Erika Chua is a Partner at HighCamp. Based in Los Angeles, she joined the firm in January 2025.
Tell us about your career path.
When I was in high school, I wanted to be a foreign-language translator. While I was not fluent in a second language, I loved the idea of seeing the uniqueness of a different culture through language and increasing understanding across language barriers. When I graduated college, I started a career in non-profit administration. I enjoyed my work in various education-related organizations but was looking for a new challenge in 2012 when a friend told me about an entry-level job at ACA Group, a compliance consultancy.
I did not know anything about finance at the time and had to start with the basics. What does it mean to short a stock? What are derivatives? What are the various rules and laws that apply to investment advisers? Part of my education in finance involved becoming a Chartered Financial Analyst, a designation I earned in 2017 after passing three grueling exams and meeting the work requirements.
As a consultant, I absolutely loved the challenge of learning a new (regulatory) language and helping firms apply the regulations to their unique businesses. In particular, I noticed that real estate managers found it especially challenging to apply the SEC’s regulatory regime to their businesses, so I did everything I could to learn from the experts around me who worked with real estate advisers – including Colleen Marencik, a Partner at HighCamp who I worked with early in my career.
How did you find your way to HighCamp?
I knew many of the members of the HighCamp team from working with them previously, and was especially excited to reconnect with Colleen, who has been an incredible professional mentor to me throughout my career. I liked the idea of continuing to serve as a “translator” between SEC regulations and investment advisers at HighCamp, which prioritizes employee well-being and quality client service.
What do you enjoy most about the job?
Even though I have been consulting for over 13 years at this point, there is always something more to learn – and the HighCamp team is made up of incredibly smart folks who bring a wide range of experience and expertise to the job. Also, I really enjoy leading training sessions for our newer team members on both compliance topics and consulting how-tos, since I so clearly remember my first few years in the job and how there is an incredible amount to learn!
Where do you see the next 5 years taking you?
I am eager to see how HighCamp grows over the next five years, while still retaining its unique culture. One fun thing about HighCamp is that many of us love doing outdoorsy and/or physically challenging activities. I am a long-distance runner – albeit a slow one! – and I look forward to many more long runs and maybe trying a solo backpacking trip. One unique benefit that HighCamp offers is the ME stipend, which allows employees to pursue something that is personally challenging or enriching and I’m already thinking about how to channel my love of languages and desire for adventure when I am eligible for my ME stipend. All the while, I get to enjoy working with fantastic clients that ask great questions and smart colleagues who make me better every day.
Contact Erika
erika@highcampcompliance.com
