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2022 Women to Watch: Leading by Example
Women to Watch: Leading by Example
BY KELLI DAVIS
On August 26, in collaboration with the AICPA, the COCPA honored the following individuals with the 2022 Women to Watch Award. Leaders of Note have attained leadership positions within their organizations, made notable contributions to the accounting profession, helped improve their workplaces, and mentored others. Emerging Leaders have demonstrated leadership and have made significant contributions to the profession and their communities, while on the path to the highest levels of advancement. We congratulate them on their achievements and look forward to watching them soar.
LEADER OF NOTE Sarah Jackson, CPA
Managing Director, CBIZ MHM, Denver
Amid the myriad responsibilities Sarah Jackson, CPA, juggles as a leader within CBIZ’s Colorado advisory practice, she makes time to mentor and support others, including firm associates at varying levels and women in the community who come from disadvantaged circumstances. In nominating Sarah as a Leader of Note, CBIZ Senior Managing Director Dan Seff, CPA, CVA, notes, “As a career advocate, Sarah searches for areas of improvement within [associates’] roles so they will be prepared and successful in pursuing promotional opportunities. In the past year, she has mentored and onboarded more than 10 new hires and helped them assimilate into the firm culture and ensure their success within their new work environment.” Caitlyn O’Neil, CPA, CBIZ Senior Tax Associate, knows the benefits of Sarah’s gift for mentoring young professionals. She writes that Sarah “provided me with the tools, resources, and guidance I needed to ensure that I was on the right path to success.” Acknowledging that Sarah has plenty of other tasks on her plate, O’Neil continues, “Sarah is one of the most respected members of our team. Her responsibilities are extensive, yet she will always make time for her colleagues. She is a confidante, advocate, mentor, and leader in the firm.” On a larger scale, Sarah brought the CBIZ Women’s Advantage (CWA) program to the Denver office and sits on the national CWA Board. CWA provides training, development, mentorship, recognition, and career enhancement to women professionals within CBIZ. She brings these same elements to women in various business communities via educational and networking events. As someone who never misses an opportunity to help women thrive both
within the firm and in the larger community, Sarah regularly hosts networking and philanthropic events geared toward bringing women together. Seff notes that in 2021, Jackson teamed with other national CWA Board members to organize a virtual Your Hour, Her Power Campaign. The effort was CWA’s most successful to date, yielding more than $83,000 for donation to 45 Dress For Success (DFS) affiliates nationwide. Its mission is to empower women to achieve economic independence by providing professional attire and development tools. Locally, Sarah serves on the board of Warren Village, a nonprofit organization assisting low-income, single-parent families in achieving economic self sufficiency. She leverages her financial expertise by contributing fresh fundraising and development ideas. In the last year she has shifted her participation to focus on business devel-
opment and reconstructing events within pandemic protocols. Within both the profession and her local community, Sarah is making long-lasting contributions. O’Neil writes, “I will be forever grateful that my career path crossed with Sarah’s, as her support has been instrumental to my success.” We know many others would say the same.
