Podcasts about black accountants

Whether you're in the boardroom or in the field, this episode delivers game-changing wisdom that will inspire you to play the long game and win with God.In this episode, we visit with Adrian Bracy, Executive Director for The Steward Trust. Adrian is a trailblazer who spent 18 remarkable years in the C-Suite of the NFL, breaking barriers and redefining leadership. She shares her journey of navigating the fast-paced, male-dominated world of professional football, revealing the strategies that helped her pivot with purpose, and lead with vision and passion.  Through candid stories, she opens up about overcoming biases, managing conflict, and cultivating resilience, highlighting how prayer and self-awareness became her signature moves—both in her career and personal life. Her insights transcend the gridiron, offering universal lessons on leadership, strategy, and success. Adrian E. Bracy, MBA, CPA Adrian is an author, business and executive leadership coach, and motivational speaker. Currently she is the Executive Director for The Steward Trust aka The Steward Family Office. She is also the retired Chief Executive Officer of YWCA Metro St. Louis where she served for nearly 12 years.  After spending 18 years in senior financial management with the National Football League (The Miami Dolphins, St. Louis Rams, and most recently CFO for the Arizona Cardinals), Bracy transitioned to the non-profit sector to follow her passion—that is, “to inspire and make a difference in the lives of women and girls.” Bracy has received numerous awards throughout her career including Black Enterprise 50 Most Powerful Blacks in Sports; Black Enterprise 50 Most Powerful Women in Business; St. Louis Business Journal's Most Influential Businesswomen, St. Louis American Nonprofit Executive of the Year award. Bracy graduated from Morgan State University in Baltimore with a degree in accounting and Nova Southeastern University with a master's in business administration. Bracy is a certified John Maxwell Coach, Trainer and Speaker. She sits on the boards of The Missouri Botanical Gardens, Sub-District and The St. Louis Sports Commission. Adrian is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and The Links, Incorporated.  She is a lifetime member of the National Association of Black Accountants and the National Black MBA Association. She's the author of Halftime: Learn to Pivot as a Leader and Identify Your Next Step. Bracy and her husband Vernon have one son, Donovan and daughter-in-law, Royalle. They are members of Shalom Church (City of Peace) in Florissant, MO.Support the showTransforming the workplace one Bible study at a time - DONATE today! CONNECT WITH US:B-B-T.org | News | LinkedIn | Instagram Biblical Business Training (“BBT”) equips busy, working people to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ and empowers them in small-group Bible study settings to apply Biblical principles to their every day lives - especially in the workplace. BBT is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization which exists to help people develop their Christian “Faith for Work – Leadership for Life!”

GUEST OVERVIEW: Donna Jackson, who serves as the director of membership development for the Project 21 black leadership network, is a seasoned accountant with public and private sector experience as well as previous forays into politics and ministry. Donna is a sought-after speaker, having testified before Congress and also appearing regularly in the media and at conferences. Donna earned a Bachelor of Accountancy (cum laude) from the California State University San Marcos. She has worked in accounting, auditing and management roles with major companies such as Ernst & Young and Marriott International in the private sector before serving in the public sector as a deputy controller for the Export-Import Bank of the United States. She is a member of the National Association of Black Accountants.

GUEST OVERVIEW: Donna Jackson, who serves as the director of membership development for the Project 21 black leadership network, is a seasoned accountant with public and private sector experience as well as previous forays into politics and ministry. Donna is a sought-after speaker, having testified before Congress and also appearing regularly in the media and at conferences. Donna earned a Bachelor of Accountancy (cum laude) from the California State University San Marcos. She has worked in accounting, auditing and management roles with major companies such as Ernst & Young and Marriott International in the private sector before serving in the public sector as a deputy controller for the Export-Import Bank of the United States. She is a member of the National Association of Black Accountants.

Exploring the topic of representation in the finance and accounting sectors, particularly within the nonprofit industry, with LaMichelle Hecht, CPA, and CEO of Overhead Solutions Group.   LaMichelle shares her insights into the challenges and opportunities faced by Black women in accounting, highlighting the need for increased diversity and inclusion. From addressing systemic barriers to entry to advocating for greater support for Black-owned businesses and professionals, LaMichelle's expertise offers up actionable strategies for any organization to foster inclusivity and drive positive change.  LaMichelle, who established her practice in late 2020, began by addressing the stark reality that less than 2% of all CPAs are Black, with an even smaller percentage owning CPA firms. LaMichelle expressed optimism about the future, citing initiatives like the National Association of Black Accountants' (NABA) efforts to introduce accounting to high school students through programs like ACAP. She emphasized the importance of increasing awareness among young people about the viability and potential of accounting careers. The discussion touches on systematic barriers to entry, notably the financial burden of obtaining the necessary qualifications, such as the 150 credit hours required for CPA licensure. LaMichelle highlighted the impact of student loan debt, which disproportionately affects individuals from underprivileged backgrounds, hindering their pursuit of accounting careers. Focusing on the unique role of accounting in the nonprofit sector and addressing the need for greater diversity in leadership roles, LaMichelle outlined strategies for nonprofits to engage with and support Black-owned businesses and professionals.  Host Julia Patrick mentions mentorship and community support, and LaMichelle describes the value of networking platforms like social media groups and professional organizations such as Chicago Financial Women and BNI. She shares her experiences volunteering and serving on nonprofit boards, emphasizing the importance of giving back to the community and mentoring future generations of professionals.  Her dedication to driving positive change in the sector serves as an inspiration for all those striving for greater representation and inclusivity in finance and accounting.Watch on Video!Follow us on the Twitter: @Nonprofit_ShowSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

GUEST HOST: Lembit Opik filling in for Marc Morano.  GUEST OVERVIEW: Donna Jackson, who serves as the director of membership development for the Project 21 black leadership network, is a seasoned accountant with public and private sector experience as well as previous forays into politics and ministry. Donna is a sought-after speaker, having testified before Congress and also appearing regularly in the media and at conferences. Donna earned a Bachelor of Accountancy (cum laude) from the California State University San Marcos. She has worked in accounting, auditing and management roles with major companies such as Ernst & Young and Marriott International in the private sector before serving in the public sector as a deputy controller for the Export-Import Bank of the United States. She is a member of the National Association of Black Accountants.

GUEST 1 OVERVIEW: Donna Jackson, who serves as the director of membership development for the Project 21 black leadership network, is a seasoned accountant with public and private sector experience as well as previous forays into politics and ministry. Donna is a sought-after speaker, having testified before Congress and also appearing regularly in the media and at conferences. Donna earned a Bachelor of Accountancy (cum laude) from the California State University San Marcos. She has worked in accounting, auditing and management roles with major companies such as Ernst & Young and Marriott International in the private sector before serving in the public sector as a deputy controller for the Export-Import Bank of the United States. She is a member of the National Association of Black Accountants. GUEST 2 OVERVIEW: David Bell is a public health and internal physician, with a PhD in population health. He has worked in international public health for over 25 years. This has included positions as a medical officer at the World Health Organization, Program Head at the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics in Geneva, and Director of Global Health Technologies at Global Good Fund near Seattle, USA. He currently consults in biotech and global health, and is a senior scholar at the Brownstone Institute. https://brownstone.org/author/david-bell/

On today's show, Donna will address Biden's border policies and how they are affecting the black community. GUEST OVERVIEW: Donna Jackson, who serves as the director of membership development for the Project 21 black leadership network, is a seasoned accountant with public and private sector experience as well as previous forays into politics and ministry. Donna is a sought-after speaker, having testified before Congress and also appearing regularly in the media and at conferences. Donna earned a Bachelor of Accountancy (cum laude) from the California State University San Marcos. She has worked in accounting, auditing and management roles with major companies such as Ernst & Young and Marriott International in the private sector before serving in the public sector as a deputy controller for the Export-Import Bank of the United States. She is a member of the National Association of Black Accountants. https://www.nationalcenter.org  

GUEST OVERVIEW: Donna Jackson, who serves as the director of membership development for the Project 21 black leadership network, is a seasoned accountant with public and private sector experience as well as previous forays into politics and ministry. Donna is a sought-after speaker, having testified before Congress and also appearing regularly in the media and at conferences. Donna earned a Bachelor of Accountancy (cum laude) from the California State University San Marcos. She has worked in accounting, auditing and management roles with major companies such as Ernst & Young and Marriott International in the private sector before serving in the public sector as a deputy controller for the Export-Import Bank of the United States. She is a member of the National Association of Black Accountants.

Today, we welcome back friend of the show, Donna Jackson. Mark and Donna talk all things electric cars - tune in to listen. https://nationalcenter.org/ncppr/staff/donna-jackson-2/ Donna Jackson, a Project 21 member who serves as the program's director of membership development, is a seasoned accountant with public and private sector experience as well as previous forays into politics and ministry. Donna earned a Bachelor of Accountancy (cum laude) from the California State University San Marcos. She has worked in accounting, auditing and management roles with major companies such as Ernst & Young and Marriott International in the private sector before serving in the public sector as a deputy controller for the Export-Import Bank of the United States. She is a member of the National Association of Black Accountants. Prior to her career in accounting, Donna was a political operative in the state of Arkansas. She worked on the successful campaigns of Governor Mike Huckabee, Senator Tim Hutchinson and Representative (now Governor) Asa Hutchinson. She was active in campaign recruiting and communications. She played a vital role during the Huckabee governorship in recruiting black candidates for executive-appointed boards and commissions in addition to helping create job-training programs at a local community college and the Arkansas Office of Workforce Development. She is a former board member of the Little Rock Minority Disability Advisory Network and a former member of the Crittenden County (Arkansas) Workforce Development Planning Committee. She was also a contributor to the Ernst & Young Diversity Think Tank. Donna originally sought a role in the church. She is a former divinity graduate of Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary in Memphis, Tennessee. It was there that she was taught the gift of administration as a vital part of the Christian ministry. Donna is a firm believer in free markets and entrepreneurship, rather than government, as a means of lifting people out of poverty.

Linda Maqoma – CEO, Advancement of Black Accountants of Southern Africa SAfm Market Update - Podcasts and live stream

Welcome to the Accounting Influencers Podcast, going live every Monday to 150 countries and 30,000 accounting practitioners, fintech specialists and influencers in the accountancy, CPA and bookkeeping space.In this episode of the Accounting Influencers Podcast, Rob Brown sits down with Calvin Harris, the CEO of the New York State Society of CPAs. Calvin discusses his role in leading the organization that represents CPAs in New York State and beyond. He shares his perspective on being a CPA and the importance of the credential.Calvin talks about the challenges and opportunities facing the accounting profession today, emphasizing the need for CPAs to demonstrate their relevance in a changing landscape. He highlights the role of technology, communication, and storytelling in showcasing the value of the accounting profession to younger generations.The conversation also touches on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the profession and the lessons learned from it. Calvin shares insights into the evolving role of CPAs and the importance of adaptability.Tune in to gain valuable insights from Calvin Harris on the state of the accounting profession and the path forward for CPAs in a dynamic world.YoutubeYou can watch this episode and more on our YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/@accountinginfluencers Guest BioCalvin Harris Jr., CPA (MD), is the CEO of the New York State Society of CPAs, the oldest state accounting association in the U.S. With 30+ years of executive experience, he's been a CFO, auditor, forensic accountant, consultant, and entrepreneur.A Morehouse College graduate, Calvin previously served as the SVP & CFO of the National Urban League in NYC and CFO of Baltimore City Community College. He's held leadership roles at organizations like the United Nations Foundation, NeighborWorks America, Legal Services Corporation, and Aeras Global TB Vaccine Foundation. His career began as an auditor at Arthur Andersen.Calvin, the 24th Chairman of the Board and National President of the National Association of Black Accountants, has a deep passion for the accounting profession, inspired by his mother, a high school bookkeeping teacher. A Maryland native, he now calls Brooklyn, New York, home.Season 4 Sponsors & Links◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢If you like the show, we'd truly appreciate a review on whatever platform you listen. We'd love to get to know you!Main show website. For access to every single show with full shownotes: https://accountinginfluencers.com/podcastFor announcements of published shows, tagging guest so you can build your network and offer feedback on the show: https://www.linkedin.com/company/accountinginfluencersFor videos of all podcast interviews and bonus video content: https://bit.ly/AI-youtubehttps://www.instagram.com/accinfluencershttps://twitter.com/accinfluencershttps://www.facebook.com/accountinginfluencersThanks to our sponsors:Accountex. Accountex will return to ExCeL London UK on the 10-11 May 2023. Bringing together 250+ top fintech companies and cutting-edge start-ups, visitors can browse new software and stay up to date with the latest technology, tools and ideas in accountancy and finance. Alongside the exhibition, attendees will take away actionable tips from

Welcome to the Accounting Influencers Podcast, going live every Monday to 150 countries and 30,000 accounting practitioners, fintech specialists and influencers in the accountancy, CPA and bookkeeping space.In this episode of the Accounting influencers Podcast, Okorie Ramsey discusses his role and responsibilities as part of the global board supporting approximately 700,000 members worldwide highlighting three priorities: driving innovation, instilling integrity in sustainability areas, and supporting the next generation of accountants and the importance of leveraging technology, such as AI, to advance the profession and attract top-tier talent. He also addresses challenges in the pipeline of accounting professionals, including birth rates, education costs, and unclear career paths. Ramsey advocates for diversity in the profession and building bigger tables to accommodate different perspectives.YoutubeYou can watch this episode and more on our YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/@accountinginfluencers Guest BioOkorie Ramsey is a distinguished finance and accounting professional with a rich and impactful career. He has made significant contributions to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) through various volunteer roles, including serving on the AICPA Board of Directors and the Association Board of Directors. Currently, at Kaiser Permanente, Ramsey holds a crucial position overseeing SOX and Model Audit Rule compliance, ensuring effective internal controls over financial reporting for the integrated healthcare enterprise. With 14 years of experience at Kaiser Permanente, he has held diverse roles, including Vice President, Finance Compliance Officer, and Director of Sarbanes/Oxley and Financial Governance. Ramsey's passion for mentoring, demonstrated by his involvement with the National Association of Black Accountants and his role as an adjunct professor, reflects his commitment to fostering growth in others.◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢If you like the show, we'd truly appreciate a review on whatever platform you listen. We'd love to get to know you!Main show website. For access to every single show with full shownotes: https://accountinginfluencers.com/podcastFor announcements of published shows, tagging guest so you can build your network and offer feedback on the show: https://www.linkedin.com/company/accountinginfluencersFor videos of all podcast interviews and bonus video content: https://bit.ly/AI-youtubehttps://www.instagram.com/accinfluencershttps://twitter.com/accinfluencershttps://www.facebook.com/accountinginfluencersThanks to our sponsors:Accountex. Accountex will return to ExCeL London UK on the 10-11 May 2023. Bringing together 250+ top fintech companies and cutting-edge start-ups, visitors can browse new software and stay up to date with the latest technology, tools and ideas in accountancy and finance. Alongside the exhibition, attendees will take away actionable tips from the CPD-accredited seminar programme, led by 200+ thought leaders shaping the profession.Accountex is Europe's largest annual event for the accounting and finance profession. It attracts 8,000+ attendees and 250+ exhibitors. Attendees can get up to 16 CPD hours with 200+ free seminar sessions across 12 theatres.

