Cfo Thought Leader

Back in the mid 1990s–when Russ Keefe decided it was time for a career pivot–he got behind the wheel. With a Jeep packed full of his belongings, he drove from Washington, D.C., to San Francisco, father riding shotgun, to explore fresh opportunities in Silicon Valley. He had just completed a stint at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, where he gained a deep respect for transparency and learned the importance of full disclosure.Eager to drive business outcomes, Keefe immersed himself in tech, soon discovering a passion for FP&A and leadership. Early roles exposed him to sales operations, giving him a front-row seat to understand revenue streams and product strategies. “That was when I realized finance is so much more than keeping score—it’s about guiding strategic decisions,” Keefe tells us.Today, as CFO of cybersecurity innovator Corelight, Keefe applies a forward-looking mindset to navigate hypergrowth markets. His background at the SEC informs his ethos of communicating frequently and candidly