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Courtney Naismith

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MBA, CPA

Partner
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As a results-driven finance executive with over 20 years of experience, Courtney Naismith has guided PE- and VC-backed companies through some of the most consequential moments in their lifecycle, from early-stage commercialization and capital raises to IPO readiness and financial transformation. Her deep expertise in pharma, biotech, and medical device companies gives her a nuanced understanding of the unique financial, regulatory, and operational challenges facing high-growth life sciences organizations. She also has experience in other industries including SaaS, media, manufacturing, higher-ed, entertainment and not for profit.  A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with dual master’s degrees, Ms. Naismith brings a strategic yet hands-on approach to financial leadership, partnering directly with CEOs and Boards to build the infrastructure, controls, and capital strategy needed to scale with confidence.

Ms. Naismith is a dedicated leader with experience in the areas of:

Capital Strategy & Fundraising

  • Cap Table Management
  • Equity Financing & Investor Due Diligence
  • Investor Presentations & Board Materials
  • IPO Readiness & PCAOB Audit Preparation

Executive & Board Relations

  • Board of Directors Presentations
  • Strategic Financial Reporting
  • CEO & Board Partnership

Finance & Accounting

  • Budgeting & Forecasting
  • Cash Flow Management
  • Financial Modeling & Scenario Planning
  • GAAP & IFRS Reporting
  • Variance Analysis

Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC)

  • Internal Controls
  • IT Governance
  • Audit Coordination

Software Skills

  • NetSuite ERP
  • Carta
  • QuickBooks
  • Microsoft Great Plains
  • SAP Concur
  • Vena
  • Fishbowl Inventory

Technology & Operations

  • ERP & SaaS Systems Implementation
  • Financial Systems Strategy
  • Manufacturing Operations & Supply Chain Finance

Her current clients include:

  • Hydro Service & Supplies (HYDRO), an industrial water treatment and engineering company that designs, manufactures, installs, and services high-purity and ultrapure water systems for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, semiconductor, healthcare, research, and industrial manufacturing industries.
  • Autism Society of N.C. is a nonprofit organization that supports individuals with autism and their families across North Carolina through clinical services, skill-building programs, employment support, social recreation, education, and community resources.

Career Timeline

  • Joined Rankin McKenzie as Partner in 2026.
  • 2025 – 2026: VP of Finance & Accounting, Diality, Inc. (Irvine, CA – Remote
    • Led end-to-end financial operations for a medical device innovator transitioning from pre-revenue to commercialization, overseeing a $48M operating budget and driving IPO readiness, capital strategy, and financial systems infrastructure.
  • 2022 – 2025: Senior Director of Finance & Operations, Yukon Medical, LLC (Research Triangle Park, NC)
    • Recruited to stabilize operations and restore financial health for a medical device company facing cost overruns and supply chain disruption. Renegotiated contract manufacturing agreements and accelerated product delivery timelines by approximately eight weeks.
  • 2019 – 2022: Controller, Polarean, Inc. (Research Triangle Park, NC)
    • Directed Finance, IT, HR, and Facilities for the US subsidiary of a UK-headquartered public company, managing dual IFRS and GAAP reporting and doubling team capacity in six months to support a successful product launch.
  • 2016 – 2019: Controller, Innocrin Pharmaceuticals (Research Triangle Park, NC)
    • Led financial and HR operations for a VC-backed biotech through Phase 2 clinical trials and Series D funding, managing cap table, equity structures, CRO accruals, and the ethical wind-down and dissolution of the company.
  • Earlier Career: Controller – Journalistic; CPA – Self-Employed; Professor of Accounting, Collin County Community College; Financial Analyst/Auditor, Union Pacific Corporation.

A resident of Chapel Hill, NC, Ms. Naismith holds a Master of Science in Accounting from the University of Texas at Dallas (Naveen Jindal School of Business), a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin (McCombs School of Business), and a Bachelor of Science from Miami University. She is a licensed CPA.

