Northern California

NORTH AMERICA CHAPTER

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
NETWORKING EVENTS
Norcal crew

CHAPTER TEAM:

Alisha Hom, Applied Materials  (Chapter Leader)

Matt Alden, Fidelity
Cory Anderson, KPMG
Jeff Bauman, Baker McKenzie
Yavan Foster, Lyft
Nadine Francyzk, FGE, Infinite Equity
Emmy Gonzalez, SunRun
Tim Gow, Morgan Stanley
Brian Kirkpatrick, Marvell
Carrie Kovak, Elastic
Taylor Slayton, Brex
Kim Vincent, Charles Schwab

GEO BOARD CHAPTER LIAISON:

Tara Hagen, FGE, Aon

 

WELCOME TO THE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CHAPTER

This local chapter community is dedicated to sharing knowledge, experiences, and resources to help members develop their skills, expand their networks, and make a positive impact in their communities. You will have access to a wide range of valuable resources and opportunities including educational sessions and networking events. 

THANK YOU TO OUR CHAPTER SPONSORS

VISIT SPONSOR PAGE
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REGIONAL RESOURCES

FILTER:
Country
ARTICLE
9 July 2026
7 Ai Prompts Every Compensation Analyst Should Know
External News

Pave

Trending now
Global

Which AI prompts should compensation analysts trust with generic tools—and which need a true comp agent? 7 ranked prompts, from safe to specialist-only.

ARTICLE
6 July 2026
ESOP Financing Is Starting to Shift in 2026
External News

Menke & Associates

Design and strategy
Stock options
USA

Discusses changes in ESOP financing, lending structures and the policy environment.

LIVE WEBCAST
30 June 2026, 3 - 3:45pm BST
EXCELLENCE IN GLOBAL SHARE PLANS: BEST PRACTICE INSIGHTS (HOSTED BY COMPUTERSHARE)
computershare

Elliot Alexander, Computershare 
Ceri Newby, Diageo
Jennifer Ritchie, Anglo American

Case Study
GEO award excellence
All plan types
Global

BEST PRACTICE INSIGHTS: WHAT AWARD-WINNING EMPLOYEE SHARE PLANS DO DIFFERENTLY 
HOSTED BY COMPUTERSHARE

Join Elliot Alexander, Associate Director, Relationship Management at Computershare, for a webinar discussion featuring Diageo and Anglo American, as they explore what sets award-winning employee share plans apart.

From driving broad participation and inclusive ownership to delivering clear, engaging communications that help employees understand and act with confidence, this session will provide practical insights you can apply.

Use their expertise to help you navigate employee share plan strategies with confidence and success.

WHY ATTEND:

  • Learn what top-performing share plans do differently – and how to apply it
  • Gain practical ideas to increase participation and engagement
  • Discover communication strategies that drive understanding and action
  • Take away actionable insights you can implement immediately


COST

  • Members: Free access — Live and on-demand
  • Non-members: Free access - Live I $85 per webcast — On-demand

Unlock unlimited access! Join GEO from just $375/year and watch every webcast free—live or on-demand plus more member perks!

ARTICLE
29 June 2026
U.S. Proxy Season: Say-on-Pay, One-Time Awards, and Equity Plan Trends
External News

Harvard Law School Forum / ISS STOXX

Legal and regulatory
All plan types
USA

Examines 2026 proxy-season trends in equity plans, one-time awards and shareholder voting.

ARTICLE
27 June 2026
Jeff Bezos' 2016 'Lottery Ticket' Warning Comes True As Blue Origin Workers Miss Out On Spacex-Style IPO Windfall
External News

Yahoo finance

General
Stock options
USA

Povides explaination on why many early Blue Origin employees never realized value from their options and how the new plan attempts to address those shortcomings.

