Candidate: Jessie Wang

Jessie Wang 

Jessie Wang is an accomplished financial leader with nearly 20 years of experience in higher education, specializing in strategic budgeting, operational efficiency, and long-term fiscal planning. As Chief Fiscal Services Officer/CFO at Pasadena City College, she oversees a financial portfolio exceeding $1 billion, demonstrating exemplary fiscal stewardship and strategic leadership.

Throughout her career, Jessie has shown a deep commitment to public service and educational equity. She brings a forward-thinking, solutions-oriented approach to her work, consistently aligning financial strategy with institutional goals. Under her leadership, the college secured $565 million in bond funding (Measure PCC) to support capital improvements, structured the bond issuance to achieve significant taxpayer savings, and led initiatives that increased the college’s General Fund reserve by 6% and fully funded the District’s OPEB Trust, enhancing long-term financial stability.

Jessie’s work extends beyond finance. She has been instrumental in expanding access and removing barriers for students, notably by helping to implement districtwide initiatives such as the expansion of the tuition-free California Promise Program and a free Metro transportation program for students. These efforts reflect her belief that strong financial stewardship must support—not just sustain—student success and the institutional mission.

Her career began in public accounting and financial consulting, where she worked with numerous K-12 and community college districts across California. In this role, she developed deep expertise in financial reporting, compliance, and internal controls, which continue to inform her data-driven, policy-informed leadership style. She is a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and holds additional designations as a Certified Information Technology Professional (CITP) and Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA). Jessie earned her MBA in Finance from Azusa Pacific University and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Cal Poly Pomona. She was honored with the AICPA’s Standing Ovation Award for young emerging leaders in the CPA profession.

Known for her collaborative leadership style and commitment to transparency, Jessie Wang is widely respected for building trust across stakeholder groups and delivering results that support both fiscal sustainability and student success.