Karen K. McCloskey, CPA, MST, is a shareholder and the director of the Not-For-Profit Tax Services Group of BeachFleischman in Tucson, Arizona. She is also the current president of the Arizona State Board of Accountancy. Her accounting career started as a tax auditor with the Internal Revenue Service. She then moved to public accounting, where her work experience includes client management and service, practice and staff development, mentoring, tax planning and research, and compliance for individuals, fiduciary, estates, all business entities types and not-forprofit organizations. She is active in the community and the profession.
Today, many CPA firms, and other companies, offer programs designed to support and develop women leaders.
12 AZ CPA y NOVEMBER 2013
Monica L. Petersen has 20 years of progressive public sector budget, finance, legislative, strategic planning and operations experience. She has been executive director of the Arizona State Board of Accountancy for the last five years and oversees the regulation of more than 10,000 CPAs and 3,000 CPA firms. She worked for the Governor’s Office of Strategic Planning and Budgeting for nine years (four as Deputy Director), where she managed the development of the executive budget under Governors Hull and Napolitano. She has several years of full-time lobbying experience with both the Arizona Department of Education and the Arizona Department of Agriculture and as part of her various leadership positions.
“I think it is important to find a mentor or hire a coach,” says Hubiak and incorporate stress reduction techniques like meditation and exercise into your life. “Early in my career, a partner at Coopers & Lybrand noticed that I wasn’t handling stress very well,” remembers Hubiak. “He suggested that I start meditating to better accept additional responsibility and remain healthy. I have meditated most days since that defining moment almost 30 years ago.” Petersen recommends having a a clear set of values and principals and share those with your team so they understand the culture you’d like to create. “Be available and responsive and provide feedback and coach and mentor as necessary,” she says. “Help your employees or committee members become your greatest resource and asset. Encourage them to take responsibility, insist on accountability and recognize their efforts.” How do you ensure your professional growth? For Petersen, it is setting goals. She likes to think about what she wants to achieve and comes up with a reasonable solution for reaching her goals. Abraham reads a great deal, both technical information and books for enjoyment and believes continuous learning is important.
“Like many professionals, I thrive in an environment that promotes a learning culture,” comments McCloskey. “I am curious by nature so I feel I am always in pursuit of knowledge. For me, professional growth comes from my professional involvement, meaningful conversations with clients and colleagues and pushing myself outside of my comfort zone to try new things.” And, of course, Hubiak takes classes at the ASCPA, and learns from other CEOs in all different types of businesses. How do you balance your work/personal life? “I prefer to use the term integrate, as my work and personal life overlap in many ways,” says Hubiak. “I turn off technology for at least 24 hours during most weekends. That means no email, phone, TV, movies or internet, as odd as that may sound. This time ‘off the grid’ provides me with a stillness to hear my inner voice and gain strength to better focus on priorities.” “I have had the fortune to work for a fabulous company for the past 30 years,” says Abraham. “I have also been fortunate to have a supportive husband for 31 years (yes, the same man!). Both employer and husband have been supportive with my very busy schedule. And you know, sometimes it is OK to