This season we are talking all about impact – the people and experiences that have impacted us, the ways we are impacting others, and what we can all do to build confidence in our ability to make a difference. We are so grateful to be joined by mother/daughter duo Brenda and Morgan Williams. Brenda and Morgan established the Cameron Russell Williams Legacy Scholarship at the Eccles School, in honor of their son and twin brother, who passed away from a brain tumor in June 2021 at the age of 33. Cameron made a massive impact in his short lifetime, emerging as a star and innovator at Goldman Sachs and Utah tech firm Domo and starting his own transportation logistics company, EverWoke. A civic leader and advocate for underrepresented communities, Cameron also served as Chair of the Utah Black Chamber of Commerce and as an advisory board member of the Young Professionals of Salt Lake City and Utah Chapters of the National Association of Black Accountants and National Society of Black Engineers.In this episode, both Brenda and Morgan join host Frances Johnson to share their favorite memories of Cameron, how they continue to honor his personal and professional legacy, and what it means to carry on his memory throughout Utah. Eccles Business Buzz is a production of the David Eccles School of Business and is produced by University fm.Episode Quotes:The courage to move forward despite the fears[19:53] Morgan Williams: Entrepreneurship, just as a role, is scary. I made a decision on my own that I was going to figure this out. That's scary. Everyone said, "Morgan, you don't have to do this." "Morgan, do you even know how to do this?" Regardless of all the fears, I decided to move forward anyway. And to me, that's a part of the confidence needed as an entrepreneur and a sister carrying on a brother's legacy.The impact you made is measured by the lives you've touched[26:52] Brenda Williams: At the end of the day, when you are no longer here on this planet, the impact you make is measured by the people that you have touched and the things that they continue to do. And that is how we, as a family, look at Cameron's very short life.On writing your own story[24:49] Morgan Williams: It is not always about creating the next new big thing, but it is about deciding what story you want, writing that story. And if you need a little plot twist here and there, go ahead and do it. And then make sure you share it so others can be inspired by it as well and change possibly their story as well.On Cameron's desire for impact[06:16] Brenda Williams: Cameron's desire for impact is something that is part of the value system of this family. We have a saying in our family: Never stop thinking. Always look for new ways to do things. No is just a statement. It's not necessarily the answer. And so there may be another way to look at and do things. And from the time they were little children, that is what they were taught.Show Links:Cameron Russell Williams Legacy Scholarship - David Eccles School of BusinessCameron Russell Williams Diversity Impact ScholarshipDomoMorgan Williams LinkedInEverwokeBlendyd StudiosUtah Chapter - National Association of Black Accountants Utah Chapter - National Society of Black EngineersUtah Black ChamberNBA FoundationNBA All Star WeekendNBA All Star Pitch CompetitionMaster of Business Creation - David Eccles School of BusinessKenneth Boggs Suits

The latest episode of "Linked in Impact with The Arlington (VA) Chapter of The Links, Inc." highlights our STEAM PLUS Pathways to a Lifetime of Unlimited Success initiative, and how the program is a positive focus for youth amongst the many societal challenges that they are facing. Karen Johnson, Chapter program chair, discusses why college preparedness and career readiness is so important to the Arlington Links. We will also hear from two speakers from our 2022 STEAM Plus program: Kerron Duncan, Director of Innovation at Northrop Grumman and Alexandria Maloney, President, Black Professionals in International Affairs and National Director of Membership for National Association of Black Accountants, both accomplished professionals who inspire our students to truly succeed. 

Shiloh Johnson is a long-time accountant and founder of ComplYant, a technology platform offering business owners and entrepreneurs a simple way to manage rules and requirements. Rooted in the firm belief that complex tax laws and nuanced regulations often create barriers for small or underrepresented business owners, her company's mission is to ensure that organizations of all colors, shapes, and sizes have access to accurate fiscal guidance.Recently, Shiloh was awarded a startup grant by the Annenberg Foundation and Pledge LA, along with capital from MuckerLab and Slauson & Co. She's participated in Grid110 and Techstars LA accelerators. She has written course content for the National Association of Tax Professionals, and is a member of the Institute for Professionals in Taxation, the American Institute of CPAs, and the National Association of Black Accountants.She fights for the underserved. She believes that the color of your skin should not impact your likelihood of success. Everyone deserves complete and accurate fiscal guidance and financial success.Shiloh holds a bachelor's degree in accounting, a master's degree in taxation, and is a Certified Public Accounting licenser (*inactive).Connect with Behind Company Lines and HireOtter Website Facebook Twitter LinkedIn:Behind Company LinesHireOtter Instagram Buzzsprout

Ransom Miller, III is the founder and chairman of Project GiveBack, a community service organization based in Washington DC. Project GiveBack's primary program is The Annual Thanksgiving Food Distribution which has provided over 23,000 grocery baskets since 1995. Other programs coordinated by Project GiveBack include: The Children's Book + Toy Drive, which provides books and toys for children; The Computer Sponsor Program, which has assisted schools and community organizations in the acquisition of Computers; The Annual Back 2 School Supply and Backpack Drive, which provides grade appropriate supplies to at risk children; The Support Effort which provides food and supplies to those dealing with homelessness; and the Children's Easter Celebration, which provides a provides a safe and fun activity for local children. The target demographic for all programming is low income, underprivileged families with a specific focus on children. In other community service efforts, Ransom impacts his hometown community of Oklahoma City through a partnership with Bethlehem Star Baptist Church via The Ransom Miller, III Scholarship Fund a college scholarship for graduating high school seniors. Since its inception, the scholarship fund has awarded over $40,000 in scholarships. Ransom has served in the deacon ministries at Mt. Sinai Baptist Church in Washington, DC and Refuge Baptist Assembly in Beltsville, Maryland. He an active member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Alpha Omega Chapter. Ransom also served on the board of directors for the Washington, DC Chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants from 1996-2002. Professionally, Ransom is a proven executive with over 29 years of professional services and industry experience. He is currently a Managing Director with Ernst & Young, a global consulting firm, leading client services in Finance and Business Transformation. Prior to his current role he held multiple leadership positions at Fannie Mae including Director of Finance Transformation, Director of REMIC and MBS Tax Reporting, Director of Procurement Operations as well as leading some of the company's largest strategic initiatives. Prior to his employment with Fannie Mae, Ransom served in the KPMG Structured Finance Group, matriculating from consultant to Director. Ransom is a proud alumnus of Howard University where he excelled in academics and athletics being named to the Academic All-America Team, Golden Key National Honor Society, 1992 Sheridan All-American (Third Team) and All Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (First Team). Ransom resides in Washington, DC with his wife HarDisha and sons Ransom IV and Harrison.

Does your work environment practice diversity, equity and inclusion? To talk more about this, I can't imagine two better people for this: Guylaine Saint Juste and Matthew Coons, who are here for this episode recorded at XeroCon, where we take a deep dive into this topic and how practicing it can help our community.Guylaine Saint Juste serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of Black Accountants, Inc. (NABA), a nonprofit membership association that represents more than 200,000 Black professionals in accounting, finance, and related business professions.Matthew Coons as the Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Program Manager for Xero, is responsible for the D&I efforts in the Northern Hemisphere; including the US, Canada, the UK, and EMEA. Matthew is focused on driving a culture of inclusion through standing up Xero's Employee Resource Group (ERG) program, developing organizational capability, and implementing data-driven approaches to drive systemic change within Xero.What you will hear the following in today's episode: What diversity, equity, and inclusion means to Matthey Coons and Guylaine Saint Juste on a personal level. As well as what it means to Xero and NABA (The National Association of Black Accountants). Their perspective on how to bring diversity, equity, and inclusion has evolved during the past few years in their respective companies. Their take on how diversity, equity and inclusion in an ideal work environment can shift the current wealth gap. For a quick recap of this episode go to http://www.jenhemphill.com/326 Want to get social? Let's connect more on Instagram @jenhemphill Grab your copy of My Daily Dinero Ritual and increase your money confidence here: https://jenhemphill.com/dinero The post, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, The Three Keys to Shift the Wealth Gap in Our Community | HDM 326 appeared first on the Her Dinero Matters Podcast. This episode has been brought to you by First Republic Bank 

Does your work environment practice diversity, equity and inclusion? To talk more about this, I can't imagine two better people for this: Guylaine Saint Juste and Matthew Coons, who are here for this episode recorded at XeroCon, where we take a deep dive into this topic and how practicing it can help our community. Guylaine Saint Juste serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of Black Accountants, Inc. (NABA), a nonprofit membership association that represents more than 200,000 Black professionals in accounting, finance, and related business professions. Matthew Coons as the Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Program Manager for Xero, is responsible for the D&I efforts in the Northern Hemisphere; including the US, Canada, the UK, and EMEA. Matthew is focused on driving a culture of inclusion through standing up Xero's Employee Resource Group (ERG) program, developing organizational capability, and implementing data-driven approaches to drive systemic change within Xero. What you will hear the following in today's episode: What diversity, equity, and inclusion means to Matthey Coons and Guylaine Saint Juste on a personal level. As well as what it means to Xero and NABA (The National Association of Black Accountants). Their perspective on how to bring diversity, equity, and inclusion has evolved during the past few years in their respective companies. Their take on how diversity, equity and inclusion in an ideal work environment can shift the current wealth gap. For a quick recap of this episode go to http://www.jenhemphill.com/326   Want to get social? Let's connect more on Instagram @jenhemphill   Grab your copy of My Daily Dinero Ritual and increase your money confidence here: https://jenhemphill.com/dinero   The post, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, The Three Keys to Shift the Wealth Gap in Our Community | HDM 326 appeared first on the Her Dinero Matters Podcast.

Do you want to go into accounting or business or have a child who does? Today's episode is a behind the scenes conversation I had with Jackie Velez, recorded at XeroCon, where we talk about the scholarship's opportunities for our community and learn more about Xero. Jackeline Velez is Director, Partner & US Hispanic at Xero, where she oversees the US Hispanic vertical and partner growth across Xero's central and west-coast regions. In 2020, she spearheaded Xero's expansion into the US Hispanic vertical where she helps advisors and small businesses break down barriers to understand the power of the Xero platform.You will also hear the following in today's episode: Information about specific scholarship opportunities Xero collaborates with. Some details about NABA (National Association of Black Accountants) and a scholarship they award.  How Xero is supporting Latino small business owners today. For a quick recap of this episode go to http://www.jenhemphill.com/325 Want to get social? Let's connect more on Instagram @jenhemphill Grab your copy of My Daily Dinero Ritual and increase your money confidence here: https://jenhemphill.com/dinero The post, Behind the Scenes: Insights on Scholarship Opportunities | HDM 325 appeared first on the Her Dinero Matters Podcast. This episode has been brought to you by First Republic Bank 

Do you want to go into accounting or business  or have a child who does? Today's episode is a behind the scenes conversation I had with Jackie Velez, recorded at XeroCon, where we talk about the scholarship's opportunities for our community and learn more about Xero.  Jackeline Velez is Director, Partner & US Hispanic at Xero, where she oversees the US Hispanic vertical and partner growth across Xero's central and west-coast regions. In 2020, she spearheaded Xero's expansion into the US Hispanic vertical where she helps advisors and small businesses break down barriers to understand the power of the Xero platform. You will also hear the following in today's episode: Information about specific scholarship opportunities Xero collaborates with. Some details about NABA (National Association of Black Accountants) and a scholarship they award.  How Xero is supporting Latino small business owners today. For a quick recap of this episode go to http://www.jenhemphill.com/325   Want to get social? Let's connect more on Instagram @jenhemphill   Grab your copy of My Daily Dinero Ritual and increase your money confidence here: https://jenhemphill.com/dinero   The post, Behind the Scenes: Insights on Scholarship Opportunities | HDM 325 appeared first on the Her Dinero Matters Podcast.

Guylaine Saint Juste, who is Haitian-American, has over 25 years of experience in financial services. For almost five years, she served as the Business Banking Virginia Market Executive with Capital One Bank. From there, she joined Year Up as the Executive Director of the National Capital Region in April of 2015. During the four years she served in this position, she increased revenue by over 30%, doubled the number of students in the program, and grew corporate partnerships by 31%. NABA, Inc. is dedicated to the advancement of Black professionals in our industry, and with Guylaine Saint Juste as the leader, there are no limits to how they can continue to fulfill their motto; Lifting As We Climb. About the National Association of Black Accountants, Inc. The National Association of Black Accountants (NABA), is a nonprofit membership association dedicated to bridging the opportunity gap for black professionals in the accounting, finance, and related business professions. Visit www.nabainc.org to learn more. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/dreamsbyanymeans/message

Adrian Bracy pivoted from Black Enterprise 50 Most Powerful Blacks in Sports, 50 Most Powerful Women in Business, CFO St. Louis Rams, Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals, and other high-profile positions…how and why? She talks about finding your “why” and fulfilling your purpose.  She discussed how to do this in her book Halftime. It's halftime not intermission and listen in on so you know when and how to pivot to your “why”.  Adrian E. Bracy, MBA, CPA President and CEOAdrian Bracy & Associates, LLC Biography  Adrian E. Bracy, MBA, CPA, is an author, business and personal coach, consultant, and motivational speaker. She is also the retired Chief Executive Officer of YWCA Metro St. Louis where she served for nearly 12 years.  After spending 18 years in senior financial management with the National Football League (The Miami Dolphins, St. Louis Rams, and the Arizona Cardinals), Bracy transitioned to the non-profit sector to follow her passion—that is, “to inspire and make a difference in the lives of women and girls.” After retiring from the YWCA Metro St. Louis, she accepted a position as Executive Director of The Steward Trust, aka The Steward Family Office. Bracy has received numerous awards throughout her career including Black Enterprise 50 Most Powerful Blacks in Sports; Black Enterprise 50 Most Powerful Women in Business; St. Louis Business Journal's Most Influential Business Women. Bracy graduated from Morgan State University in Baltimore with a degree in accounting and from Nova Southeastern University with a master's in business administration. Bracy is a certified John Maxwell Coach, Trainer and Speaker, and is certified through the CaPP Institute (Coaching and Positive Psychology). Adrian is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and The Links, Incorporated.  She is a lifetime member of the National Association of Black Accountants and the National Black MBA Association. Bracy and her husband Vernon have one son, Donovan, and are members of Shalom Church (City of Peace).Support the show