LIVE WEBCAST
24 June 2026, 10 - 11am MST
CROSS-BORDER EQUITY PLANS: MANAGING VALUATION COMPLEXITY AND AUDIT RISK
23/2 June

Amit Majumder, Qapita 
Evelyn Tay, Qapita
 

 

Legal and regulatory
All plan types
Global

Cross-border equity plans can create a complex web of valuation requirements, especially when companies must align US 409A valuations, Indian merchant banker reports, and fair value measurements under ASC 718 or IFRS 2.

In this session, we’ll explore the most common mistakes companies make when managing global equity valuations across multiple entities and jurisdictions. Using practical examples and firsthand lessons from issuers operating internationally, attendees will gain a clearer understanding of how to approach fair market value versus fair value assessments, avoid audit and compliance issues, and strengthen their readiness for the next reporting cycle.
 

KEY LEARNING POINTS:

  • Explain common valuation challenges in multi-entity and cross-border structures, including volatility, peer groups, discounts, and PWERM.
  • Describe common audit and compliance risks, including stale valuations, missed material events, and unsupported assumptions.
  • Define practical lessons and best practices for managing cross-border equity plans and audit readiness.

     

CPE CREDIT HOURS: 1.0*

 Field of study: Specialized Knowledge
 Levels: O
 Delivery method: Group Internet-Based
 Advanced preparation: None

CEP Continuing Education (CE) credit:1.0 credits *CPE credits are provided for live webcasts only.

Please visit our Continuing Education and Event Policies pages for more information.


COST

  • Members: Free access — Live and on-demand
  • Non-members: $85 per webcast — Live and on-demand

Unlock unlimited access! Join GEO from just $375/year and watch every webcast free—live or on-demand plus more member perks!

ARTICLE
24 June 2026
WHAT GEO AWARDS JUDGES REALLY LOOK FOR: 10 TIPS FOR A STRONGER SUBMISSION
Awards
GEO award excellence
All plan types
Global

Successful GEO Award submissions clearly tell the story behind the achievement by defining the challenge, explaining the solution, and demonstrating measurable business impact. Judges value authentic, issuer-led innovation supported by data, clear outcomes, and lessons that can benefit the broader equity compensation community. Companies of any size can submit a winning entry by focusing on meaningful results, creativity, and compelling storytelling.

ARTICLE
15 June 2026
Why I Sold My Business To My Staff
External News

BBC

Case Study
USA

Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs) enable business owners to sell their company to employees without staff funding the purchase themselves. A trust acquires the business on employees' behalf and repays the former owner over time using future profits. EOTs can preserve jobs, boost employee engagement and support succession planning, although sellers accept delayed payments and ongoing financial risk.

ARTICLE
9 June 2026
Spacex IPO Filing Offers View Of Its Employee Stock Compensation
External News

Forbes

Private and pre-IPO companies
Employee stock purchase plans (ESPP)
USA

Summarizes SpaceX’s IPO filing highlights how employee equity compensation , now SpaceX is about to go public in a much-anticipated initial public offering (IPO). It is expected that the SpaceX IPO will be a historic blastoff making millionaires of thousands of SpaceX employees via their equity awards. 

CHAPTER DISCUSSION BOARD

GEO members in your area can come together to engage in meaningful discussions, share ideas, ask questions, and connect with fellow members who share similar interests via GEOconnect. Whether you're a long-time member or a newcomer, we encourage you to participate and contribute to the vibrant discussions happening here.

AVAILABLE TO GEO MEMBERS ONLY

PAST EVENTS AND RESOURCES

Access details of past local events and their materials. Whether you missed an event or want to revisit the content, our community discussion board provides a platform to access event information, including presentations, videos, and discussions.

AVAILABLE TO GEO MEMBERS ONLY

REGIONAL NEWS AND INSIGHTS

Explore the GEO Insights area, where you can filter by region to access the latest events, articles, survey findings, and reports. Stay updated with the latest information and insights specific to your region, and gain valuable knowledge from our curated content. 

AVAILABLE TO GEO MEMBERS ONLY
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