Professional women in general, and women in accounting and consulting in particular, have come a long way since 1899, when Christine Ross became the first female certified public accountant. Today women in these fields are populating boardrooms, presiding over audits, leading forecasting and advising Fortune 500 companies. The industry is vastly better for their contributions.
Although true parity is closer than ever, it has yet to be achieved. Women fill half the ranks of full-time staff at accounting firms, but just 27% of them are partners or principals. Gender wage gaps persist. As women in accounting and consulting continue to push, dare and defy, it is crucial to hold up as examples those women who have prevailed and excelled, to laud their accomplishments and to inspire imitation.
Motivated by this sentiment, Crain’s sought to identify an outstanding cohort of women in accounting and consulting. The 67 individuals who made the cut are experts at compiling, analyzing, predicting, evaluating, interpreting and financial planning. They represent the best of the industry, with achievements deserving of commendation. They share a tenacity that makes them—like the pioneering Ross of 122 years ago—a cause for optimism that lingering disparities will soon be eliminated.
To find these honorees, Crain’s consulted with trusted sources in the New York business world and in the accounting and consulting spaces. Nominations submitted by individuals and organizations in the New York metropolitan area were carefully vetted. Ultimately, honorees were selected for their career triumphs as well as for their involvement in industry and community organizations.
On this and the pages that follow, discover how these skilled professionals are leading financial operations and bolstering commerce each day.
METHODOLOGY: The honorees did not pay to be included. Their profiles were drawn from submitted nomination materials as well as editorial nominations. This list is not comprehensive. It includes only executives for whom nominations were submitted and accepted after an editorial review, plus after Crain’s consulted with trusted sources in the city’s business community. To qualify for this list, female honorees had to be employed within New York City or the surrounding counties, serving in a senior leadership role as a CPA at a public accounting firm or as a consultant at a consultancy with middle-market and enterprise clients with more than $25 million in revenue. Honorees must have been in the business for a minimum of five years with a staff size of at least 25.
Olamide Ajibesin - Managing director ,Anchin, Block & Anchin LLP
Naidira Alemova -, Senior managing director, FTI Consulting
Lesia Bates Moss - President and CEO, Bates Consulting Group LLC
Dawn Bergen - Partner, Prager Metis
Kim Bozzella - Global head of technology consulting, Protiviti
Allison Brack - Partner, Citrin Cooperman
Tara Burek - Tax Partner, Anchin, Block & Anchin LLP
Clare Cella - Partner ,PKF O'Connor Davies
Koren Chen - Director, BKD CPAs & Advisors
Pamela Cianciotta - Partner, Marks Paneth LLP
Janis Cowhey- Partner, Marcum LLP
Corinna Creedon -Managing director , BKD CPAs & Advisors
Candace Damon - Vice-chair, HR&A Advisors
Deborah de Vries - Partner, Anchin, Block & Anchin LLP
Christine Fenske - Managing partner, Baker Tilly
Jamie Fowler -Chief transformation officer, Grant Thornton LLP
Beverly Ginsburg Cooper - Managing director, Huron
Laura Giovacco - Global client service partner, Ernst & Young
Maria Gonzalez - Audit Partner, Friedman LLP
Jackie Gordon- Partner, KPMG LLP
Samantha Greenbaum - Tax senior manager,Withum
Sherri Guidone - Partner, PwC
Veronique Horne - Senior Principal, Berdon LLP
Mindy Kamen - Partner, Janover LLC
Kathryn Kaminsky - Vice chair, PwC
Suri Kasirer - President, Kasirer LLC
Nina Kelleher - Director, EisnerAmper
Ellen Kera -Partner, Citrin Cooperman
Kayla Konovitch -Partner, EisnerAmper
Jayme Koszyn- Founder, Koszyn & Company
Karen Kowgios - Partner, Withum
Lisa Lim - Senior Partner, Ernst & Young
Ladidas Lumpkins - Partner in charge, Prager Metis
Cindy Ma - Global head of portfolio valuation and fund advisory services, Houlihan Lokey
Laura Macca - Director of business transformation, EisnerAmper
Ilene Mak - Partner, Mazars USA LLP
Michele McAllister - Director, Baker Tilly
Gina Omolon - Partner, Mazars USA LLP
Naya Pearlman - Tax Partner, Berdon LLP
Laura Peterson - Senior managing director, Accenture
Alyson Potenza - Partner, Kearney
Lindsey Richards - Partner, BKD CPAs & Advisors
Lisa Rispoli - Partner, Grassi Advisors & Accountants
Tonya Robinson - Vice-chair and general counsel, KPMG LLP
Cynthia Romano - Global director, CohnReznick
Lori A. Roth- Co-managing partner, Prager Metis
Gail Roth- Director, CBIZ & Mayer Hoffman McCann CPAs
Kathleen Rutch - Partner, Sax LLP
Sareena Sawhney - Principal, Withum
Rema Serafi -National managing partner, KPMG LLP
Marian Shaw - Partner, UHY LLP
Courtney Sherman -Managing director, Deloitte
Darya Shneyder -Partner, Marks Paneth LLP
Lorna Stark - Partner, KPMG LLP
Jessica Strom - Director, Marks Paneth LLP
Bonnie Sussman -Partner ,EisnerAmper
Hyejin Tak - Partner, Frankel Loughran Starr & Vallone LLP
Sze Man Tam -Partner, DDK & Company LLP
Yael Taqqu - Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company
Susan Teicher - Partner, Baker Tilly
Janet Truncale - Vice chair and regional managing partner, Ernst & Young
Jennifer Walsh -US-East market segment leader, Ernst & Young
Lenka Wiles -Partner, RSM US LLP
Elizabeth Zabludoff - Principal, Berdon LLP
Katherine Zheng -Senior manager, Marks Paneth LLP
Ellen Zimiles - Partner, Guidehouse
Dana Zukofsky - Director, BDO
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