NEWS & VIEWS Three Marylanders named ‘Most Powerful Women in Accounting’ for 2023

BY BILL SHERIDAN, CAE

Maryland continues to produce some of the accounting and finance profession’s most powerful and influential leaders.

The latest examples were honored on June 6 as the AICPA and CPA Practice Advisor announced their Most Powerful Women in Accounting for 2023.

Three Marylanders and MACPA members were among those honored:

• Kimberly Ellison-Taylor, a former board chair for the MACPA and AICPA and a tireless volunteer and advocate on behalf of the profession.

• Jessica McClain, CFO for Girl Scouts Nation’s Capital and a former MACPA Women to Watch Award winner who has been recognized numerous times as one of the top young leaders in the profession.

• Lexy Kessler, Mid-Atlantic Regional Leader with Aprio and a former chair of the MACPA’s Board of Directors who currently serves as a board member with the Association of International Certified Public Accountants.

The honorees were recognized in front of nearly 3,500 attendees at the AICPA’s 2023 Engage Conference at the Aria in Las Vegas. “Three words come to mind when I think about this honor,” McClain said. “Humility is the first. I am humbled to be included on this list of powerful women in our profession. The second word is appreciation: I am so thankful for my family, friends, colleagues, mentors, coaches, sponsors, and supporters who push and motivate me every day. The last word is responsibility: I have a responsibility to help develop and grow the next generation of accounting leaders.”

“I am honored to be included among such amazing leaders, who just happen to be women,” Ellison-Taylor added. “Collectively, these leaders are changing the world and I couldn’t be more proud of them. Together, we are working to remove barriers and enable opportunities for the next generation of leaders.”

“I’m truly humbled to be recognized by the AICPA and CPA Practice Advisor,” Kessler said.” To be included with women that are impactful change-makers who positively make a difference in the lives of those they interact with is an honor.”

Others named among the Most Powerful Women in Accounting for 2023 are:

• Lara Abrash, CPA

• Tommye Barie, CPA

• Julie Boland, CPA

• Jeannine K. Brown, CPC

• Arianna Campbell, LSS

• Avani Desai, CPA

• Kimi Brown Ellen, CPA

• Angie Grissom

• Orumé Agbeyegbe Hays, CPA, CGMA, MST

• Guylaine Saint Juste, SHRM, SCP, CAE

• Elizabeth Pittelkow Kittner, CPA.CITP, CGMA, DTM

• Kelly Mann, CPA

• Carla McCall, CPA, CGMA

• Kelly Richmond Pope, PhD, CPA

• Lindsay Stevenson, CPA, CGMA

• Diana Stoltzfus, CPA

• Amy Vetter, CPA.CITP, CGMA

• Tracey Walker

• Sandra Wiley

• Erica Williams, J.D.

• Jennifer Wilson

• Janet Yellen, PhD

Now in its 12th year, the Most Powerful Women in Accounting Award was created by CPA Practice Advisor and is jointly administered by the AICPA & CIMA and CPA Practice Advisor to promote and support the success of women leaders as part of its broader mission of sustaining the profession.

Women are nominated from their peers, and a group of independent judges select the award recipients, using the following criteria for candidates:

• She has been playing an active role in innovation and excellence within her organization, and that role is carrying over to the accounting profession at large. Examples include creating and/or overseeing new programs for modernization, enhancing productivity, improving profitability.