Today's show rundown: The Liberals and the democracy was dealt a huge blow by the Supreme Court - they defanged the EPA. The Left's little pet project who told us how to live, what to breathe, etc. etc. Monumental blow to the green new deal, an enormous step forward - what it really said was, that congress can not have government bureaucrats do their job for them. Mark introduces us to Donna Jackson, a returning member of Project 21 (see bio below) - she is back to talk about how Juneteenth Must Not Replace Independence Day. Donna gives us a history lesson on Juneteenth, the where's, the how's, and all the hub bub with Juneteenth. Chuck tells us a story about a show he was doing with some nut cases, during Christmas, and Chuck was told to celebrate Kwanzaa. Donna gives us a more info on her past and how she believes division is the only reason for all these forced religious segregations. Kamala Harris never ever ran as a black American when she was in California - she race hustled everyone when she decided to run for president. Donna wants to know the root cause of VP Harris's incompetence. Mark has heard that she is blatantly lazy and will not read the memos or the briefings. Thats what happens when you are in the state of California when you have no competitors, she didn't have to try very hard. Donna Jackson, a Project 21 member who serves as the program's director of membership development, is a seasoned accountant with public and private sector experience as well as previous forays into politics and ministry. Donna earned a Bachelor of Accountancy (cum laude) from the California State University San Marcos. She has worked in accounting, auditing and management roles with major companies such as Ernst & Young and Marriott International in the private sector before serving in the public sector as a deputy controller for the Export-Import Bank of the United States. She is a member of the National Association of Black Accountants. Prior to her career in accounting, Donna was a political operative in the state of Arkansas. She worked on the successful campaigns of Governor Mike Huckabee, Senator Tim Hutchinson and Representative (now Governor) Asa Hutchinson. She was active in campaign recruiting and communications. She played a vital role during the Huckabee governorship in recruiting black candidates for executive-appointed boards and commissions in addition to helping create job-training programs at a local community college and the Arkansas Office of Workforce Development. She is a former board member of the Little Rock Minority Disability Advisory Network and a former member of the Crittenden County (Arkansas) Workforce Development Planning Committee. She was also a contributor to the Ernst & Young Diversity Think Tank. Donna originally sought a role in the church. She is a former divinity graduate of Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary in Memphis, Tennessee. It was there that she was taught the gift of administration as a vital part of the Christian ministry. Donna is a firm believer in free markets and entrepreneurship, rather than government, as a means of lifting people out of poverty. https://nationalcenter.org/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLf4wzJaPlbAPPE8K6OOlPS-ZlEARHlRDE&time_continue=2&v=DeAXbAq8Ki4&feature=emb_logo&ab_channel=NationalCenterforPublicPolicyResearch

Ashley Harris serves as Chief Financial Officer for Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Orange Coast leading all finance and accounting operations to ensure the fiscal strength of the Club. As CFO, Ashley oversees financial reporting, cash management, forecasting, GAAP compliance and audit readiness. Ashley is committed to maximizing the Club's budget to ensure the continued growth and success of the Club's mission to serve 9,500+ youth in Orange County. Prior to joining Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Orange Coast, Ashley worked in corporate finance at Johnson & Johnson and Hyundai Capital America where she honed her skills in the areas of cash forecasting, financial reporting, capital asset management, budget management, auditing and SEC compliance. Ashley prides herself on efficiency and implementation of strategies to streamline accounting processes and build financial metrics to complement business strategy, whether in the not-for-profit or for-profit world. Ashley has a strong passion for millennial financial success and wealth-building for people of all backgrounds. A significant amount of her participation in professional industry associations and community organizations correlates with financial education. In 2016, Ashley authored her first book, “It's Not You, It's Your Money” to provide a roadmap for young adults to have a positive and proactive relationship with money. Ashley was also featured on Charles Schwab's segment “Money Matters: Make it Count” where she discussed the importance of financial literacy and the impact that learning about money as a teenager had on her interest in personal finance and her career path. Ashley is a member of Forbes Finance Council, Howard Alumni Association, National Association for Black Accountants, and Toastmaster Los Angeles. She also volunteers with Salvation Army Angel Tree Project. Since becoming a member of Forbes Finance Council in 2021, Ashley has been featured in several articles including, “16 Practical Steps To Help Your Business Weather An Economic Recession,” “11 Smart Ways A Young Adult Can Start Building A Good Credit Score,” and “Four Big Company Financial Practices To Use In Your Personal Finances.” Ashley hails from Trenton, New Jersey. As a youth, Ashley was a member of her local Boys & Girls Club. Ashley won the Club's Youth of The Year Award during her senior year of high school. She remains active with Boys & Girls Club of Trenton/Mercer County as she knows the importance of the programs and mentorship that the Club offers. Ashley holds both a B.A. and M.B.A in Accounting from Howard University in Washington, DC. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at Renaissance Executive Forums Orange County. Learn more about Ric at www.ricfranzi.com. Catch up on past Critical Mass Business Talk Show interviews... YouTube: https://lnkd.in/gHKT2gmF LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/g2PzRhjQ Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eWpNVRi Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/gRd_863w Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gruexU6m #orangecountyca #mastermind #ceopeergroups #peergroups #peerlearning

