Trisa Clemons, 2020
PROFES
including their offices in Seattle, Portland, Salt Lake City, Anchorage and Boise. “Being one of 36 leaders across KPMG’s U.S. Audit Practice is my
ACHIEVEME
proudest career accomplishment to-date,” said Clemons. In addition to her new role, Clemons reached
Trisa J. Clemons, a first-generation college student, decided to pursue her accounting degree after taking Accounting 201 with, Dr. Frank Plewa. “Dr. Plewa spoke to me after class one day and suggested that it would be a good fit encouraging me to pursue it,” said Clemons, who took his advice, declaring her major after successfully completing a few more accounting courses. Clemons completed her accounting degree at Idaho State in 1993, later
another impressive landmark in 2020 as she was
Dr. Ken Smith, encouraged me to see my own
named the Professional Achievement Award (PAA)
potential and pursue a public accounting career
recipient for the Idaho State University College
with one of the Big Eight (now Four) firms. Without
of Business. The PAA is the highest college-level
that encouragement, I don’t know that I would be
award given at the University, recognizing one
where I am today.” Clemons said her education also
outstanding alumnus per college each spring.
made it possible for her to pass the Certified Public
“Being a 2020 [PAA] recipient for the College of
Accountant exam, which has been an invaluable
Business was a great honor for me,” said Clemons,
asset to her career. “Ultimately, I was well-prepared
who has maintained a connection with the College
to interview, land my first position and perform
for many years as a member of the Leadership
successfully throughout my career to get to where
Advisory Board. “Through that board, I’ve had the
I am today.”
opportunity to meet and get to know many of the College’s great alumni. It is quite special to be honored in this way given the other alumni I have met and knowing the high achievements of so many others.”
Clemons has also served on the Board of the Northwest
Children’s
Foundation
and
the
Leadership Committee for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Man and Woman of the Year Campaign. She was named “Woman of the
finishing her Master of Business Administration
Clemons, a Shelley, Idaho native, credits much of
Year” for this organization in 2018. She is also
(MBA) with an accounting emphasis in 1995.
her success in her career to her time at Idaho State.
a member of the American Society of Certified
“It is difficult to summarize in a few sentences
Public Accountants and the Washington Society of
everything that my education at the Idaho State
Certified Public Accountants. Clemons resides in
College of Business did for me,” said Clemons,
Seattle with her husband, Chris, and two children,
noting that it was the advice of a caring professor
Connor and Chloe.
Today, accounting has proven to remain a good fit for her as she was recently promoted to Pacific Northwest (PNW) Professional Practice Partner in auditing for the Big Four accounting firm KPMG. In this role, Clemons oversees risk management and audit quality for five offices in the PNW region,
that led her to choose accounting as her career path. “My accounting professors, in particular
