Our Story
Where expertise
meets innovation
Two professionals. One shared vision. A commitment to transforming how organizations approach ESG assurance.
Our Values
The principles that guide everything we do—from client relationships to the work we deliver.
01
Integrity
Upholding the highest standards of professional ethics and independence in every engagement.
02
Precision
Meticulous attention to detail and data-driven methodologies in all our work.
03
Transparency
Clear communication and honest reporting that builds stakeholder trust.
04
Purpose
Advancing sustainable business practices that create lasting positive impact.
Our Journey
From classroom
to company
The path that brought two professionals together and led to the founding of VirentAssure.
2023
The Meeting
Two paths converge at Northwestern Kellogg
2024
The Vision
Identifying the gap in ESG assurance
2025
Launch
VirentAssure begins operations
2026+
Growth
Expanding impact across industries
In the halls of Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management, two professionals discovered they shared more than just a classroom—they shared a vision for transforming an industry.
The VirentAssure Origin Story
Leadership
Meet the Team
Combining decades of experience in ESG, assurance, and technology
Anisa Chowdhury
Founder & Managing Director
Anisa Chowdhury, CPA, CA, PCSAP, and Kellogg Executive MBA, is the Founder and Managing Director of VirentAssure and an assurance and risk management leader with over 15 years of experience across Big 4, mid-tier firms, and Fortune 500 organizations. She has led global internal audits, forensic investigations, and regulatory compliance reviews, delivering measurable improvements in governance, fraud prevention, and operational efficiency.
Her expertise spans financial and operational audits, SOX 404, enterprise risk management, and the use of data analytics and automation to strengthen assurance outcomes. Anisa brings deep expertise in sustainability and ESG assurance, having designed and led engagements aligned with regulations such as CSRD, SB 253, and SB 261, as well as leading frameworks including ESRS, TCFD, and GRI.
A Chartered Professional Accountant (Canada) and Professional Certified Sustainability Assurance Practitioner (PCSAP), Anisa is a published thought leader and recipient of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) 2021 Ted Keys Award. She leads VirentAssure with a focus on data integrity, transparency, and stakeholder trust.
Expertise
Connect on LinkedIn
Viktor Avdulov
Data Scientist & Technology Lead
Viktor Avdulov, MS in Applied Data Science and Kellogg Executive MBA, is the Technology Lead at VirentAssure and a data science and AI leader with over a decade of experience across Fortune 500 organizations including Deloitte, Accenture Federal Services, and General Dynamics IT. He has led enterprise-scale AI implementations, built global data science teams, and pioneered production RAG systems serving 100,000+ users.
His expertise spans generative AI architecture, multi-agent systems, machine learning operations (MLOps), and enterprise data strategy. Viktor has designed and deployed AI solutions that automated 40% of analytical workflows and achieved 70% improvement in search relevance across platforms processing millions of documents.
A U.S. military veteran who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, Viktor holds a Chief Data Officer Certificate from Carnegie Mellon University and brings a unique combination of technical depth and strategic leadership. He leads VirentAssure's technology vision with a focus on building AI-powered assurance tools that enhance efficiency, accuracy, and scalability.
Expertise
Connect on LinkedIn
Grant Wahlstrom
Forensic Accounting & Fraud Advisory
Grant Wahlstrom is a seasoned forensic accountant with over 25 years of extensive experience in fraud auditing. He has managed complex investigations, developed financial integrity programs, and delivered substantial annual savings through effective remediation of controls. Mr. Wahlstrom specializes in fraud data analytics and forensic accounting and possesses a strong track record in conducting COSO-aligned fraud risk assessments. Grant provides advisory services to clients regarding litigation support, financial investigations, fraud detection, and fraud prevention.
Grant is an established authority in fraud detection and prevention. His work has been featured in multiple professional journals. Previously, Grant served as the Senior Editor of the Fraud Findings section for Internal Auditor Magazine.
Grant holds a Bachelor's in Accounting and a Master's in Taxation from Florida Atlantic University. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Association of Certified Internal Auditors, and Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.
Expertise
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Daryl J. Whitt
Senior Energy Efficiency, Sustainability & Engineering Consultant
Daryl Whitt, P.E., C.E.M., is a seasoned climate and sustainability leader with over 35 years of extensive experience in sustainability and environmental engineering. He provides expertise in developing GHG inventories including Scope 1, 2 and 3 sources, according to the GHG Protocol as well as carbon management strategies, carbon footprinting for products and lifecycle assessments. Daryl also provides expertise in energy efficiency and energy management for decarbonization and cost savings and has performed or managed energy efficiency and eco-efficiency assessments for more than 100 industrial facilities.
Daryl has supported clients reporting to the CDP, and through the development of ESG reports according to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This includes strategic consulting, facilitating materiality assessment workshops, performance benchmarking, initial and annual report development, and verification. His experience includes helping clients with initial sustainability program development, scenario development and risk analysis for Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosure (TCFD) reporting.
Daryl has experience in a broad range of industries including aerospace component and industrial equipment manufacturing, packaging, breweries and distilleries, railroads, electric utilities, automotive and heavy truck original equipment manufacturing (OEM) and Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers, cement, chemical commodity and fertilizer manufacturing, mid-stream oil and gas, pulp and paper, and forest products manufacturing.
Expertise
Elizabeth (Ely) Velazquez
Senior Manager
Ely Velazquez is a strategic operator and innovator with over a decade of experience connecting environmental engineering, conservation research, technology transformation, and human-centered design across Accenture, climate-tech, and mission-driven organizations. As a Senior Manager at VirentAssure and a Principal Innovation Strategy Consultant at NeuroXplorers, she helps organizations turn multifaceted challenges into pragmatic opportunities for impact and advises on the strategic evolution of client programs and service offerings. Ely specializes in transforming ambitious priorities and complex requirements into practical, scalable solutions with coordinated execution, reinforcing commitments that move beyond disclosure and deliver rigorous business value.
Her expertise is anchored in a decade at Accenture, where she rose to Business & Tech Innovation Associate Principal and led multi-system technology implementations for a major gas and electric utility conglomerate, consolidating operations across seven subsidiaries in four states through seven technology releases. She is skilled at facilitating high-stakes discussions among diverse stakeholders, untangling complex processes, designing right-sized governance models, and driving the change enablement that takes portfolios from early ambiguity to enterprise-wide adoption. She pairs this operational depth with technical fluency in greenhouse gas accounting and verification under the GHG Protocol and ISO 14064, alongside ESG reporting frameworks including GRI, ISSB, TCFD, and CSRD.
An environmental engineer by training, Ely holds a B.S. in Environmental Engineering from Northwestern University, where her published research on coral reef bleaching was conducted with The Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium. She also holds an M.S. in Management and an MBA in Strategy, with concentrations in Social Impact & Sustainability and Entrepreneurship, from the Kellogg School of Management. She has completed GHG Lead Verifier training through SGS Academy, is a Certified SAFe® Agilist, and serves as both a Chicago Innovation Women’s Mentoring Co-op Fellow and President of the Latino Alumni of Northwestern University (LANU). Fluent in English and Spanish, she brings to VirentAssure a focus on implementing sustainability programs that are credible, human-centered, and regenerative by design.
Expertise