Member Recognition Award Recipients - 2017

Get out and into your community. Meet people and have conversations with them. Knowing people in your community will help you find something you can fully support with your time, energy, and knowledge. Never be afraid to roll up your sleeves and help the organization you are involved with.

The heart of leadership revolves around people, because after all, you can’t lead a team of none. My team is highly effective because we debate different perspectives, we learn from one another, we care for each other, we celebrate successes, and we celebrate failures because it helps us grow stronger.

To me, success is achieving a level of independence that allows one to pursue those things that matter most; I know no secret to achieving independence, apart from working persistently toward one’s goals – it’s about the striving, not the arriving.

Success is respect from your peers, staff, and clients. It’s about making a difference. In order to have a working relationship, you need to develop a personal relationship. Network and stay in touch. People you meet today, you may end up dealing with three years from now or thirty years from now.

Whatever I do, my work, leadership, and impact must leave people and organizations in a better place than when I started working with them. Mentorship, coaching, and sponsorship have always been very important to me. I think the secret is to work hard and do the best you can in what you are doing in the moment.

I have been fortunate to have many amazing volunteer experiences, including my time with the YWCA board of directors, which opened my eyes to how much more we, as a society, need to do to bring about social change to ensure women and their families have a better future with economic independence, wellness, and equal opportunities.

If I were talking to a prospective student, I would say that the best thing about the CPA designation is the versatility of the designation. CPAs can work in almost any field from corporate leadership to detail-oriented finance positions, from technology to human resource roles. This is the designation that allows you the freedom to choose your destination.

The best thing about our profession is the number and diversity of the doors that open. There are so many opportunities to do interesting things in almost every aspect of the economy or society. We are part of a national and international community, and your designation is an introduction. It shows you are prepared to work hard and conduct yourself with integrity.

Accounting is a language of business, not the only one, but a necessary one. The more sophisticated your relationship with that language, the more value you can add. Understanding basic debits and credits is helpful. But understanding how to interpret the numbers, and telling a clear, integrated story that truly informs material business decisions is indispensable.

I encourage people early in their career to choose a career path that interests you and become an expert in your field of work. Aim to learn something new each week about your job. This will set you apart from the crowd as people will look to you for your expertise.

My designation trained me in the business and financial perspectives, and provided me with the strong grounding to take on numerous leadership roles in diverse areas such as technology, business intelligence, and healthcare. On the community front, my participation on a number of boards allows me to give back and contribute to causes I believe in.