Andrew Gordon, chief executive officer and founder of Diversity Abroad, leads the conversation on the importance of providing equitable access to global education.   CASA: Hello, and welcome to CFR's Higher Education Webinar. I am Maria Casa, director of the National Program and Outreach at CFR. Thank you all for joining us. Today's discussion is on the record, and the video and transcript will be made available on our website, CFR.org/academic if you would like to share them with your colleagues after today. As always, CFR takes no institutional positions on matters of policy. We are delighted to have Andrew Gordon with us to discuss the importance of providing equitable access to global education. Mr. Gordon is the founder and chief executive officer of Diversity Abroad, an organization focusing on topics pertaining to access, diversity, inclusion, and equity in international education. He works with higher education institutions, nonprofit and for profit organizations, and government agencies for developing strategies for increasing access to international education for diverse, first-generation, and high financial needs students. Mr. Gordon is a member of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, the Association of International Education Administrators, the European Association for International Education, the National Association of Black Accountants, and the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting. He is an alum of INROADS and the Association for the International Exchange of Students in Economics and Commerce. Welcome, Andrew. Thank you very much for speaking with us today. GORDON: It's great to be here. Thank you. CASA: Can you begin by giving us an overview of what equitable access to global education means and its importance in higher education? GORDON: Yeah. Absolutely. First, just want to say thank you, Maria, for the invitation to speak and to CFR Academic for hosting this session, particularly, this important topic. As I delve into my remarks, I'll give a little bit of background as to the—where my remarks are going to come from. As Maria mentioned, I founded an organization, Diversity Abroad, that centers diversity, equity, inclusion in global education. And over the last sixteen years had an opportunity to work with higher-education institutions, everything from community colleges to liberal arts, R-1s to Ivy Leagues, on this question of what does equitable access to global learning and global education mean. And we get this question often and, usually, when I get this question sitting in meetings with academic professionals, I, in some ways, put the question back and I say, well, what's the benefit of global education and global learning. Why do our campuses invest in infrastructure for global education and global learning, whether that's sending students abroad, supporting international students, ensuring that global themes are embedded into the curriculum? We often hear in the field of international education the term campus internationalization. Why are we investing in that in the first place? Well, when we think about global education and global learning and the students that engage in it, one of the organizations that many on the call may be familiar with, AAC&U, puts global learning and global education as a high impact practice, the kind of opportunities that help our students excel academically, grow interpersonally, and also be positioned that much better to thrive professionally once they leave school. And so taking a step back and thinking of the benefits of global education, we talk about students who engage in global learning opportunities. Many times this helps open their—broaden their perspective of the world as a whole. If they're participating in a physical—or education abroad program, many times it helps them in building resilience, a deeper sense of self, having more empathy for those who are, if you will, “different” than they are, embracing difference, something I think we can all appreciate we need that much more so in our society. So when we think—and we could probably, Maria, spend the entire time that we have talking about the benefits of global education and global learning. But the thing is that we know that—those of us who work in higher education know that and in many ways we are the gatekeepers to the kind of experiences inside the classroom, outside the classroom, that we say will fall under the umbrella of global learning. So if we know the benefits of these opportunities, we know how it can impact our students, then it is—well, the onus is on us to ensure that all of our students have equitable access to the benefits of global learning. We can't, on one side, say these are all the benefits of these phenomenal opportunities and so on and so forth, and then on the other side be OK with only certain students having access to global learning opportunities because, essentially, what we're saying is, well, this is a great thing that we have but only certain students are able to. And when we think about what—I would say, for many folks, when we talk about global learning, I would say one of the first things we often go to is study abroad. Study abroad is a phenomenal, phenomenal experience, and we'll talk about other forms in a moment. When we think about that particular opportunity that, I would say, is very high profile on many campuses, students graduating from high school going into university, the percentage is that eightieth, ninetieth percentile of students who are interested in study abroad. We know that is one of the global—one of the experiences that would fall under global education. We also know that, traditionally, study abroad has not reached a vast—too many of our students, we'll say, particularly our students of color, those who are first generation, those who are coming from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. And so I think, in many ways, we'll get students who we say are—the growing population of students on our campuses are also those that study abroad has not supported, and even when campuses have been more successful in getting students to study abroad they haven't necessarily been as—we haven't necessarily been as successful in supporting the success of our students while they're there. So, when we think back to study abroad, if you will, being an aspect of global learning, which is a high-impact practice, you know, high-impact practice is only a high-impact practice if it's properly administered. So we send students but we're not prepared to really support our students in a very holistic way, in an inclusive way. Great, we've sent them but we're not really giving them equitable access to the benefits of a global education. And, likewise, global education exists in different parts of the campus as well. Think about what happens in our classrooms. In the curriculum we have a variety of different area—academic areas of focus. Frankly, how we support our incoming international students—our international students—every student is not going to study abroad, but our campuses are globally diverse environments where our students from all backgrounds exist and our international students and how they acclimate to U.S. culture, how we prepare them to engage with students from a variety of different backgrounds, Americans from a variety of different backgrounds. That's also part of the global learning that happens. And so when we take a step back and just, again, think about why is it that we invest in global education and global learning, it's because we know the benefits of it. We are 5 percent of the world's population, and I think if anything in the last two years, sort of two and a half, three years, we—it is very clear and currently as well is very clear how incredibly interconnected we are as a globe, even as their call—you hear the pundits and otherwise say, like, oh, well, globalization is dead, and so on and so forth. It was, like, regardless of what those conversations are, we know that as a world we are all reliant on each other, and the world that the students, particularly the younger students, if you will—younger age college students—are going to inherit is going to be that much more interconnected. And so for us, as a country, the United States, to be able to take on the challenges and the opportunities that the twenty-first century puts before us and to be successful in taking on the—both challenges and opportunities that has to be a global approach because we're not on this globe by ourselves, and for our future leaders to be prepared to do that it's incredibly important for them to appreciate the importance of global learning and global education, have equitable access to a variety of those opportunities. And, frankly, we are shooting ourselves in the foot if we only allow our—maybe we say not intentionally but structurally the situation is such that only a certain population of students has access, real access, to these kind of learning opportunities. And so, I think, as higher education institutions we have to ask ourselves, what does that mean, yes, for the International Education Office, but also what does that mean for our academics in the classroom? What does that mean for our senior administrators who are deciding where to invest funds and otherwise of an institution? What does it mean for our chief diversity officers, for our VP of student affairs, and otherwise, who also were tasked with ensuring equitable access to a variety of opportunities that are available on campus? And so, when we think about these questions at Diversity Abroad, I think being in association and being able to work with the three hundred-plus institutions that we do on these topics, we really do look at it holistically. What does that mean—global education, equitable access, and education abroad? Global learning at home, what happens in and outside the classroom domestically? Support for our international students? But also how are we also ensuring that the professionals—faculty, staff, and otherwise who are engaged in global educational opportunities or experiences in and outside the classroom—that those faculty members and those staff are reflective of the rich diversity that our students embody? CASA: Thank you. Thank you for that introduction. Now let's open it up to questions. As a reminder, please click the raise hand icon on your screen to request to ask a question. On an iPad or Tablet, click the more button to access the raise hand feature. When you are called upon, accept the unmute prompt and please state your name and affiliation, followed by your question. You may also submit a written question via the Q&A icon or vote for other questions you would like to hear answered in your Zoom window at any time. We do have a raised hand from Basilio Monteiro, associate dean and associate professor of mass communication at St. John's University. Basilio? (No response.) You could accept the unmute prompt. Q: Thank you very much, Mr. Gordon, for your introductory remarks. You know, this internationalization of education—oftentimes what happens is I find that students go and stay within the one small bubble instead of mixing up with other students from the country where they go to. That interaction is not there, and oftentimes, it's not even promoted to go. They will go—they go as tourists. They don't go as learners to learn, and that seems to be the kind of trend, so I find. And I talk to the students. They'll say, OK, oh, I went here. I went there. I saw this and I saw that, and that's it. So that is—what is your overall national experience at this point on this particular context? GORDON: Yeah. Thank you for that comment, and you're right. I think that as the field of international education we have not been as intentional as we could be in ensuring that once we've put in the investment dollars, human capital, and otherwise that helps get students overseas that we're really creating kind of an environment where our students are going to have the kind of experiences that they come back and they really have been able to develop deeper empathy, embracing difference, and so on and so forth. We think about it here in the U.S., right. The students at our campus, a lot of them are having a good time but they're still learning. They're still having very, in some cases—I hate to overuse the word transformative, but experiences that are shaping who they are becoming as people. That doesn't have to change when our students go abroad, and so whether we're talking about programs that are led directly by faculty, I'm thinking about how are we intentionally finding opportunities for our students to engage in the host community; what are opportunities of reciprocity when they're in country in a certain location so that our students don't just have a stamp on their passport but they'd have the kind of experience that is changing how they view themselves, how they view the world, and, frankly, how they view both the challenges and the opportunities that lie before all of us. What is incumbent on, I think, institutions as well as the organizations, institutions that work with a lot of third party organizations to help facilitate study abroad, it's incumbent on those organizations as well to say, we know our students want to have a good time. They're going to have a good time. That's excellent. We want that. But we also—the core reason why our students are engaging in these opportunities needs to be academic, self-development, and otherwise. The fun is going to happen, but that other piece needs to be there because if it's not then, frankly, we become glorified travel agents, taking students from point A to point B. I don't think if you asked anyone in international education what their role is that we would say that's what our role is because it's not. But we need to be intentional about ensuring that the kind of outcomes that we want, that we say our students can gain—we've built the structure to be able to—for our students to be able to achieve those outcomes. Thank you for that question. CASA: Our next question comes from Beverly Lindsay from the University of California system. Q: Thanks to both of you for your introductory comments, Maria and Andrew, for your statement. As a former member of NAFSA and a number of other professional organizations, I actually have several questions, but I will limit them. One is, as you know, throughout higher education, particularly in comprehensive research universities, there is an emphasis on the African diaspora, the Latino diaspora. So many of the undergraduate students tend to go to those countries that are African, the Caribbean, or South America, for example. How do we encourage students, regardless of demographic background, to go anywhere in the world because they would get more experience? For example, when I was the international dean at Hampton we set up a program where the undergraduates could go and do internships at the British parliament, which was really innovative. The second question I would ask you is to what extent do you involve graduate students through your organization? Now, I realize that they're often focused on their thesis or, in rare cases, we don't think of study abroad. We think of research opportunities for our doctoral students. But to what extent do you involve students from different levels? Because I know in community colleges there is considerable emphasis now in terms of having the Los Angeles Community College system, the Dade County students in the community colleges, go abroad. So, as I said, I had many but I'll just focus on those right now. But thank you for your forthcoming answer. GORDON: Yeah. Thank you for that, Beverly. I think when it comes to destination, where our students go, again, unfortunately, I think, that our field has an opportunity to go in a different direction as far as a narrative about certain places. I think, unfortunately, in the U.S., when we think of Africa, when we think of the Global South as a whole, it's often positioned through the lens of deficit of the people, of the governments, health care systems, and so on and so forth. And, without question, there's work to be done. But there's a lot that's happening of innovation in—I mean, Africa, the continent, I mean, obviously, the different countries. Same thing in Latin America. But if we position these locations as you go here to help, you go here almost in a savior type mentality, whereas if we position locations like Europe and Australia and otherwise, like, well, you go here, this is where you're going to learn, this is where you go on internships and this is where you're going to prepare yourself professionally, really, seems like amplifying this narrative of parts of the world are important for learning, growth, innovation. Other parts of the world are more focused on philanthropy, giving, and so on and so forth. And I think that puts us, frankly, as a nation in peril. There was a recent survey that came out—I want to say it was in the last couple weeks—and it—they surveyed youth in Africa. I can't remember which countries. But it asked—the question was who has a more positive impact on your country, China or the U.S., or maybe it was a variety of countries. But China eked out ahead the U.S. So the continent with the youngest population in the world, and we know what that means for the future, of future work and otherwise, views of different countries having a positive impact. We don't see a lot of study abroad programs on the African continent, for example, or Latin America that are focused on innovation and technology. I can—I can go on and on. And so I think we have to take a step back as a field of international education—I think, higher education as a whole—and push back against narratives of how certain regions of the world, certain countries, are viewed so that our students are encouraged to want to engage anywhere in the world as they're looking to deepen their understanding, grow interpersonally, be that much better positioned for their post-degree careers, and so on and so forth. So that—I think that onus is on us as institutions, as organizations, to increase that perspective. But I also think that that also has an aspect to deal with incoming international students as well. With the incoming international students how are we helping them have opportunity to tell more their story about the countries they come from, the contributions their countries make to the U.S., to other parts of the world, and so on and so forth. As to the other question as far as how we engage with graduate students, we were—I would say primarily graduate students who are working in higher education programs, international education programs, that are interested specifically in this work will engage with Diversity Abroad in a variety of ways, either participating in one of the communities of practice that we have, coming to our annual conference, Global Inclusion, in a kind of variety of different ways from that perspective. As far as specifically looking at mobility-based programs for graduate students, that's not our focus at this time. CASA: Our next question comes from Hemchand Gossai, associate dean of humanities and social sciences at Northern Virginia Community College. Q: Maria and Andrew, thank you very much for your comments and also for providing this opportunity. My institution is very large with a multi-campus sort of setting with seventy-five thousand students. It's almost ubiquitous among institutions of higher education, particularly in their admissions process, to extol the importance of how many countries are represented at the college or university, and that's a great thing. We have that as well, and we have a large contingent of international students. One of the things that has struck me and that you have sort of alluded to, Andrew, has to do with the role of our international students as they arrive on our campuses, and I'm wondering if you can reflect a little bit about how best our large contingent of international students might not only be integrated but might actually interact and shape our local community of first-generation students, of students of color, and so on. If you would, I'd appreciate it. Thanks. GORDON: Yeah. Excellent, excellent question. Let me start off by saying, for us, when we think of international students—well, not when we think of international students—but the process of the experience that our international students have operationally, if you will, in many ways it's the flip of our students going abroad. We had a question earlier about how do we better ensure our domestic students are integrating once they're in country. We're just flipping that and saying that for our international students. So what we're saying is that we want the same for both. We don't want our international students to be seen as, hey, this is a revenue source. You're here on campus. Now we're done. No. We want them to be successful, and our international students embody the same identities that our domestic students do. They're students of color. They're first-gen, disabilities, come from different religious backgrounds, LGBTQI. They embody all these same identities that we're trying to support with our domestic students and we want to do the same thing for international students. So and thinking of what that means is really asking the question is what does holistic support look like for our international students. Too often, our international students once they get on campus, they're seen as that international student. I mean, simply, that's their passport. That's where you're actually born. They need the same support, and then some additional at times, as our domestic students. Are we asking them, what contributions do you want in the classroom? Are we appreciating that our international students are coming from a different perspective during certain discussions and are we giving them space to be able to share those perspectives and honor the fact that it comes from a different perspective but that's still important? Because that's part of global learning that our domestic students benefit from as well when you have those rich discussions in the classroom, when you have a variety of different perspectives that are being shared, and we think about being able to hear that, analyze what's being said, and develop your own sense of, OK, this is my thought on this topic or otherwise. But when we just have a conversation, for example, in the classroom that's focused on domestic, even though we have a wide or very diverse population of students that—of international students in our classroom we're really missing an opportunity to both engage with the international students, help them have a deeper sense of belonging on our campus and, frankly, for our domestic students and all students to be to be able to learn that much more so. The other part of the question I mentioned, and kind of tying back to what I mentioned a second ago of how our international students embody so much of that—so many of the identities of our domestic students, you know, when we have programs for first-generation college students are we just thinking about our domestic first-generation college students? Our international students can be the same way. When we think about our disability services, when we think about programs that are maybe related to race in ways, are we thinking intentionally about that? Yes, an African American and an international student from Africa who's from Africa and who's Black and has grown up in Africa their entire life very well are—some shared experiences, but very different. Are we thinking about opportunities for learning and growth from that way? So as I would say it's the intentionality in the programming and the intentionality in thinking of what is our role in—and, obviously, helping our students be successful, but particularly from an equitable access to global education, we have all the ingredients to the salad, if you will. What's our role in making sure that this comes together and this works in a way that serves our students, our domestic, our international students—frankly, serves the institution. And so there's broader goals that we have in higher education around learning but also preparing a generation of citizens that are thoughtful not just about home but thoughtful about the relationship between home and abroad and how our world is broadly interconnected and reliant on each other. CASA: Thank you. Our next question comes from Mojúbàolú Olufúnké Okome, associate professor in the department of political science in Brooklyn College. Q: Good evening. I'm calling from Nigeria now. And I'm a professor, not associate. I was wondering if there is a two-way stream in terms of the way in which international education is conceived of thinking about students coming from foreign countries as exchange students, and I'm particularly interested in this from an African perspective. It's unbelievably difficult for many African students to come to the U.S. as exchange students. They face formidable visa barriers, and for many of them that are from socioeconomic backgrounds where they are not flush with money it is actually an impossibility. So, I mean, is there any kind of thinking about how skewed the pool is that the educational institutions in the U.S. is joined from, given all the constraints that are put in the way of students from the Global South, especially Africa— GORDON: Yeah. Q: —who want to just come to the U.S. just like our students go to those places? GORDON: Yeah. Yeah. No. Wonderful, wonderful question, and I'd kind of bifurcate my answers. I think with respect to visas, I think that's a question—offices handle that at State and I think there has to be a broader question of are we creating enough opportunities for students or making it easy enough for students or talented students that want to come take advantage of the rich diversity and the academic opportunities, some professional opportunities that exist in the U.S. Are we making it easy enough for those students to come to our shores? And I think that's a question that—State has to continue to be evaluated from that aspect. I'm not by any means an expert with visas, so I'm going to—I'm going to stay in my lane to an extent. But I think, broadly speaking, is we do—I think as a nation have welcomed and want to continue to welcome talented folks from all over the world to be able to come. And then I think the second part of the question, what's the role of institutions, I think similar to our—to domestic students, we know who our students are. We know what the challenges they have and being able to access opportunities that we have. And so we say—going back to what I mentioned earlier, we say we know what these—we know the benefits of these kind of opportunities. We're the gatekeepers to that. We know who our students are, and we know the challenges they have and this includes international students that are interested in coming, be it exchange or otherwise. How do we in higher education create more opportunities for talented students to be able to take advantage of these opportunities that we're very clear the benefits to them? And so from an exchange standpoint, looking and saying are we building exchanges—do we have the infrastructure, are we investing in the infrastructure so that we can have more exchanges with the Global South? Because many times exchanges, while not always cost neutral, is usually much more cost neutral than a paid study abroad or otherwise. So are we creating those kind of opportunities? Again, realizing that that benefits the student—the international student, the domestic student. It benefits our campus community and our broader community as a whole when our international students are out and engaging with the broader community around the universities and otherwise. So are we investing in that? And then when it comes to fully matriculated students, whether at the undergraduate, graduate, or doctorate level, are we doing enough? Is there more we should be doing to ensure that if funding is a challenge that the funding is—funding schemes that are available to better create opportunities for students to be able to come, and then also like we've mentioned in the last question is our campus infrastructure—our campus set up in such that our international students feel like they belong, the campus is thinking about them, and this is a place where they want to, frankly, stay and contribute their knowledge or insights, their experience, and otherwise, which, again, benefits them, benefits the campus, and benefits the community and the nation as a whole. Q: Next we have a comment from Pamela Waldron-Moore, a professor at Xavier University of Louisiana. You have touched on this topic but you might want to go a little deeper. She writes, as a professor at Xavier University of Louisiana, I know that this is a helpful conversation. One area of global education that does not seem to have had much exposure is the opportunity for national institutions to provide exchange opportunities that allow low-income students to appreciate diverse education. For example, students can learn much from institutions located in naturally global environments—New York, DC, California, et cetera. Many U.S. institutions are teeming with international students who are happy to interact with a wider body of learners. GORDON: Yeah. I'll just comment on that briefly, and I know Xavier does great work with our national exchange as well as with international. But your point is right on. When we think of the globally diverse cities that exist in the U.S., they're learning labs. I'm from the Bay Area. I like going to San Francisco. I go to places in Oakland and otherwise. These are learning opportunities. I think when you think of the flow of migration to certain areas within the country, there's so much to learn there for our domestic students as well as for our international students. And so when we think of global learning holistically, as much as—I started Diversity Abroad based on study abroad. I'm a fan of study abroad, absolutely. But I think when we think about global learning, we have to get—mobility from the standpoint of getting on a plane, crossing an ocean, and using your passport is not the only way. And when we think about the institutions, where our institutions exist, what does the community look like? How globally diverse is our local community? Are there opportunities for us, thinking of co-curricular activities, to better engage with our local communities as well, because part of the broader goal that we talked about, the benefits of global learning, those benefits can be gained—different benefits, different places, in different ways, but can be gained locally but also can be gained abroad. So, an excellent point. CASA: Again, as a reminder, please click the raise hand icon on your screen if you would like to ask a question, or write it in via the Q&A icon. Andrew, can you talk a little bit about the specific activities that Diversity Abroad engages in as an organization? GORDON: Yeah. Absolutely. Happy to. So Diversity Abroad founded in 2006. We're a member-based consortium, around three hundred and fifty colleges and universities. As I mentioned, it ranges from small liberal arts to community colleges, Ivies to R-1s, and, really, we—our focus is looking at diversity, equity, and inclusion within internationalization and global education. And so what does that mean? We look at four key areas of our work. It's education abroad, international students, global learning at home, and then career and organizational advancement, and we—the actual practices of the work that we do focuses heavy on learning and development. So everything from our annual conference, Global Inclusion, to our DEI certificate for folks who are engaged in global education or are interested in global education, as well as a leadership certificate for student leaders who want to embed DEI, global, into their leadership. We publish a set of good practices called the Global Equity Inclusion Guidelines, it's a set of policy practices for embedding DEI into a campus's global education operation, and then there's a ton of thought leadership that we do, collaboration with organizations. We have a phenomenal team that is always working to continue to push this conversation forward, and maybe more than moving the conversation forward, to push forward resources, learning opportunities, and otherwise to ensure that, frankly, as a field a decade from now we're not having this same conversation but that we've made some real tangible progress in going forward. So, much harder to execute on a daily and weekly basis than to kind of go over in a couple of seconds. But I'm really proud of the work that we're doing and always interested in collaborating with professionals and institutions that share—frankly, share our vision of equitable access to global educational opportunities. CASA: Great. Our next question comes from Krishna Garza-Baker from the University of Texas at San Antonio. She's assistant director of experiential learning. Q: Hello, Maria and Andrew. Thank you so much for this conversation. I'm actually a current member of Diversity Abroad and absolutely love all their resources. I'm there on a daily basis. So I would like to reflect back to the idea on promoting the benefits of global learning. As much as I promote the benefits of global programs to my students—I work specifically with business students at the Alvarez College of Business—what are some ways in which you have seen or experienced navigating the topic of the financial investment into educational experience and what are some other barriers to global learning that you have seen for domestic students? GORDON: Krishna, thank you for that comment and happy to have you as part of the Diversity Abroad community. So finance is interesting. Without question, finances can be a barrier to students engaging in global educational opportunities, particularly mobility-based ones. What's interesting, though, is that at times when you ask a student, are you interested in studying abroad, for example? They say, no, I can't afford it. And I was, like, well, do you know how much it costs? Well, I'm not actually sure. Are you sure how your financial aid works and how your financial aid can support? It was, like, no, I'm not actually sure. So you have students sometimes that see study abroad and there's an interest, but for a variety of other reasons, maybe they're becoming a little bit more hesitant, and finance is an easy one to go to say, oh, I can't afford it. And so I think it's important for, one, us to understand, from a financial standpoint, A, is the students—can they really not afford it? How are we addressing that? Or is this a question of, I'm interested and I'm on the fence and so on and so forth and I'm just kind of saying financial. I think for the aspect of students not being able to afford it, as an institution, again, we have to go back and say what's the value of global educational opportunities. We know that students who are statistically—we're saying that students who study abroad graduate sooner, graduate with higher GPAs as well. So that is hitting part of a broader goal that we have of higher education about persistence and completion. And so as an institution are we investing in the kind of activities like global education opportunities that are supporting the broader goals that we have as an institution around persistence and completion, and that is something that's strategically at institutions that—are questions we have to ask ourselves. We say, you know, yes, global, you know, the importance of all these opportunities to study abroad and so on and so forth. Are we investing in it in a way that any of our students that are interested finance is not going to be the barrier that pushes them back? Now, I think, on the other aspect of it with respect to finance and being able to talk with students and their families, students and their families who are from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. They're on campus, and they're on campus, in a way, because they've seen being a student at your campus as an investment, something that is valuable enough to either, personal finances—going out and fundraising in a variety of different ways because they see the value in that. The question, I think, that we have as—in higher education and particularly in international education are we positioning global education as this is an investment? And this goes back to a comment that was made a little bit earlier about, hey, you know what, we're sending these students abroad. They're not really engaging with the populations. It's kind of like it's just vacation. OK. Well, if I'm a serious student and I'm concerned about finances, and I have to make choices about what I invest in, if study abroad is positioned as, you know, go have fun abroad I'll say, well, listen, I'll go on vacation at another point in my life. I'm focused on getting in school, doing the kind of things that's going to position me to be able to thrive, support family, and otherwise. So in education abroad and study abroad, the onus is on us to make sure that the way we're talking about these opportunities, the way that opportunities are actually taking place, is such that a student that has to make that decision looks at study abroad or other global opportunities and says, you know what, this is where I want to invest my time, my resources, and otherwise because this is something that's going to help me continue to grow with the broader goals that I have. CASA: Our next question comes from Maggie Mahoney, director of global engagement at the University of Houston. Q: Good afternoon, Maria and Andrew. Nice to talk with you. Hello from Houston, Texas. Andrew, my question is about our teams, because we want to bring the best of our teams to our students. We know that burnout is an ongoing issue. We've had the pandemic. We've had the murder of George Floyd that kind of shifted things even more for the bigger focus of DEI and that has become exhausting, not to mention in Texas we face our own Texas state issues and now inflation changing. So there's a lot of stress on our teams, and in institutions of higher ed we should have offices that mirror the diversity of our students. But we don't always have that. Do you have any recommendations for our diverse staff team members and their self care in the face of this burnout and too often being turned to in the support of DEI efforts whenever we should all be doing the work? And do you have any recommendations for team leaders on how to continue doing our work while supporting our diverse team members, as we know they're overwhelmed? GORDON: Yeah. Thank you for that comment. And that's—I think a very important point is that we can't ignore—when we think of—we think of some of the organizations that we've looked AT and say, hey, these are great companies or great organizations that I'll support. The folks who are at the table many times come from incredibly diverse backgrounds, and in international education if we want the work that we do to have the kind of impact, we want to make sure that we're drawing the best and brightest, most diverse folks that say, hey, higher education, international education, specifically, this is a place where I want to go work. Our faculty members who may potentially be leading programs abroad, there's a lot that our faculty members can be doing over the summer when we say, you know what, I want to lead a study abroad program because this is—not only the impact this could have on students, but I know I'm going to be supported by the international office and otherwise as I'm going abroad. So what I would say is a couple of things. One is from a team leader perspective, and I think what you pointed out being something that is really a very salient topic. You know, DEI work cannot fall on folks of color or folks who we look at and say, OK, well, you represent XYZ identity so, yes, diversity worked for you. All that does, as stated, is it leads to burnout and it doesn't lead to us moving the needle. So, organizationally, are the practices or the policies in place. So, operationally, DEI is just embedded into what we do and regardless of what your role is, the DEI tasks that are there, is there for you to do. So regardless of what your background is, whatever the DEI tasks are connected to your role, those are there for you to be able to do. And so that'd be one aspect of it, really looking operationally from that perspective. But then another question is asking ourselves whether it's at the department level within an office, like a global education office or whatever it may be, are we building a climate of belonging. Are we building a climate where our staff that come from historically marginalized backgrounds feel like, hey, we can come—we can come here. We can be ourselves. When we're having challenges we're being supported and otherwise because, again, then we're able to be able to do the work that's needed to increase participation in global educational opportunities, being able to work with the faculty members to think through how do we better embed global themes into the curriculum, being able to support our international students. Which is saying none of this happens automatically. It is run by people, on people power, and we've got to take care of our people. If we don't take care of our people, all the other things that we want to do, ultimately, we won't be as successful as we'd like. CASA: We have a question now from Professor Waldron-Moore from Xavier. She says—she asks, how can we generate interest in study abroad from the classroom? Shouldn't we address seriously ways to motivate students to learn more about diversity in order to raise their awareness about higher education? We need to get the excitement about other countries and people going before we grow an interest in study abroad or a study exchange. GORDON: Yeah. So that's—I would say it's not an either/or but I would say they very much work in tandem. So the more—and to the point, the more that we—the more that global themes are presented to our students, the more interest that will start to generate with our students. If you have a population of students that from the time they set foot on campus they know they're going to study abroad and so and so forth, that's great. We want those students. But you have another population of students who maybe that's not the case, and so how are we embedding global themes into the curriculum regardless of what our fields may be? What are—are we finding opportunities to embed global themes into the curriculum so that, one, we're helping to promote the idea of there's a lot to learn outside of the shores of the U.S. as well, but, two, for our students—and every student's not going to study abroad. For our students who aren't going abroad are we finding opportunities to ensure that they still have access to global learning themes within the classroom. And so they very much play off each other, and I will say that now much more so for the students who, ultimately, decide not to participate in a study abroad or a formal study abroad program it's an opportunity for them to still get access to global learning opportunities. But I will say—one other thing I want to bring up and I started bringing this up in my earlier comments, I think when we're thinking about global education and diversity, equity, and inclusion, definitely thinking of it through, say, two lenses. One is the lens of what we've primarily been talking about of how are we supporting our historically marginalized students, supporting our staff and our faculty, our people, as they're engaged in global education, and that many times, again, are folks in historically marginalized populations. But when we think about learning global DEI competencies, all of our students need to access that. DEI is not just populations to support or competencies to be learned—to learn. So inside the classroom, when they're participating in study abroad or otherwise, are we thinking through how we position our students to learn the kind of competencies that can position them to be better citizens, to be better—that much more thriving in their professional careers and otherwise. And, again, that takes place—many times that takes place in the classroom. CASA: Our next question is also written and comes from Wendy Kuran, associate vice president for development and alumni engagement at Duke Kunshan University. Actually, she has two questions. The first is, following up on the earlier question and Andrew's great answer, is the career and self-development value proposition of study abroad clear to diverse students? Is there credible, accessible research about the value? What could we, at universities, including students, do to help make that case in new ways more effectively? And the second shorter question, do you ever work in secondary education intercultural exchange programs and, if not, are those in your ecosystems? Are there those in your ecosystems who do? GORDON: Yeah. So I'll start with the second question first. We work with some secondary institutions and organizations that support secondary students at that level. I would not say that that has been the traditional group of professionals or organizations or institutions that have come to us. But we are seeing some growing traction there. So I'm always interested in connecting with folks who have interest with that. With respect to career, I would say there are definitely institutions who have been at the forefront of centering the connection between global education and career, and I think as the field of global education that's work that's improving. But there's still work to do, I think, particularly for being able to make the case for students who, for a variety of reasons may be hesitant about study abroad. What we find in engaging with students, yes, research is important. Using more factoids are important. Firsthand experiences being important of students who embody similar identities and otherwise that can say, I had this kind of experience. I went from point A to point B to point Z. I know when I've had an opportunity to go to campuses and speak and otherwise telling a little bit about my own personal trajectory from doing accounting consulting to becoming an entrepreneur and otherwise and how study abroad impacted that, that's one of the things that attract students is really wanting to understand, OK, you look like me. You had a similar experience. How did you do that? So which is to say particularly with that—the part of your question asking about historically marginalized student populations, are we telling the stories of success? Are we telling the stories of how our students from historically marginalized backgrounds have been able to leverage global opportunities to advance in their career? For them to be able to say very concretely, I had this experience and then I'm working in this job and this is how this experience helped me and so on so forth. Again, that is intentional work, yes, by our global education offices but also, frankly, in collaboration with our career centers, our offices that are doing career development on campus. How are we working with them to be able to bring them back to connect with the students, the alum, and otherwise to be able to tell those stories, which, again, is part of the broader ecosystem of what does engagement look like to be able to increase participation and the success of students who are interested in study abroad? CASA: Have you been able to develop dedicated assessment and evaluation tools for success or gauging the success or the results of study abroad programs? GORDON: So we, ourselves, have not. There are some tools out there and some studies that are out there. Gosh, I'm trying to think of his name right now at the University of Georgia. There was a study in the early kind of 2000s called the Glossary Study. It was just recently built—they built upon that with a new study that showed the connection between academic success. I wouldn't say that for me, I'm familiar with a survey or research that goes as deep on the career success aspect of it. But I know there are some resources out there that talk deeper about the connection between career development and—study abroad and career development. CASA: And do you have thoughts on how global education and study abroad contribute to U.S. foreign policy creation and international relations? GORDON: Yeah. Well, in part, I mean, I think there's an aspect of just civics that's connected to every time you get on a plane, you travel, and you flash that green—I always say green—that blue passport, why is that so easy? Because even being able to understand the ability that you have to travel to the vast majority of the world without having a visa, without—and, frankly, other countries aren't able to do that. So almost, certainly, encourage deeper appreciation for the privilege that we have as U.S. citizens, being able to travel as freely as we do for most of the world, but also being able to engage, I think, for students of—U.S. students to be able to engage in other populations, hear their perspective. You know, sometimes there's perspectives that are critical to the U.S. Sometimes there are perspectives that are wildly in love with the U.S., and that's great. It's important to hear all of that, to hear how you're perceived, and then you bring that back home with you. Now you're thinking about your role as a citizen, what that does to you to be able to understand positionality of the U.S. and the rest of the world and what role that you personally want to take with that. And so I—and I guess I say for myself having a deeper appreciation for the, frankly, benefits of being a U.S. citizen by traveling and having had the opportunity to travel as much as I do and interact with folks all over the world. And so I think for all of our populations I think the populations that maybe haven't been as civically engaged or as deeply civically engaged it creates that many more opportunities to have that appreciation for. CASA: Yes. GORDON: And then, frankly, just people-to-people. I would just say—this is the last thing I'll say. It's funny, I mean—I mean, people-to-people exchanges, what they say it's hard to hate someone you know. (Laughs.) I mean, it's true. I mean, and I think that it's easy to turn on the news and hear XYZ about any number of people and locations in the world. I think when you sit down you break bread and you have coffee, whatever it may be, with folks from other parts of the world it does develop, I think, a deeper appreciation, really helping push us down that road of embracing difference and, I think, developing a deeper empathy, which we could all use more of that. CASA: Great. Well, we've come to the end of our time and, Andrew, thank you so much for sharing your insights with us, and to all of you for your questions and comments. You can follow Diversity Abroad on Twitter at @DiversityAbroad. You will be receiving an invitation to our next Higher Education webinar under separate cover. In the meantime, I encourage you to follow at @CFR_Academic on Twitter and visit CFR.org, ForeignAffairs.com, and ThinkGlobalHealth.org for research and analysis on global issues. I hope you're all having a great summer, and thank you again for joining us today. We look forward to your continued participation in the Higher Education Webinar Series. 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Episode 118. In today's interview, "Route to the Top for Black Accountants: Herschel Frierson." Herschel Frierson is the Strategic Networks Leader and a Principal at Crowe LLP with over 26 years of experience. He is responsible for expanding the firm's influence with network partners, including associations and creating new opportunities and deepening existing relationships.  He also serves on the firm's leadership team with the Inclusion Excellence Council which focuses on Diversity and Inclusion for the Firm.  Herschel is the 27th Chairman of the Board of Directors with the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) and is a lifetime member.  In 2020, he was named by Accounting Today as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting.   Key takeaways from this episode include: ➜ why there are many opportunities for the accounting profession at this point in time ➜ the mistakes accountancy has made as a profession over the years with diversity, recruitment and retention ➜ what helping black accountants and other minority groups advance in accounting actually looks like ➜ why diversity and social injustice have become so such critical issues in recent years (driving DEI - diversity, equity and inclusion - agendas) ➜ what a lack of role models does for under-represented groups in accounting ➜ whether racism and general marginalisation of minorities is a problem in the accounting profession ➜ initial steps for accounting firms wanting to embrace a more diverse culture and push DEI ➜ questions accounting leaders can ask to drive a better DEI culture in their firms ➜ the message for under-represented professionals in accounting to get involved and be a voice for change ➜ the importance for black accountants and other minority groups in accounting to reach out and get support ➜ shout out to Professor Anton Lewis and his work on black accountants, critical race theory and DEI in accountancy (episode links below) ➜ the differences and similarities in challenges for minority groups like women, blacks, LGBTQ+, lower classes and others in accounting ➜ how Crowe as a professional accounting firm have championed DEI, even though there is always more to be done ➜ what separates the good leaders from the great ones in accounting firms and how it starts with 'self' ➜ the importance for accountants of role models, mentors, coaches and advocates, plus people who push back against you ➜ the need to re-ignite the fire of young professionals in accounting and make the profession sexy ➜ what makes accounting the language of business and thus the gateway for opportunity in young professionals Herschel loves to explore and use the latest gadgets and technology. He is a big movie buff and loves to travel meeting new people. https://www.linkedin.com/in/herschel-frierson/ Other useful episodes on this topic: Critical Race Theory & Black Accountants with Anton Lewis https://bit.ly/3Ny3RBB (https://bit.ly/3Ny3RBB) DEI, Racism & Prejudice in Accounting: Anton Lewis https://bit.ly/3wV8cZ9 (https://bit.ly/3wV8cZ9) NOTE TO LISTENERS: The Accounting Influencers Podcast is a CPE-accredited daily radio-style show with four segments coming out every Monday which are repeated on the other 4 weekdays as standalone episodes, plus a bonus 'from the client's perspective' episode on Saturdays. On Sundays, listeners get a short min trailer for the coming week's episodes. Every Tuesday the show gives you a relevant news topic from the accounting and fintech world with a direct application to accountants, CPAs and bookkeepers. Great to stay informed and build your commercial acumen. Every Wednesday and Friday, we feature an uncut interview with top authors, leaders, thinkers and performers in the accounting and fintech world. Every Thursday the show gives you a practical 'here's what works' tips concerning a key challenge, need or strategy for accountants, CPAs and bookkeepers. Great

