Getting to know Persefoni: Meet Priscilla Nzessi

1. And you may ask yourself, "Well... how did I get here?" (Tell us your journey?)

My journey started in grad school. While doing my MBA at Saint Mary’s College of California, I took a business ethics class where we spent a considerable amount of time discussing ESG and the need for companies to focus on how their business practices impact the world. It was in that class that I learned about SASB and the need for standards to track and measure impact. Being familiar with the importance of FASB and IFRS, I saw SASB and other sustainability standards as the way of the future. I took that business ethics class in 2015, which was the same year SASB created their FSA credential. I was lucky to be a part of the early test takers for both FSA exams, allowing me to be part of the first cohort of the FSA credential program.

At my previous employer, I tried to get plugged into the ESG practice, but it was basically non-existent in the US in 2017. I was a bit surprised, considering the fact that sustainability reports were all the rage with large companies at the time. I quickly realized that a lot of companies were not ready to focus on the importance of tracking and measuring their ESG impact, and that they did not have the knowledge/resources to do so. So I focused on traditional accounting and auditing. I spent my time at PwC learning about different business practices across different industries, learning what good looks like and how to help companies build scalable processes. In the last few years, things have changed tremendously.

Our Head of Governance and Oversight introduced me to Persefoni. As I learned more about the company and realized that I am completely aligned with Persefoni's mission. Persefoni is doing amazing work and I wanted to be a part of it.

2. And you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile. (What do you do at Persefoni?)

I am Persefoni's Assistant Controller. I am standing up the accounting department through building our processes and procedures for financial reporting as well as overseeing our day to day accounting operations, such as accounts payable and payroll. Sometimes, that means I am chasing people down for their expenses, but I mostly work on making sure we have the best tools and process in place to support the company as we continue to scale and expand.

3. And you may ask yourself, "Where does that highway go to?" (What are your hopes for your time at Persefoni?

My hope is to contribute to the growth and success of Persefoni! As a company, I hope that we are able to scale quickly and have the right infrastructure in place to support our customers and deliver an amazing product! As part of the Accounting team, I hope to provide great service to our teams within Persefoni as well as help deliver accurate and timely information for our stakeholders.

4. And you may say to yourself, "My God! What have I done?" (Why is Persefoni a great home for you?)

I love the fact that everyone at Persefoni is so intentional about the work they do. The company is filled with passionate and intelligent people. It is such a great atmosphere to be a part of. I joined the company because I love the mission and I was excited by the opportunity to help stand and implement new business processes. I am very pleased that I am able to do that everyday. Totally living the dream!

5. And you may find yourself in another part of the world... (Tell us about your life/hobbies away from work?)

The last couple of years have been a wild ride! A lot of my activities outside of work have changed significantly in the last 2 years. Being remote has allowed me to plug in to my community more. I am part of the Women’s bible study at my local church and I also manage a couple of farmers’ markets on the weekend. For fun, I recently bought a new car just to start exploring and camping along the California coastline whenever I have a free couple of days, which has been amazing.

I also love spending time with my family! I have 4 siblings and I love to find funny memes and shocking videos to send them. My favorite hobby is definitely traveling. I am big on solo travel, but I so go on an annual girls trip with my sister, my mom and my aunt. I love being by the water, but also love to explore a new city. When I am home, I spend a lot of my time cooking, baking, making liqueurs, reading or going to the movies.

Meet other Persefonites!

• Getting to know Jacob Madsen

• Getting to know Keith Denham

• Getting to know Matt Miller

“Once in a Lifetime" is a series of articles designed to help our customers and partners learn more about Persefoni's truly passionate team. We're not just building award-winning software ... together, we're helping to decarbonize our planet.