Michelle DeBella

Advocates: Why you want them and why you should be them in order to reach new heights in your career. In this second episode of the series, Brandon Maslan and Jennifer Hill speak with VP of Finance at Lyft, Michelle DeBella, about what it takes to find an advocate and/or to be an advocate. They suggest that in order to be successful, you first have to know what you want. When you are clear on what you want, you can make more thoughtful career moves and know how to advocate and be advocated for.

Michelle is a dynamic and results oriented executive leading global finance and governance teams for over 25 years. Michelle is currently a VP of Finance Transformation and Governance for Lyft, helping the company and finance and other teams transform and scale in a high-growth, ever-changing industry and mature in a post-IPO world. She built Lyft’s first Internal Audit team and ERM program and is partnering closely with the CAO and other teams leading transformation in Lyft’s Finance processes and systems, including a future state ERP.

Michelle was previously the Chief Audit Executive at Uber, improving culture scores and corporate governance at a pivotal time in the company’s journey, while she doubled her global team. Previously she spent eight years at Hewlett-Packard, where she was the Vice President of Internal Audit leading a large global team, and prior to that the VP of Enterprise Financial Reporting. During her time there she also created the first global Women’s Leadership Program in Finance. She started her career in public accounting with Ernst & Young after graduating from Truman State University. Michelle serves on the Board of Governors for the San Jose chapter of the Institute of Internal Auditors and is the former Chairwoman of the Audit Committee and Board member of the Uber and Yandex Joint Venture. Michelle was named one of the 2019 Top 50 Women in Technology by the National Diversity Council. She’s a member of Advancing Women Executives and the Women Leading Travel & Hospitality Board and frequently shares her experiences and career lessons with other women, inspiring them to take charge of their career journeys. In addition to speaking about careers and leadership, Michelle is a frequent speaker and panelist on finance transformation, governance and compliance best practices, and building and engaging teams.
Michelle is a mom to two boys and her pets, and a closet poker player who also loves to travel, read, garden, cook and go wine tasting at local wineries around the Bay Area in California, with her husband Peter.