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 14, 2022) – The University of Kentucky Alumni Association started the Great Teacher Award program in 1961 to honor excellent teaching at the university. There have been over 300 teachers honored since that first year. Nominations may only be submitted by current students. To receive the award, a candidate must: Hold the rank of full-time lecturer or above and have been a member of the faculty for the past three years at UK. Have superior knowledge of the subject matter. Have original and innovative classroom presentations. Demonstrate concern for students, both inside and outside the classroom setting. Not have been a recipient of the award for the past 10 years. A committee of the UK Alumni Association Board of Directors and a representative from the student organization Omicron Delta Kappa select the recipients based on objective rating and ranking of the eligible nominations submitted. This episode of Behind the Blue spotlights one of the 2022 Great Teacher Award winners. Olivia Davis, from the Gatton College of Business and Economics, joined the faculty at the University of Kentucky in January 2018. She was in public accounting with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in the assurance practice before joining UK. As a CPA with nearly 14 years of experience, Davis brings a wealth of practical experience to her classroom. She invites her students to go beyond just the technical accounting and auditing concepts by sharing real-world, current scenarios with them. Davis serves as the faculty advisor for the UK Student Chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants and she is a professional member of NABA. She earned her bachelor's and master's in accounting from UK. Davis was awarded the Gatton College Teaching Excellence Award in 2020, the 2021 Gatton College Faculty of the Year (student selected) and the 2021 University of Kentucky Provost's Award for Outstanding Teaching. "Behind the Blue" is available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK's latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university. For questions or comments about this or any other episode of "Behind the Blue," email BehindTheBlue@uky.edu or tweet your question with #BehindTheBlue. Transcripts for this or other episodes of Behind the Blue can be downloaded from the show's blog page. To discover what's wildly possible at the University of Kentucky, click here.