LEADER OF NOTE Meredith E. Kuehler, CPA
Denver Audit Partner in Charge, KPMG LLP, Denver
When you meet Leader of Note Meredith Kuehler, CPA, you immediately sense her enthusiasm, passion, and energy for her firm, clients, and colleagues, writes nominator Mike Bearup, CPA, former Managing Partner of KPMG’s Denver office, where Meredith is Partner in Charge of the Denver Business Unit’s audit practice. He notes that Meredith “is recognized by the firm’s partners, colleagues, and clients as an outstanding leader and trusted business advisor.” As a business unit leader, Meredith is responsible for building a dynamic, collaborative culture for more than 300 professionals in four offices. Under her leadership, the Denver Business Unit has earned a reputation for innovation and inclusivity, exemplifying KPMG’s core values of Integrity, Excellence, Courage, Together, and For Better. Meredith is committed to building a diverse and inclusive culture within KPMG. She serves as Co-Chair of the Membership and Engagement Committee for the firm’s PRIDE@KPMG Business Resource Group. She previously served for seven years as the Denver Business Unit’s Human Resource and Resource Management partner champion, where she played a key role in employee retention and development. Meredith has worked with clients of all sizes and development stages in the mining, oil and gas, and aggregate industries, as well as in the consumer products and manufacturing industries. She is active in KPMG’s mining practice, collaborating throughout the United States and around the globe to share industry knowledge and best practices across the audit, tax, and advisory functions. She contributes to the development and delivery of industryspecific training in the Denver office, and helps to organize KPMG Denver’s Energy Share Forum events. In 2016, the Denver Business Journal named Meredith to its Top Women in Energy list. Alongside the demands of her career, Meredith exemplifies the core KPMG values of mentorship and service. She actively participates in mentoring activities within the firm, thus contributing to a positive, collaborative culture, and gives back to the community through her service to professional associations and nonprofit organizations. For example, she currently serves as Co-Chair of the Colorado Chapter of Women Corporate Directors. Bearup writes, “Meredith exemplifies the leadership, professionalism, character, and commitment needed to succeed in KPMG’s high-performance culture. She has a strong track record of success and continually strives for higher levels of achievement.” He continues that Meredith’s “proven competence, strong work ethic, record of accomplishment, and personal interest in helping others succeed” make her a true Leader of Note. We couldn’t agree more.
LEADER OF NOTE Dr. G. Suzanne Owens-Ott, CPA
Professor of Accounting, Colorado Mesa University, Davis School of Business, Grand Junction
To say that Suzanne Owens-Ott, CPA, Professor of Accounting at Colorado Mesa University’s Davis School of Business, is admired by her students is an understatement. She has the student evaluation scores to prove it. She’s earned a perfect 5.0 median-of-median score in nearly every class that she’s taught, in every semester. “Dr. Owens-Ott is one of the best professors on this campus,” writes one student. “She combines the textbook materials with her real-life auditing experience to give students a great education.” Another writes, “Professor Owens-Ott makes it a point to get to know her students. She wants the best for her students, and it shows.” “Suzanne’s students absolutely love and respect her,” confirms Christine Noel, CPA, PhD, a Colorado Mesa colleague and a 2016 Women to Watch Leader of Note. “She truly cares about her students and the education they receive in her classes.” Suzanne joined Colorado Mesa as a faculty member in 2006 following stints in both public accounting and industry - experiences that allow her to bring real-world perspectives to the classroom. Also of note is Suzanne's innovative classroom style. Noel writes, “She flips her classroom, integrates the current accounting profession into her curriculum, and works to improve her classes over time.” Suzanne earned her Doctorate of Business Administration from California Southern University in 2019, while also teaching full time. Notes Noel, “She, like a true teacher-scholar, incorporates her scholarship into her teaching, and vice versa.” Suzanne’s commitment to students extends to her passion for helping them find success in their early careers following graduation. She always can be counted on to participate in student advisement events and stays connected with the profession in order to provide relevant career advice. Equally deep is Suzanne’s commitment to her university and to the accounting profession. She serves as a mentor to junior faculty in her department and has participated on countless committees at the departmental and university level, often in leadership roles. Beyond the halls of Colorado Mesa, Suzanne currently serves as Chair of the Colorado State Board of Accountancy, having been appointed by Gov. Jared Polis in 2020. She previously served on the Grand Junction Regional Airport Authority Audit and Finance Committee. Colorado Mesa students aren’t the only future leaders who have benefitted from Suzanne’s dedication: She also is a past Girl Scout troop leader. We celebrate Dr. Suzanne Owens-Ott for her commitment to her students and the future of the profession.