Linkedin-in
Send an Email
Linkedin-in
Send an Email

As a results-driven finance executive with over 20 years of experience, Courtney Naismith has guided PE- and VC-backed companies through some of the most consequential moments in their lifecycle, from early-stage commercialization and capital raises to IPO readiness and financial transformation. Her deep expertise in pharma, biotech, and medical device companies gives her a nuanced understanding of the unique financial, regulatory, and operational challenges facing high-growth life sciences organizations. She also has experience in other industries including SaaS, media, manufacturing, higher-ed, entertainment and not for profit.  A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with dual master’s degrees, Ms. Naismith brings a strategic yet hands-on approach to financial leadership, partnering directly with CEOs and Boards to build the infrastructure, controls, and capital strategy needed to scale with confidence.

Ms. Naismith is a dedicated leader with experience in the areas of:

Capital Strategy & Fundraising

  • Cap Table Management
  • Equity Financing & Investor Due Diligence
  • Investor Presentations & Board Materials
  • IPO Readiness & PCAOB Audit Preparation

Executive & Board Relations

  • Board of Directors Presentations
  • Strategic Financial Reporting
  • CEO & Board Partnership

Finance & Accounting

  • Budgeting & Forecasting
  • Cash Flow Management
  • Financial Modeling & Scenario Planning
  • GAAP & IFRS Reporting
  • Variance Analysis

Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC)

  • Internal Controls
  • IT Governance
  • Audit Coordination

Software Skills

  • NetSuite ERP
  • Carta
  • QuickBooks
  • Microsoft Great Plains
  • SAP Concur
  • Vena
  • Fishbowl Inventory

Technology & Operations

  • ERP & SaaS Systems Implementation
  • Financial Systems Strategy
  • Manufacturing Operations & Supply Chain Finance

Her current clients include:

  • Hydro Service & Supplies (HYDRO), an industrial water treatment and engineering company that designs, manufactures, installs, and services high-purity and ultrapure water systems for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, semiconductor, healthcare, research, and industrial manufacturing industries.
  • Autism Society of N.C. is a nonprofit organization that supports individuals with autism and their families across North Carolina through clinical services, skill-building programs, employment support, social recreation, education, and community resources.

Career Timeline

  • Joined Rankin McKenzie as Partner in 2026.
  • 2025 – 2026: VP of Finance & Accounting, Diality, Inc. (Irvine, CA – Remote
    • Led end-to-end financial operations for a medical device innovator transitioning from pre-revenue to commercialization, overseeing a $48M operating budget and driving IPO readiness, capital strategy, and financial systems infrastructure.
  • 2022 – 2025: Senior Director of Finance & Operations, Yukon Medical, LLC (Research Triangle Park, NC)
    • Recruited to stabilize operations and restore financial health for a medical device company facing cost overruns and supply chain disruption. Renegotiated contract manufacturing agreements and accelerated product delivery timelines by approximately eight weeks.
  • 2019 – 2022: Controller, Polarean, Inc. (Research Triangle Park, NC)
    • Directed Finance, IT, HR, and Facilities for the US subsidiary of a UK-headquartered public company, managing dual IFRS and GAAP reporting and doubling team capacity in six months to support a successful product launch.
  • 2016 – 2019: Controller, Innocrin Pharmaceuticals (Research Triangle Park, NC)
    • Led financial and HR operations for a VC-backed biotech through Phase 2 clinical trials and Series D funding, managing cap table, equity structures, CRO accruals, and the ethical wind-down and dissolution of the company.
  • Earlier Career: Controller – Journalistic; CPA – Self-Employed; Professor of Accounting, Collin County Community College; Financial Analyst/Auditor, Union Pacific Corporation.

A resident of Chapel Hill, NC, Ms. Naismith holds a Master of Science in Accounting from the University of Texas at Dallas (Naveen Jindal School of Business), a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin (McCombs School of Business), and a Bachelor of Science from Miami University. She is a licensed CPA.

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