The 2015 Women’s Leadership Forum, to be held April 24, 2015 at the Hotel Nikko San Francisco, is proud to announce the participation of Fiona Ma, who will be a featured speaker. Ma’s presentation, entitled “I'm the Driver: Making Your Career Choice” starts at 1:05 p.m. and will discuss discovering what professional success means to you, defining your goals, knowing when to change your discipline or career path to suit your needs, making a business case for you career choices, and having the courage to be you!

Ma was elected in November 2014 to represent the State Board of Equalization’s Second District and is one of the few CPAs to ever serve on the Board, where she is working to ensure it treats all taxpayers with respect and dignity and to aggressively combat the underground economy which deprives California of approximately $8.5 billion in tax revenue. She previously represented the residents of California’s 12th Assembly District from 2006 to 2012, and was the first Asian woman Assembly Speaker pro Tempore since 1850. While serving on the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee, she led efforts to reform California's outdated tax code and reward investment in our state. She first became interested in politics while a small business owner and a Certified Public Accountant who advocated on behalf of other small businesses. She was an elected delegate to theWhite House Conference on Small Business under President Bill Clinton, which produced a report to Congress on the 60 top policy recommendations to help small businesses grow and prosper in the 21st century.

Ma’s tireless advocacy for women and minority business owners has led to responsible public contracting in San Francisco. Since 1998, she has been on the forefront in promoting trade and commerce between California and Asia, leading legislative delegations to China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. She has been a frequent speaker in the region promoting U.S. interests in high-speed rail, agriculture, entertainment and education. She has also taken the lead to welcome foreign dignitaries visiting California in her elected capacities. She has participated in various California trade delegations and has met with legislative leaders and decision-makers in India, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, France, Israel, Ireland and Iceland. 

Ma received her bachelor’s degree in accounting from the Rochester Institute of Technology, her master of science in taxation from Golden Gate University, and her MBA from Pepperdine University. She is the oldest of three children born to William and Sophia Ma, both Chinese immigrants. Her grandfather, Lieutenant General Ma Zhen, was the first mayor of Kunming, Republic of China.