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EMERGING LEADER Ashley N. Granger, CPA
Quiet leadership, technical acuity, and a deep commitment to client service define Emerging Leader Ashley Granger, CPA, according to nominator Rhonda Sparlin, CPA, Partner in Charge, State and Local Tax, at RubinBrown LLP, Denver, where Ashley is a Partner on the State and Local Tax Services Team. “Ashley challenges herself and our team to keep improving our skills and capabilities to provide superior quality and service to clients,” Sparlin writes. One client for whom Ashley’s technical abilities and passion for top-notch client service have made a difference is law firm Thompson Coburn LLP. Matthew Finke, CFO, writes, “Ashley has become a trusted advisor to our firm by providing us with quality and thorough advice in all aspects of our state and local income tax issues.” Nowhere was Ashley’s knowledge and her gift for strategic thinking more critical than amidst the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. Finke notes that Ashley “provided guidance as to how we should structure our policies and procedures as our firm grappled with the business environment brought on by the pandemic. She led us through a period of unprecedented change, and her leadership as it relates to strategic issues has had a profound impact on our business.” Equally committed to her colleagues as she is to her clients, Ashley has taken the lead in all aspects of team training and development programs. Jeff Schuetz, CMI, Partner, State and Local Tax Services Group with RubinBrown’s St. Louis office, where Ashley began her career right out of college, writes that “she has become a trusted mentor among many team members, due to her leadership by example in her daily activities. She has devoted significant time to development and recruitment efforts.” Henry Rzonca, CPA, RubinBrown Partner, Business Tax Services Group, writes that “Ashley’s positive, can-do attitude is contagious and contributes significantly to our firm culture. She is devoted to helping RubinBrown be our best for others in Denver and across all the markets we serve.” Outside of RubinBrown, Ashley lends her time and talents to organizations such as Junior Achievement and the Ronald McDonald House. To the benefit of the Colorado business community, Ashley serves on the Colorado Chamber of Commerce Tax Council, where she helps analyze, discuss, debate, and drive state and local tax legislation that maintains and grows the environment and fosters success for Colorado businesses. In 2019, she began serving on the SB19-006 Software Consortium Executive Council as a Colorado Chamber representative.
EMERGING LEADER Kelly Johnston, CPA
President and Founder, JFS, LLC, Grand Junction
When you’re a small business owner navigating the tumultuous times brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, it helps to have Kelly Johnston, CPA, nearby. “Kelly’s sage advice on how to manage the whitewater times that all businesses have been experiencing since 2020 has no doubt saved many small business owners from countless sleepless nights,” writes Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Diane Schwenke, whose organization represents nearly 800 small businesses employing 37,000 people. In addition to serving as a panelist on Chamber-sponsored webinars aimed at helping small businesses in the community, Kelly serves as the Chamber’s Secretary/ Treasurer and sits on its Governmental Affairs Committee. She also serves on the search committee to secure the replacement for Schwenke, who is set to retire from her role after 32 years. “She’s no bystander,” Schwenke writes, “but an active discussion participant who is respected by her fellow board members for her keen insights and observations.” It isn’t just Kelly’s technical and business knowledge that have helped her emerge as a trusted and valued consultant in Grand Junction and beyond, according to Nancy Murphy, Regional Director of the West Central Colorado Small Business Development Center (SBDC). It’s her infectious enthusiasm for both the profession and supporting and educating others. “What makes Kelly remarkable is her rare enthusiasm for the subject [of accounting], her ability to translate terms and concepts into plain English, and her passion for helping business owners build wealth,” she writes. “She’s vibrant, infectious, and makes accounting understandable, interesting, and relevant to a group that would rather be focusing on something else.” In short, she adds, “Our clients love Kelly! She is truly a woman to watch.” As a workshop facilitator for the West Central SBDC’s strategic planning series, Leading Edge, and its monthly online series, Finance Fridays, Kelly has enlightened numerous Colorado small business owners on such topics as cash flow, budgeting, profitability, and understanding financial statements. “Always the innovator,” as Murphy notes, she developed multi-session online training
Whether serving her clients at the highest level, supporting and mentoring her colleagues, or helping to create favorable economic conditions in her community, Ashley is making a significant impact. As Finke writes, “It is women such as Ms. Granger who make the future look bright for the Colorado CPA community and all female professionals.”