Episode 108. In today's interview, "Challenging Prejudice in Accounting with Anton Lewis." Anton Lewis is a tenured Associate Professor of Accounting at Valparaiso University, Indiana, where he primarily teaches undergraduate financial accountancy and managerial accountancy, as well as undergraduate Audit and Accounting Information Systems classes. He also hosts the ‘Counting Black and White Beans Podcast' and makes monthly guest appearances on the NPR Radio Show Regionally Speaking (links below). You can also check out his previous interview on the show "Critical Race Theory & Black Accountants with Anton Lewis" here: https://accountinginfluencers.captivate.fm/episode/critical-race-theory-black-accountants-with-anton-lewis (https://accountinginfluencers.captivate.fm/episode/critical-race-theory-black-accountants-with-anton-lewis) Key takeaways from this episode include: ✓ the reasons why there are not more black accountants, particularly in the UK and USA ✓ why it is hard to question any racial inequalities in the accountancy profession ✓ the differences between structural racism in accounting and in individual people ✓ how institutional racism manifests in the accounting profession ✓ what everyday racism and micro-aggression looks like in accountancy practices ✓ whether women, blacks, LGBTQ+ and other minorities must work 'that much harder' for parity in accounting ✓ how the 'sapphire stereotype affects women and ethnic minorities in accounting ✓ the problems inherent in talking about 'whiteness' and white supremacy in accountancy ✓ what happens to marginalised, disenfranchised, stigmatised ethnic, gender or other groups in accounting firms ✓ defining the key terms in DEI - diversity, equity, inclusion from accounting perspectives ✓ the best measures or evidence of how accounting practices value people and DEI ✓ examining whether 50% of accountants should be women if 50% of the population are women ✓ the difference between equality of outcome and quality of attainment in accounting firms ✓ the distinction between equality and equity in the DEI policies of accountancy practices ✓ what needs to happen for true inclusion and diversity in the accounting profession ✓ how accounting as a profession has not succeeded in giving representation to many groups and individuals ✓ the dangers of 'getting stuck in the weeds' of DEI terminology for the accountancy profession ✓ the problems caused by accounting firms and leaders treating DEI as a 'tick box' or 'checkbox' exercise ✓ translating 'one man's freedom fighter is another man's terrorist' to the accounting DEI agenda and discrimination ✓ why asking 'how many black accountants is enough' is the wrong question for proper DEI in accounting ✓ how DEI policy making is difficult for accounting firm leaders given benchmarking and targets are hard to quantify ✓ whether anything will change for blacks, women and other minorities in accounting (why even bother?) ✓ how accountants themselves can assess whether they have any underlying racist or prejudicial attitudes ✓ where DEI and fostering change truly starts in accounting firms and the profession at large ✓ why there is hope in these challenging times for accounting as a profession to make the necessary DEI changes In his spare time, Anton like to cook. As a qualified pastry chef who has cooked in France and in restaurants and hotels in England, he loves making all kinds of tarts and cakes. His other culinary passion is Indian/Pakistani Balti cuisine - he has been known to cook the odd Indian Feast. He is married to wife Kathy and has 3 young children. You can connect to him here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-anton-lewis-216ab170 (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-anton-lewis-216ab170) https://twitter.com/Antonlws (https://twitter.com/Antonlws) https://www.instagram.com/alewis_justice (https://www.instagram.com/alewis_justice) Podcast:...

Healthcare reimbursement models are ever-changing which requires the industry to seek out diversity in thought and experience to stay fiscally resilient in challenging times.  LaTasha Barnes understands the importance of financial operations to meet the needs of taking care of people. Resiliency in a highly competitive industry during challenging times has led her to see the healthcare system holistically when making key decisions.  Patient flow and care continuum are paramount and top of mind when assessing supply utilization, patient acuity, industry benchmarks and key performance indicators.  “ The numbers don't always tell the whole story. You must understand the business operations to be an effective financial executive.  Says LaTasha BarnesBe intentional when framing opportunities in healthcare finance Alternative career experiences can make you special because it gives you differentiation!   As chief financial officer (CFO) of Bayfront Health St. Petersburg, LaTasha Barnes oversees all financial operations for the 480-bed regional hospital. Previously, she was CFO of Orlando Health Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies and Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children from 2018-to 2020 and played a leading role in financial, operational, and strategic initiatives for the organization.LaTasha has more than 20 years of experience in healthcare finance. Before joining Orlando Health, she held leadership positions with Hospital Corporation of American (HCA), most recently as CFO of Tampa Community Hospital. An experienced CPA, she also is a former auditor for Arthur Andersen and Deloitte & Touche.She earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from Tennessee State University in Nashville and holds CPA licenses in both Florida and Tennessee.LaTasha is a member of the National Association of Black Accountants and has served on the board of directors for Central Florida Community Arts, Girls on the Run Central Florida, and the African American Chamber of Commerce Central Florida and was recently chosen as a nominee as Business Woman of the Year honoree.Let us welcome LaTasha Barnes to the Follow The Brand podcast where we are building a 5 STAR Brand that you can follow! https://www.orlandohealth.com/www.5starbdm.com

Episode 63. In today's interview, "Critical Race Theory & Black Accountants with Anton Lewis." Anton Lewis is a tenured Associate Professor of Accounting at Valparaiso University, Indiana, where he primarily teaches undergraduate financial accountancy and managerial accountancy, as well as undergraduate Audit and Accounting Information Systems classes. He also hosts the ‘Counting Black and White Beans Podcast' and makes monthly guest appearances on the NPR Radio Show Regionally Speaking (links below). Key takeaways from this episode include: ★ why we have so few black accountants in practice and in partner roles - statistics and trends ★ what makes the US more woke and open when it comes to revealing data on minorities in accounting, unlike the UK ★ the problems with 'diversity' as a concept in the accounting arena so it means different things to different people ★ explaining the 'stale, male and pale' description of the white, ageing working population of CPAs and accountants ★ why it's hard not to escape the charge that racism is prevalent in the accounting profession ★ the hypocrisy of the tech industry that claims to be meritocratic but shows clear signs of bias and racism ★ explaining 'Critical Race Theory' or CRT and how it applies to the accounting profession perspective ★ asking if CRT is dangerous or helpful in challenging the racist status quo in the accounting profession ★ why things should stay as they are in accounting when it comes to the under-representation of women, LGBTQ, class, generations and other minorities ★ what stops the privileged people at the top of the tree in accounting from stepping aside or calling for change ★ how race is inextricably linked with gender, class, LGBTQ and other battlegrounds in the accounting world ★ applauding the organizations and movements that are pushing an inclusive, diverse equality in accountancy ★ what questions accounting professionals should be asking to determine whether there is a diversity, equity and inclusion problem in their firm ★ why a lack of black representation in accounting leadership harms the succession and inclusion of more black accountants ★ the pain and downsides that potentially occur when accounting leaders challenge the status quo of minority under representation ★ what accountants need to be doing to 'stay on the right side of history' with the white privilege argument in accounting ★ a call to arms of the accounting profession to right some wrongs and do the right thing with black representation and equity for other minorities In his spare time, Anton like to cook. As a qualified pastry chef who has cooked in France and in restaurants and hotels in England, he loves making all kinds of tarts and cakes. His other culinary passion is Indian/Pakistani Balti cuisine - he has been known to cook the odd Indian Feast. He is married to wife Kathy and has 3 young children. You can connect to him here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-anton-lewis-216ab170 (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-anton-lewis-216ab170) https://twitter.com/Antonlws (https://twitter.com/Antonlws) https://www.instagram.com/alewis_justice (https://www.instagram.com/alewis_justice) Podcast: https://blackandwhitebeans.libsyn.com/?_ga=2.234123294.1238878791.1645043266-302157601.1625785609 (https://blackandwhitebeans.libsyn.com/?_ga=2.234123294.1238878791.1645043266-302157601.1625785609) NPR Radio Show Regionally Speaking: https://www.lakeshorepublicradio.org/show/regionally-speaking/2022-02-08/regionally-speaking-february-8-2022 (https://www.lakeshorepublicradio.org/show/regionally-speaking/2022-02-08/regionally-speaking-february-8-2022) NOTE TO LISTENERS: The Accounting Influencers Podcast is a CPE-accredited daily radio-style show with four segments coming out every Monday which are repeated on the other 4 weekdays as standalone episodes, plus a bonus 'from the client's perspective' episode on Saturdays. On Sundays, listeners get a short min trailer for...

Episode 61. On this week's Accounting Influencers Podcast: ➜ News - Martin & Rob discuss "The New $1.4bn Accounting Firm & What It Means to You."  ➜ Special Guest Interview: "Critical Race Theory & Black Accountants with Anton Lewis." ➜ Rob & Martin offer up practical advice and tips for accounting practitioners on "What Works for Accountants When Choosing a Coach." ➜ Expert Interview: "Exit Planning Services for Accountants with Christine Nicholson." For full shownotes on these segments, check out the stand-alone episodes coming out this week and outlined on the days below. ◤━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◥ Need CPE/CPD? Continuing professional education for accountants on the move... Get points for Continuing Professional Education /Development by listening to the Accounting Influencers Podcast. Earmark CPE is the exclusive CPE/CPD partner for the podcast. The partnership is NASBA-approved meaning accreditation and certification counts in most countries. NASBA stands for National Association of State Boards of Accountancy. Download the Earmark CPE mobile app here https://earmarkcpe.com (https://earmarkcpe)https://earmarkcpe (.com) Here's how it works: ① SELECT A COURSE. Download the mobile app, search for Accounting Influencers and start a course. Complete each learning activity at your own pace. ② LISTEN TO AUDIO. Learn by listening to podcast episodes. Listen when you're driving to work, working out, or doing chores. ③ TAKE THE QUIZ. Confirm you've learned the material by taking the short quiz at the end of the course. Score 75% or higher to pass. ④ GET YOUR CPE. Click 'Email CPE' and your CPE certificate arrives via email in your inbox. Earmark helps by keeping track of all your CPE earned through the app. When was the last time you took a free CPE/CPD course that taught you something you didn't already know? Most accountants and CPAs these days prefer to earn CPE from live webcasts, webinars or formal training. The problem is, you end up picking courses based on what fits your schedules, not what's most relevant to your professional development needs. With the Accounting Influencers Podcast partner Earmark CPE, you can earn credits whenever you want, wherever you go. Multitask and be more productive while listening to accounting and tax podcasts. When you're done listening, complete the handful of quiz questions to access your CPE/CPD certificate. UNCHAIN FROM YOUR DESK AND BE MORE PRODUCTIVE With the rise of remote and hybrid work, you're spending more time in front of your computer than ever before. So get out from behind your desk and learn while you listen to podcasts on the Earmark CPE mobile app for Android and iOS. STOP STRESSING ABOUT EARNING ENOUGH CREDITS By using the Earmark mobile app every week for free, you'll be sure to earn enough CPE credits to make your license renewal/CPD accreditation a breeze. Say goodbye to the pain of cramming in courses/training at the last minute. LEARN SOMETHING NEW FROM FREE CPE/CPD FOR ACCOUNTING PROFESSIONALS Let's be honest. Most free CPE/CPD courses aren't that great. The Accounting Influencers Podcast contributes to a growing library of educational, entertaining and on-demand accounting and tax podcasts. As a result, you can actually learn something new while you check that CPE/CPD box. ◤━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◥ NOTE TO LISTENERS: The Accounting Influencers Podcast is a CPE-accredited daily radio-style show with four segments coming out every Monday which are repeated on the other 4 weekdays as standalone episodes, plus a bonus 'from the client's perspective' episode on Saturdays. On Sundays, listeners get a short min trailer for the coming week's episodes. Every Tuesday the show gives you a relevant news topic from the accounting and fintech world with a direct application to accountants, CPAs and bookkeepers. Great to stay informed and build your commercial acumen. Every Wednesday and Friday, we feature an uncut interview...

Trailer - coming up this week on the daily radio-show style Accounting Influencers Podcast with Martin Bissett & Rob Brown: ➜ Monday: hear the full show with the best bits of accounting/fintech news, two expert interviews and practical tips for accounting professionals in the 'here's what works' segment. ➜ Tuesday: News - Martin & Rob discuss "The New $1.4bn Accounting Firm & What It Means to You." ➜ Wednesday: "Critical Race Theory & Black Accountants with Anton Lewis." ➜ Thursday: Rob & Martin offer up practical advice and tips for accounting practitioners on "What Works for Accountants When Choosing a Coach." ➜ Friday: "Exit Planning Services for Accountants with Christine Nicholson." ➜ Saturday: a short bonus episode in a new series to help accountants price better and win more business - "The Price Is Right Part 1 - Avoiding the Conversation." ➜ Sunday: a short trailer for next week's episodes - a teaser of what's coming up on the show in the next seven days. For full shownotes on these segments, check out the stand-alone episodes coming out this week and outlined on the days below. ◤━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◥ Follow Accounting Influencers on Linkedin - we'd love to keep you informed on latest interviews, episodes and behind the scenes goodies from the Accounting Influencers Podcast and events. Just go here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/accountinginfluencers (https://www.linkedin.com/company/accountinginfluencers) ◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢ NOTE TO LISTENERS: The Accounting Influencers Podcast is a CPE-accredited daily radio-style show with four segments coming out every Monday which are repeated on the other 4 weekdays as standalone episodes, plus a bonus 'from the client's perspective' episode on Saturdays. On Sundays, listeners get a short min trailer for the coming week's episodes. Every Tuesday the show gives you a relevant news topic from the accounting and fintech world with a direct application to accountants, CPAs and bookkeepers. Great to stay informed and build your commercial acumen. Every Wednesday and Friday, we feature an uncut interview with top authors, leaders, thinkers and performers in the accounting and fintech world. Every Thursday the show gives you a practical 'here's what works' tips concerning a key challenge, need or strategy for accountants, CPAs and bookkeepers. Great to stay current and keep your skills topped up. Finally, every Saturday gives listeners a bonus episode which focuses on the buyers of accounting services - the clients themselves. In particular how they feel, react to and experience their interactions with accountants. That includes why they buy or don't buy, why they move or stay and why they think how they think about you, your firm, your prices and your offerings. Martin and Rob love to hear from the show's 22,000 unique listeners in 150 countries around the world. If you like the show and listen to multiple episodes, we'd really appreciate your appreciation with a review or rating. As most of our listeners tune in via Apple podcasts... How to leave a review on Apple Podcasts ① Open the Podcasts app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. ② Navigate to the page of the Accounting Influencers Podcast. ③ Scroll down to find the subhead titled "Ratings & Reviews." ④ Under one of the highlighted reviews, select "Write a Review." Anything about the style of the show, the frequency, the content, the CPE/CPD, the hosts Martin and Rob, the guests, the different segments or something in particular that's made a difference. Listeners can rate the show on a scale of one to five stars and can also add a written review.  Please also recommend the show to people in your network because we'd love to reach a wider audience. Thank you from Rob, Martin and the whole Accounting Influencers Podcast team.

