Mr. Oakes has over 25 years of expertise in financial management, business audits, and public policy. As a leader at the California State Board of Equalization (BOE), Mr. Oakes worked with many companies and constituents to resolve policy or tax controversy issues before the BOE.
Mr. Oakes managed an agency section that prepared, evaluated, and negotiated with labor and industry stakeholders on legislative and regulatory tax reform. During his career at the BOE, Mr. Oakes mastered the minute details involved in auditing businesses from neighborhood markets to multi-million dollar firms with global reach. Through his experience auditing hundreds of small business owners and clients of the big four accounting firms, Mr. Oakes earned a reputation for his meticulous attention to detail and extensive knowledge of accounting best practices. As a senior policy advisor for the Chair of the BOE, he facilitated resolution for complex constituent cases involving business and nonprofit tax issues, successfully led regulatory reforms at the agency, and served as a subject matter expert on key tax legislation before the legislature.
Mr. Oakes has over a decade of experience serving as a financial officer for number non-profit boards. He is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, and has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Texas with an emphasis in accounting.