that SBDC clients both within and outside of Grand Junction can access on demand. Alongside running her own business – a healthcare-focused financial consulting firm – and engaging with the local community to bolster other small business owners’ success, Kelly has worked diligently on her own professional development, having earned her CPA license this past March. “As a recent CPA, she has worked hard in continuing her professional development so she can keep bringing resources to the rural communities of Colorado,” writes Marilyn Dent, who nominated Kelly as a Woman to Watch. Kelly’s warmth for and dedication to her local community is obvious, and the feeling within her community clearly is mutual.
EMERGING LEADER Kristy M. Lindquist, CPA
Tax Manager, Chadwick, Steinkirchner, Davis & Co., P.C., Grand Junction
With a bachelor's degree in economics, followed nine years later by a second bachelor’s in accounting and a quick rise through the ranks from Tax Intern to Tax Manager, Kristy Lindquist has a deep thirst for tax knowledge. It’s significant enough that her Chadwick, Steinkirchner, Davis & Co. (CSD) colleague, Braylee Cassavaugh, CPA, calls her an “absolute tax powerhouse.” “Accounting is Kristy’s calling,” Cassavaugh says. “She has a thirst to know more, learn more, and research more. She contributes to our profession by always staying up to date on tax laws and communicating them to those around her.” As impressive as her technical knowledge and desire to learn are, it’s Kristy’s leadership skills and dedication to her profession, staff, and community that set her apart. “Kristy encourages our tax team to stay positive as we work extra hours during busy season - and works extended hours herself,” Cassavaugh writes. “One thing that I personally love about her helping me with projects is that she always teaches me something new and something to learn on my own. She creates an environment where it feels good to learn. She is an upbeat and inspiring leader who is also empathetic and genuinely cares about [staff’s] well being.” CSD Tax Principal Tara Stauffer, CPA, agrees, noting that “Kristy has taken the initiative to mentor junior staff. She is never too busy to answer questions or help staff work through new concepts or complex tax problems. Her positive attitude and enthusiasm are infectious.” As if the demands of her career weren’t enough, this working mom of two young children makes it a point to participate actively in her community. She serves as treasurer on the Museums of Western Colorado Board of Directors, which oversees the Dinosaur Journey Museum, the Cross Orchards Historic Site, and the Museum of the West. Museums of Western Colorado Immediate Past Board President Orville Petersen, CPA, appreciates Kristy’s enthusiasm for the museums, which predates her involvement on the Board. He adds that Kristy brings a fresh perspective to the Board by visiting the museums with her family, participating in public events at each location, actively promoting the museums, and inviting other community members to join her. “She shows great interest in what we do by keeping history alive in Western Colorado,” he writes. Whether in the office, in the community, or on the Colorado Mesa University campus, from which her accounting degree comes and where she sometimes stops by to share with students her CPA journey, “It’s clear that Kristy is no stranger to hard work and dedication,” Cassavaugh concludes. “But what truly sets her apart is that she is simultaneously just as dedicated to her profession, her community, and helping others.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
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EMERGING LEADER Kelly D. Watson, CPA
Emerging Leader Kelly Watson, CPA, puts people first, and she’s willing to invest her time and look at things through a different lens to make a difference in their lives. Michael Mussi, CPA, a former colleague at Kelly’s firm, Watson Coon
Ryan, LLC, knows first hand what a difference this kind of commitment can make. He writes, “I found Kelly to be one of the most compassionate bosses I’ve ever worked for, and among the most dedicated people
I have ever met. Her accounting acumen, coupled with her warm personality, made her an inspiration for my own personal career goals.