Today's show rundown: We meet our guest Donna Jackson right away, Mark talks a bit about what Donna has done in the past, and we get to chatting right away. Donna's resume is long and varied, and we cant wait to hear what she has to say about the current state of affairs. As we have said before, when you mix science and politics, all you get is politics. Laurie Lightfoot in Chicago is blaming distance learning on car jacking. According to Donna, 70 percent of Black people want MORE police presence. These white liberals who are making policy for the Black community that they don't even want. The fear people have with the teachers union, there is no merit in it. Bad teachers get the same pay as the good teachers busting their butts for the kids. So teachers that started out really excited and were gung ho for helping kids...they get beat down, and it is not about the kids, it ends up being about the teachers. Donna believes in Let's go Brandon...big time. What does Donna think about Biden saying "if you don't vote for me you ain't Black". She talks about how Biden has been since he has been in office all those years ago, how he talks about how black people are dumb, and has no respect for them. How Biden's policies towards Black people are depressing, humiliating, how is it that only Black people need snacks and water to vote. But white people can just stand in line. Blacks are the only ones who cant vote because they cant master simple life skills like getting a dang ID. After Georgia enacted their new voter laws, 16 Percent MORE people voted. African Americans feel like their votes aren't going to count due to all the fraudulent voted from voter fraud. The Black community is just looking for their voice to be heard. BIO – Donna Jackson, who serves as the the director of membership development for the Project 21 black leadership network, is a seasoned accountant with public and private sector experience as well as previous forays into politics and ministry. Donna earned a Bachelor of Accountancy (cum laude) from the California State University San Marcos. She has worked in accounting, auditing and management roles with major companies such as Ernst & Young and Marriott International in the private sector before serving in the public sector as a deputy controller for the Export-Import Bank of the United States. She is a member of the National Association of Black Accountants. Prior to her career in accounting, Donna was a political operative in the state of Arkansas. She worked on the successful campaigns of Governor Mike Huckabee, Senator Tim Hutchinson and Representative (now Governor) Asa Hutchinson. She was active in campaign recruiting and communications. She played a vital role during the Huckabee governorship in recruiting black candidates for executive-appointed boards and commissions in addition to helping create job-training programs at a local community college and the Arkansas Office of Workforce Development. She is a former board member of the Little Rock Minority Disability Advisory Network and a former member of the Crittenden County (Arkansas) Workforce Development Planning Committee. She was also a contributor to the Ernst & Young Diversity Think Tank. Donna originally sought a role in the church. She is a former divinity graduate of Charles H. Mason Theological Seminary in Memphis, Tennessee. It was there that she was taught the gift of administration as a vital part of the Christian ministry. Donna is a firm believer in free markets and entrepreneurship, rather than government, as a means of lifting people out of poverty. https://nationalcenter.org/ncppr/staff/donna-jackson-2/

This episode of Success Fundamentals features Guylaine Saint Juste, the president and CEO of the National Association of Black Accountants. Guylaine shares with Kris her humble beginnings in Haiti in a matriarchal household. Guylaine credits much of her achievements to the guidance of her grandmother and mother, whom she describes as ethical and strong women. When she arrived in the US, Guylaine started working as a minimum wage employee to make ends meet. Despite her humble stature then, Guylaine always went above and beyond her duties and conducted herself with pride, earning the respect of her coworkers.The biggest lesson that Guylaine imparts is to always have the tenacity to do the work to achieve your goals. No matter what it is you plan to do, have the patience and determination to put in your best effort, and the rest will follow. HIGHLIGHTSGrowing up with strong womenDon't chase riches, chase wealth Living up to her grandmother's legacyLeaving Haiti for the US In times of hurt, always say thank you Be the master of your reactionWhatever you choose to do, you need to do the workMoney is energyKindness is powerQUOTESGuylaine: "I was surrounded by strong women who were ethical, who worked hard, who had a view of their place in the big whole but then also realized that what you do contributes to a whole. This idea of interconnectedness, that nothing you do happens in a void. Everything you do is impacting in the whole."Guylaine: "Wealth is to have moved to a place where you can live the life that you desire to live and to leave enough space for others to have that too."Kris: "Don't wish for anybody else's success because you don't know what their burdens are."Kris: I always tell people, you can do whatever you want to do whether it's art, whether it's comedy, whether it's business. But you have to have fundamental things for that profession for you to build on. For example, from a math standpoint, you can achieve calculus but you gotta know how to add and subtract first. Guylaine: "Money is a horrible master but a fabulous servant. I like having my money, not because it rules over me, but for what my money allows me to do for the things I want to do." Guylaine: "Love is not a feeling, it's a practice. It is choosing to be kind. It is choosing to be the best in people. It is choosing to want the best of others and yourself. It is choosing to know that you are enough."You can connect and learn more about Guylaine through the links below.LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/guysaintjuste/Follow Success Fundamentals on the following links below: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4XCvuwxnFi5_7C6Ncm12xQLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/success-fundamentals™Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/successfundamentalspodcastInstagram: https://instagram.com/successfundamentalspodcast

Roger Davis launched his financial services business while still working for Fortune 500 Company 3M in Austin.  As the former president of the Austin Cen-Tex chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants, he knew the importance for planning for life after 3M.  In our interview we discussed what he gained from attending the HBCU Florida A & M University, his foray into entrepreneurship, and his new business life after retiring from 3M.

This week's episode features Alton Bell of Bell Tax Accountants. Mr. Bell is the Principal Accountant at Bell Tax as well as virtual CFO to the many small business clients the firm provides accounting services to. Brother Bell is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., the National Association of Black Accountants, the Institute of Internal Auditors, and the National Association of Enrolled Agents. Alton plies his trade in his hometown of Chicago where he also serves as the Scholarship Chairman and Board Member for the Calahan Foundation, raising funds for college bound students. Facebook: Bell Tax Accountants Twitter: @belltaxexperts Instagram: @belltaxaccountants Webpage: www.bell-tax.com Current reading/Recommended Reads: The E-myth Chief Financial Officer by Michael Gerber The One Thing by Gary Keller The Blessed Life by Robert Morris (next read) Currently listening/Recommended Music: 90s Hip Hop Old Soul Mixes Recommended Podcasts The Network with Michael Prejean (Highly Recommended!) The Potters House EYL The One Thing Finally, "You Didn't Ask," but... "From a financial standpoint: Life Insurance grows tax free and is not subject to taxes when you retire, is not subject to bankruptcy and *is almost like hidden money." --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mike493/message

For our June episode, we are addressing race in business. We are joined by Ahmed Ahmed of the UNL chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants. Hear Ahmed's perspective and take some time to evaluate what you can do to be an ally in the workplace.

Episode 10 of the Journey to DevelopHer Podcast features Dr. Cozette M. White. Dr. Cozette M. White is an acclaimed 6x bestselling authors, nationally recognized advisory accountant and tax expert, international speaker and philanthropist. Dr. Cozette is the Founder and CEO of My Financial Home Enterprises, is a certified woman owned small business global financial firm providing comprehensive accounting, tax and business management services. The firm has helped thousands of clients, globally, build their own successful companies and realize their dream of running their own mini-empires. My Financial Home has been featured in Forbes Magazine and named one of The Boss Network's top 50 companies two years in a row. As Cameka Smith, Founder and CEO of the Boss Network put it, “without question she is brilliant at teaching others to leverage their unique gifts and qualities into a financial windfall.”Dr. White is the resident Money Matter's Tax Expert for FOX40. Her excellent media credentials, professionalism, and outgoing personality has allowed her to provide expert advice on tax issues for CBS This Morning, NBC, ABC and FOX television stations. She has been featured on the numerous radio shows including Radio One and iHeart radio, she's a recurring voice to millions making regular appearances in various national media outlets, including Black Enterprise, Forbes, Women of Wealth, Upscale, The Huffington Post, and countless newspapers across the country. Women of Wealth dubbed White, “Wealth Builder Extraordinaire.” In 2017, Dr. White was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by President Barack Obama.White received her Master of Business Administration degree from the University of La Verne and her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from California State University, Dominguez Hills. Later Dr. White was awarded a Doctorate Degree of Philosophy Letters. She is involved in her community and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc; she is a member of the National Association of Black Accountants and National Black MBA Association.In addition, she holds the following credentials: Licensed/Certified Income Tax PreparerCTEC Registered Tax Preparer (CRTP)Certified Financial Planner Dr. Cozette's personal and professional achievements have not gone unnoticed, and through the years she has been awarded:2020 Top 31 Women of Dignity – History Makers by K.I.S.H. Magazine2019 Productive Business Community Game Changer Award2019 Women Add Value Leadership Recognition Award2019 Top 28 Influential Business Pioneer by K.I.S.H. Magazine2019 Dynasty of Dreamers by K.I.S.H. Magazine2018 Top Business Award by The Boss Network2018 Top Female Expert by Huff Post2017 Top Business Award by The Boss Network2017 Lifetime Achievement Award by President Barack Obama2017 10 Women Speakers To Know - Jazzy Creative Magazine2017 Top 6 Leaders of The Month - WomELLE Magazine 2016 Wealth Builder Extraordinaire by Women of Wealth Magazine

In honor of Black History Month and the powerful women of color who are inspiring others to dream big, I’d like to share my conversation with a truly remarkable woman. Noel Abdur-Rahim is an Assurance Partner with PwC, focusing mostly on auditing public companies in the industrial manufacturing industry. Noel has over 15 years of experience serving clients in various sectors including large consumer and industrial products, utility, retail, higher education and multinational organizations and she is also on the board of the National Association of Black Accountants (or NABA). Special Guest: Noel Abdur-Rahim.

New #TeesMe podcast episode alert: On Course For Change, A conversation with a DEI veteran Ronald Taylor ***Audio Updated*** What you will hear ************************* Disclaimer: Any remarks are of Ronald Taylor and do not represent Mizuho. - The Big 6 (not childcare) is where the money resides - A Crocodile ball retriever named Chet - Consulting + golf + cashing in…Drive for show, putt for dough - The DEI performative poster children - Certificate DEI (no checks written = no free promos) - The ERG conundrum & FUBU - Driving authentic Sponsorship - Ron is in the ACE club!!!!! Galloping Hill, NJ - The life of a 10 handicap, don’t BREATHE in my backswing - His 2 dream 4-some, golfer & celebrity - Don’t just sit by the door, drive change (if you know, you know Sam Greenlee) ABOUT Ronald Taylor is Managing Director, Head of Diversity and Inclusion @Mizuho. In this role, he leads the firm’s efforts furthering a culture that benefits from diverse life experiences, viewpoints, and expertise. Taylor is based in New York, reporting to the Chief Human Resources Officer. Most recently, Taylor was a Diversity Officer with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.   He also was a Diversity/HR Consultant where he designed and implemented diversity and inclusion programs and resource networks for his clients. Taylor began his professional career with KPMG in 1998 as an audit associate in the firm's New York office working primarily in the financial services area. In 2002, Taylor joined the Workplace Solutions team as Northeast Regional manager - a newly formed role that integrated the firm's national work/life; community service; diversity, and affirmative action programs. He earned his B.S. in Management with a concentration in Accounting from the University of Massachusetts at Boston and was the recipient of the Charles Hoff Leadership Scholarship for Community involvement. Taylor is a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Massachusetts and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) as well as the New Jersey Society of CPAs. Taylor recently joined the Board of Directors of Genesys Works NYC. He is also a past member of Harlem’s Reviving Baseball in Inner cities (RBI) Board of Directors and St Anthony High School's Board of Trustees. Taylor served on the National Board of Directors and is a lifetime member of the National Association of Black Accountants. What you need to know ************************** LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronald-taylor-cpa-aa66b61/ Rory used his platform well, https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/29296644/rory-mcilroy-golf-more-racially-diverse ************************** Listen on Apple, Spotify, Google https://anchor.fm/TeesMe   #TeesMe #podcast #storiesNeedToBeTold #untoldStories #CPA #NABA #AICPA #Mizuho #KPMG #FED #Finance #DEI   #Finance #Diversity #Inclusion #DEI #Equity #Golf   #DiversityMatters #2021 #IN18 #IN18Ways #GoodTrouble #IN18Ways --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Herschel Frierson is a Managing Director with Crowe LLP with over 23 years of experience and is the 27th Chairman of the Board of Directors with the National Association of Black Accountants.  He has done governmental consulting and general consulting.  His work has involved analysis of cash flows for various governmental units in preparation for proposed financings; revenue studies and tax impact studies. He has assisted many communities with municipal bond issues, short and long term financial planning, capital improvement plans, and budget consulting.  Herschel was recently named by Accounting Today as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting.  

Natasha and Jenna releases a mini-season with special guest Jasmine Young, MBA, CPA, CFE, a Certified Fraud Examiner and a Certified Public Accountant licensed by the Georgia State Board of Accountancy discussing the payroll tax changes that will impact employees entering 2021 and the deets on the 2021 tax season. A native of Indian Ridge, Alabama, Jasmine Young founded Southern Tax Preparation & Services, LLC from the comforts of her home in Huntsville, Alabama, in December 2014. Jasmine has over 8 years of experience in government accounting and auditing; she also has over 5 years in experience in public accounting. Jasmine is a member of the Atlanta Chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants, the Atlanta Chapter of the Georgia Society of CPAs, and the National Society of Black Certified Public Accountants. Every small business owner and every employee needs a CPA on speed dial for this upcoming tax season. Let's have this taboo conversation! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/fckworkpodcast/message

Shanell McWhite, CPA, VP Internal Audit Manager at JP Morgan Chase.The goal of this interview was to demystify what a career in auditing is, what strengths and interest must one have to be successful in it and what role does does a CPA license play. Ms. McWhite shares in great detail what her experiences have been and paints a clear picture of the type of person that would fit seamlessly into the profession and why she was mistaken for Queen Latifah. The interview highlights her love of the process and why you may love it too.As mentioned:The program Inroads: https://inroads.org/The National Association of Black Accountants: https://www.nabainc.org/JP Morgan Chase Student Programs: https://careers.jpmorgan.com/us/en/students/programs/smart-startSocial Media links: Twitter: https://twitter.com/risecethepodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/risecareerexploration/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/risecareerexplorationWebsite: risecareer.orgRise career exploration is financially supported by listeners like you. Every dollar helps towards future podcast episodes. Click on the link in the show notes or visit us at risecareer.org today. Thank you for your support, enjoy the show and remember, together we RISE. Donate: https://liberapay.com/Rise-Career-Exploration/donate Shop: https://teespring.com/stores/my-store-10434812My books:HarlemPressLLC.comP.S. I easily get frustrated with tech. For whatever reason, I make a mess of things. But the Buzzsprout podcast platform has been super easy to create, upload and publish. And if "I" say it was easy, it's easy. The customer service is off the chain. I actually got emailed back the same day. Once, tech support went in to fix the problem and report to me that it's been taken care of. I'm a huge fan and that's the only reason I'm endorsing them. Sign up to share your ideas via podcast now: https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1382848Support the show

The year 2020 will be remembered for many things, not the least of which has been a race relations awakening. The accounting profession, too, has joined in. Many firms have taken steps to build on previous efforts by forming in-house diversity and inclusion committees and bolstering board and executive involvement in said groups. For efforts like these to bear fruit, though, these actions must go deep; they must become part of an organization’s mission. So says Herschel Frierson, managing director of Crowe LLP in Indianapolis and chair of the National Association of Black Accountants. To read the full transcript click here. 

