Get to know more about Exactera

As CEO and CFO, Michael Hickman manages the company’s financial planning and strategic direction. Before joining Exactera, Hickman was the CFO at the premier global performance-marketing marketplace, Perform[cb], where he championed the company’s financial strategy and helped increase organic profitability markedly. Hickman oversaw multiple acquisitions and was instrumental in selling Perform[cb] to Beringer Capital in April 2021.

A certified public accountant with more than 25 years of leadership experience at companies including Deloitte, MetLife, and Switch and Data, Hickman has navigated acquisitions, dispositions, debt financing, corporate consolidations, financial planning and analysis, valuations, SEC Reporting, technical accounting, and system implementation and project management. He holds a master’s degree from the University of Florida.

As CRO at Exactera, Christy McDonald leads the sales and customer success teams. McDonald’s background includes prior leadership roles within both human resources and sales organizations. She has helped to develop the company’s outbound marketing strategy and was a top producer in the sales organization before taking on a functional leader, and later, an executive role.

As Exactera’s chief operating officer, Mimi Song is responsible for driving ongoing product innovation and developing business strategy, including identifying new opportunities for mergers and acquisitions. A visionary behind Exactera’s transfer pricing solution suite, including the revolutionary AI-powered ExactMatch, Song plays a key role in finding synergies between tax and technology and positioning Exactera as a leader in the corporate tax space. As chief economist, Song managed client relationships and ensured the successful implementation of transfer pricing solutions. A huge proponent of transfer pricing education, Song leads discussions with world-renowned global tax experts on podcasts and webinars and has been the star of in-depth speaking engagements at global tax events. Prior to Exactera, Song led the transfer pricing team at the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ. She has written numerous articles on tax and transfer pricing for Bloomberg Tax and Treasury & Risk, among others, and has been quoted as an economic expert online for Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and CNN.

As chief people officer and general counsel, Stephanie Israel leads our human resources and legal departments. A human resources innovator, Israel has established various employee initiatives to foster an inclusive culture at Exactera. She has also led the implementation of HR-and-payroll software platforms, training initiatives, performance management, and she has developed our global-compensation strategy.

As the general counsel, Israel provides expert legal guidance to all departments and works closely with other C-suite members to ensure compliance and safeguard the organization’s interests.

As CTO, Dr. Brian Dougherty is responsible for the technical vision, product engineering operations and Information Technology/Information Security excellence of the business. Before joining Exactera, Dr. Dougherty led technology and engineering efforts for Snappt, a B2B SaaS company, launching it to selection as the #1 business in Artificial Intelligence for the year 2023. Dr. Dougherty also has extensive experience through his leadership of private investment, enterprise healthcare, and cybersecurity organizations.

A gifted operator, Dr. Dougherty brings a strong blend of technical vision and operational execution to the Exactera team. His deep research background is key to leveraging cutting-edge technologies in Artificial Intelligence and other domains to propel Exactera’s technical and product mission forward. Dr. Dougherty holds PhD and MS degrees from Vanderbilt University and a BS in Computer Science from Centre College.

Xander Jones is a Texas CPA with over 18 years of experience serving both public and private clients. His background includes roles in public accounting at RSM and leadership positions in multinational tax departments at Enterprise Holdings, NorthStar Anesthesia, and WIS International. Currently, Jones is the Director of Professional Services Group, Tax Provision at Exactera. His technical expertise spans corporate income tax compliance and consulting, with a strong focus on accounting for income taxes.

Mili Diaz Colodrero is an economist with over a decade of experience in transfer pricing. With a background in Corporate Finance and experience at Big Four firms, she has built a deep expertise in the financial services industry. At Exactera, Colodrero leads a team of 70 professionals and oversees more than 450 accounts, delivering global core documentation, planning analysis, transfer pricing advisory, value chain analysis, and audit support. Over the past two years, she has worked closely with C-level executives, driving operational and structural improvements to maximize efficiency and elevate client service excellence.

Mark McGee leads the R&D tax credit group at Exactera. With 18 years of R&D tax credit experience, he serves as a tax technical resource and quality assurance manager for the Exactera Professional Services Team. McGee’s expertise spans various industries, including financial services, software development, high-frequency trading, retail, pharmaceuticals, medical instruments, chemical manufacturing, integrated circuit manufacturing, automotive, agriculture, and food and beverage.

Julie Rachlin leads Exactera’s dynamic marketing department, driving a comprehensive strategy across verticals, geographies, and market segments to position Exactera as a leader in AI-powered corporate tax solutions. With almost 20 years of marketing experience and a specialization in B2B SaaS demand generation, Rachlin has a proven record of scaling high-performance ABM and digital campaigns that deliver measurable pipeline growth and ROI.

Rachlin excels in building and managing agile and high-performing marketing teams, optimizing lead management processes, and supporting product launches. Known for her ability to align cross-functional teams and deliver results, Julie combines strategic vision with hands-on execution to achieve ambitious marketing and go-to-market goals.