“My professional success today reflects Kelly’s investment in me,” he continues. “Without her thoughtful mentorship, I wouldn’t have had the same opportunities or skills that I needed to take charge of my personal and professional goals.
I will always be grateful for the chance I was given to work with such a kind and intelligent boss as
Kelly.”
In a move to maintain high satisfaction among Watson Coon Ryan employees, Kelly and her fellow partners implemented several employee wellness initiatives. They include the elimination of time tracking to instead focus on value billing, unlimited paid time off, flexible work schedules, and – even before the COVID-19 pandemic forced these options on most businesses – fully remote and hybrid work options.
Kelly notes, “While our policies didn’t change as a result of the pandemic, the entire team really embraced that change after COVID.” Jeremy Ryan, CPA, Watson Coon Ryan, LLC Managing Partner, notes that Kelly has a willingness to try new ideas, combined with a dedication to staff and the profession. “She has been a primary voice for embracing new ideas at our firm. We encourage flexible schedules and have invested in the technology to support that. We are moving away from daily time tracking to focus on value and expertise.” A graduate of the prestigious AICPA Leadership Academy, Class of 2020, Kelly has emerged among her industry peers as an expert in areas such as governmental, single audits, and ERISA audits. In nominating Kelly as a Woman to Watch, fellow AICPA Leadership Academy graduates Sarah Flischel, CPA, and Alexandria Romero, CPA, note that “Kelly has become a tremendous resource to us through our shared network. She is always willing to answer questions that arise in the nonprofit sector.” Outside of her firm, Kelly participates on the COCPA Governmental Conference Planning Committee, serves as Board Treasurer for Colorado Gift For Kids and Raising Kindness, and is Treasurer of a local Girl Scout Troop. Kelly gets plenty of practice balancing family life with her professional life and manages it all with grace and kindness. Kelly and her husband Elliott are parents to five young children, who have a great role model in their mom.
Past Award Recipients
LEADERS OF NOTE
2021
Lisa Hackard, CPA Sebrina Ivey, CPA/PFS, CIA Tammy J. Rivera, CPA
2019
Stephanie Drew, CPA, CFE Amanda Jo Erven, CPA, CIA, CFE Kelly Kozeliski, CPA
2018
Kimberley Higgins, CPA Sharon Lassar, Ph.D., CPA (Florida) Leslie Schaus, CPA
2017
Laurie Anderson, CPA Jane Everhart, CPA
2016
Judy Cain, CPA Christine Noel, CPA Debbi Warden, CPA
2015
Lori Gibson, CPA Katrina Salem, CPA Laura Srsich, CPA
2014
Stacey Hekkert, CPA Tracy Huggins, CPA Judy Vorndran, CPA
2013
Peggy Jennings, CPA Lynne Lehr-Buck, CPA Sandy Shoemaker, CPA
EMERGING LEADERS
2021
Sarah Flischel, CPA Allyson Lindsey, CPA Alexandria Romero, CPA
2019
Janeen Hathcock, CPA Elizabeth Maldin, CPA Rosie Sanchez, CPA
2018
Kristin Holthus, CPA Danika Greiner, CPA
2017
Ksenia Popke, CPA Rebecca Kelley, CPA Andrea Geerdes, CPA
2016
Erin Breit, CPA Meghan Mahala Dack, CPA Kerri Hunter, CPA
2015
Tyra Litzau, CPA Monica Martinez, CPA Shauna Shafer, CPA
2014
Mary-Margaret Henke, CPA Jennifer Scholz, CPA Jessica Seidlitz, CPA
2013
Jami Coulter, CPA Georgia Phillips, CPA Kelly Rodriguez, CPA Rhonda Willert, CPA
Kelli Davis, COCPA Executive Assistant, supports CEO Alicia Gelinas, CPA and Rebecca Campbell, COO/CLO. Contact her at kelli@cocpa.org.
