compliance to deliver measurable value and organizational impact.
For more information about External Quality Assessments and the IIA Global Quality Certification, visit: IIA Quality Services
NCEB IIA | 5001 Executive Parkway | San Ramon, CA 94583 US