Episode 31 we sit down with former banking executive Mark Weintraub talk about his journey to working in financial services, using his platform to combat social injustices and how allies can always do more. Mark is an innovative and transformational leader with a diverse mix of experience across all three lines of defense in, and as an independent auditor and advisor to, banks and financial services firms. A recognized champion of diversity and inclusion (D&I), Mark was a member of Wells Fargo’s Corporate Risk D&I Council, Chair of the Internal Audit D&I Council, and a member of the firm’s Enterprise D&I Council. Through Mark’s leadership, allyship and advocacy, the firm received recognition from the Charlotte chapters of both the National Black MBA Association and National Association of Black Accountants.As always, thank you for tuning into the ‘You Should Listen’ podcast – please don’t forget to rate, comment and subscribe. This episode is sponsored by Anchor – the easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/laywill --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/laywill/message

Part 2 in my series with Herschel Frierson, managing director in the consulting group at Crowe and current Chair of the Board of Directors of NABA, the National Association of Black Accountants. Special Guest: Herschel Frierson.

Herschel Frierson is a managing director in the consulting group at Crowe LLP and soon to be Chair of the Board of Directors of NABA, the National Association of Black Accountants. (https://www.nabainc.org/) As you’ll hear, Herschel has done a tremendous amount of work to bring young black people to the accounting profession. We talked about the practices in accounting and finance that lead to a lack of diversity, the importance of mentorship, and the conversations he’s having with his daughter in the midst of global protests. We all know that we have a lot to learn and I hope this conversation will inspire you to have similar conversations with people in your own lives. Be vulnerable. Be open. And, as Herschel tells his mentees, just speak your truth. Special Guest: Herschel Frierson.

In this episode, we're talking about how tax policy impacts social policy, how the U.S. PwC chief details "plan" to combat racism — is it just more talk? Also, after 50 years, there's still little progress for Black accountants. What should we make of the jobs report? CPA execs have a bleaker outlook thanks to coronavirus. In other news, Zoom crushes quarterly earnings estimates but Microsoft has taken notice, PPP forgiveness rules are eased by Congress, and which banking groups are calling for PPP forgiveness. We'll also touch on three ways to get the most out of Microsoft Teams, how Xero delays price increases and releases new business and cash flow dashboards, and more!

Each episodes shares marketing segments of the book, "Marketing Campaign Handbook". This episode Bernice interviews Shiloh. Text mchandbook to 797979 to join our text list! Purchase Marketing Campaign Handbook at www.marketingcampaignhandbook.com Marketing Campaign Handbook #marketingcampaignhandbook Shiloh Johnson is a practicing CPA, who works with small business owners and early entrepreneurs to make sure they understand relevant tax rules and requirements. Shiloh founded ComplYant in 2019 and participated in Seneca VC's Advance Cohort. She fights for the little guy. She believes that the color of your skin should not impact your likelihood of success. Everyone deserves complete and accurate fiscal guidance and financial success. Shiloh helps small businesses to operate more efficiently by unlocking solutions to their toughest tax challenges. Shiloh holds a Bachelors Degree in Accounting, a Masters Degree in Taxation from Golden Gate University. She holds a Certified Public Accounting certificate. She is also a member of several professional organizations, including the Institute for Professionals in Taxation, American Institute of CPAs, Institute for Professionals in Taxation, and the National Association of Black Accountants.

Diversity Matters with Oscar Holmes IV Season 1 Episode 4 Episode Title: Creating Effective Diversity Initiatives: The PhD Project Story Guest: Bernie Milano   Diversity Matters with Oscar Holmes IV is a podcast that explores all things diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) related. In each episode, Oscar and his guests have lively discussions around DEI topics, explore the latest research on the topic, and discuss the implications so that listeners will be more knowledgeable about the topics and be able to apply the insights to their lives.   Show Summary: In this episode, Bernie Milano, the former president of the KPMG Foundation and the founder of The PhD Project. A CPA, shares the reason behind this project and what challenges he faced while building the organization. Despite the struggles, he still managed to build a legacy because his purpose was not only for himself but for the people who needed his help.   When they were starting, they didn’t have a clear action plan but knew what they wanted to accomplish. Partnering up with organizations like National Association of Black Accountants, National Black MBA Association, Association of Hispanic MBAs and 10 more organizations allowed them to bring their message to the right people and that took them one step ahead of the game.   This helped them broaden their network and encourage people to get their PHDs. Their mission to wholeheartedly support employees of colors to become professors & leaders has been their fuel & achievement for many years of their project’s existence.   Description: This episode shows a unique kind of experience. It proves that people of different colors can come together to achieve a common goal. Helping each other genuinely creates a great impact not only to an individual but to the whole society.   Be driven by your purpose. Listen to the stories of the people you meet. Create a legacy that will leave a mark in the history and the hearts of the people you serve.   Guest Contact & Promos:  3 Value Bombs:     We are all products of our life experiences.   I think it's true of almost anything you try to do with your life or with your career you have to have, you have to be authentic. You have to have a genuine interest and passion for what it is you're trying to do. It's important to get up in the morning to know you have a reason to get up and you have a purpose for that day. Show Highlights:    Why did you feel the need to start The PhD Project and why were you the right person to start it? 4:16 Bernie   Well, you know, it's interesting. I ran recruiting for KPMG for a couple decades as the National department in charge of University Relations. And from a professional standpoint and the firm's standpoint and our goals and our values, as well as my own personal interest, I'm very frustrated about not being able to find we'll call them students of color. I don't want to offend anyone, but the focus in the PhD project is really on African, Hispanic and Native American so I am very frustrated about not being able to find the students of color no matter where we went unless we went to an HBCU.   Can you share with us some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in founding this organization and specific strategies and alliances you employed in order to overcome those challenges?   6:20 Bernie   When we started, we didn't have a clue what we were doing but we knew we wanted to accomplish. We tried to harness some talent around the table, reached out to some organizations like advertising firms and others. And, you know, what we were told was the most effective thing to do in order to get our message out, was to use direct mail. What portion of your success in founding The PhD Project would you attribute to your being a cis-heterosexual White man?   8:39 Bernie   Well, I've never really thought of it that way. You know, we are all people. We are all products of our life experiences. And even though I would be categorized as a white male, heterosexual my life experiences starting all the way back when I was working in my dad's dry cleaning store where we had employees Employees of color and we only had four employees, including me and three of them were African American.   I thought we went to a diverse High School. But as I look back on that high school, I realized that all of the African American students and their families, we're living in one little section of our town, which was called match down, which was a horrible, horrible reference to it. So it just accumulates and accumulates it so you know, I have a passion for what we were doing.   What advice can you give others who want to be good allies   15:28 Bernie    I think it's true of almost anything you try to do with your life or with your career you have to have, you have to be authentic. You have to have a genuine interest and passion for what it is you're trying to do. Because if you're not genuine, if you're not authentic, if passion doesn't drip through every conversation, every interaction you have, you're just not going to be successful.   When I I was asked to be the speaker at a presidential inauguration and years ago, it was really wonderful. I flew out to California to do it. She told me I was the third choice, but that's okay. I didn't mind that at all. And she said, you know, Bernie, tell me, tell me how you got to where you are in this incredible interest and passion and energy you have around diversity and new words that come up like inclusion and belonging, but it's all the same thing.   What specific advice can you give executives who are at these large companies like KPMG who want to start effective, DEI initiatives & what steps should they take?   19:24 Bernie   We know some executives were around the table thinking about their product line, thinking about their competitors, thinking about the economy, thinking about their R&D, they would be having really serious conversations. People who were significant players in the organization would be assigned to a task force to figure out well, I know how, what can we do?   Within an alumni community that is so much larger than the current doctoral students in a PhD project, how is the emphasis evolving to serve this increasingly larger segment of the PhD project family?   29:42 Bernie   I think Oscar you know this that we've now formed alumni organizations so that when our doctoral students come together at their conferences, of which we have five, by academic discipline, when they come together at their conference, usually in the summer, the leading day of that conference is devoted to the Alumni coming back, trying to represent so that they, they continue to know they're supported, they talk about how to get tenure. Call to Action: Subscribe to Diversity Matters and get exclusive access to all episodes of Beyond the Mill, which is my live diversity dialogues talk show that I host on campus at Rutgers University-Camden.    Episode Sponsor Links:    Producer Links:   Host Social Media Links:   Subscribe to Diversity Matters  , , , , , , , and  

New #TeesMe podcast episode alert with Hole in One Club Member, Hudson “Ace” Etienne of TAXDRx ************************** What you will hear on this episode: • The Connector connects, golf with Dale Favors #theConnector (Season 1, episode 8) • When the IRS comes for you -Tax Resolution 101 • For the Entreprenuers - Add an accountant to your circle • How Ace discovered golf (ps: we love good managers) • The infamous Weequahic Park Golf Course • Golf Gambling Lingo - Newbies don’t be scared • Ladies’ got game, Trust Me • They call him Ace • Just do it! File your taxes • The Real Estate Game, is it still the Wealth builder? • “Knowledge is power, WHEN transferred to others” • Cash business tax reporting - de la Bodega • PSA: Don’t let Ray-Ray do your taxes • Golf Bets…Income?!?! • The Ace & The Architects Golf Club ************************** Hudson "Ace" Etienne is the Founder of TAX DRx Financial Corporation. He is a graduate of New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Management Engineering with a minor in Finance and Accounting. Professional Memberships*** Hudson is a proud member of the American Society of Tax Problem Solvers (ASTPS), the National Association of Enrolled Agents (NAEA), the National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP), the National Society of Tax Professionals (NSTP), the National Society of Accountants, the National Association of Black Accountants, the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA), and the National Association of Christian Financial Consultants (NACFC), Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, and a Dave Ramsey Show ELP (Endorsed Local Provider are the only tax professionals Dave Ramsey recommends). A recognized entrepreneur and innovator, he has received numerous honors, including the Award of Excellence from the New Jerusalem Baptist Church, and the Paul Harris Fellow for his community service and contributions while serving as President of the Rotary Club of Roselle-Roselle Park in 2004. 
Speaking Engagements*** Hudson is often quoted for his expertise and has engaged in numerous public speaking engagements. Hudson’s appearances include The Wendy Williams Experience, Money Making Mondays with Andrew Morrison and the KISS FM Wake-Up Club, and OPEN LINE with Bob Slade, Bob Pickett Esq. WBLS FM, workshop presenter at Fired Up! SMALL BUSINESS Empowerment Summit, with the NJ Spelman Alumnae / National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) on Franchising and a tax workshop presenter at the Newark Leadership Roundtable on Business in Montclair State University, organized by The Positive Community Magazine. He has also presented Biblical Financial Stewardship workshops at New Zion Baptist Church in Elizabeth, NJ, at Newark Good Shepherd Church of the Nazarene and First Shiloh Baptist Church, in West Orange, NJ. ************************** What you need to know: Website: https://www.taxdrx.com/ IG: @TaxDrX Courses Mentioned: Fiddlers Elbow - @fiddlerselbowcc The Architects - @architectsgc Weequahic Golf Course, NJ - No IG --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

The Metro DC Chapter of the National Association of Black Accountants present Accounting for Us: a podcast tailored for navigating corporate America as a Black Professional. We seek to equip our listeners with tools for success and provide allies with perspectives on how to support. We will have conversations with various industry leaders to discuss a myriad of hot topics. We hope you enjoy!

On the eighth installment of our See It to Be It series, our amazing host Amy C. Waninger sits down to chat with Uso Sayers, CISA, an IT Audit Professional with over 14 years of public accounting experience who currently works as a managing director at Johnson Lambert LLP. Uso graciously shares a bit about how she got involved in public accounting and what about it appealed to her, and she names a couple organizations that help people of color feel supported and connected within the public accounting and IT audit field. She also discusses what surprised her about this work that she didn't expect going in, and she and Amy emphasize the importance of finding the place where you're different and going to listen.Connect with Uso on LinkedIn.Learn more about the National Association of Black Accountants.TRANSCRIPTAde: What's up, y'all? This is Ade. Before we get into Amy's episode, I wanted to share some advice on working remotely. For those of us who are impacted by COVID-19, more commonly known as coronavirus--or if you're not at all impacted by COVID-19 but you are working and transitioning into a more remote lifestyle--I just wanted to share six quick tips that you want to try out to work for you. I do want to say that I don't necessarily abide by all of these rules. I simply know that they are good things to follow based off of me implementing them at some point or another or folks who are better, smarter than me offering these things up as advice. So first and foremost, I would set up a strict calendar. By that I mean I would accept every invite for every meeting. I would have any break times that I wanted to schedule. If there's a point when you're working remotely where you have a cleaner or a plumber or you have a doctor's appointment, keep an updated calendar and make sure that you are updating your team, because it helps you work asynchronously across your team. If folks know that you're not gonna be available between the hours of 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. Eastern time because you're asleep, or some psychos are in the gym, it gives them an opportunity to not pester you while you're away but also think through some questions of how they may better utilize your time when you do get back online. My second tip would be to use check-ins with your co-workers. By that, I mean use your daily stand-ups [?]. Use your Slack team channels if that's a thing. Use those things to keep in contact with your teams, because it's very easy to lose perspective in a sense and lose empathy for your friends or for your coworkers if they're not constantly top of mind. So in that sense, I would remember, you know, team birthdays. Maybe establishing a Slack reminder that it's someone's birthday [and] you all should go drop a Happy Birthday gift in their messages. All of that to say [laughs] that if you can remember to treat your teammates as teammates, as people, not just, you know, an avatar on the other side of the conversation you're having about poorly deployed code, it makes for a better work environment, as distributed as it may be. Thirdly--and these also sort of go hand-in-hand, but I would say that you should over-communicate. This also kind of ties into your strict calendar. Over-communicate. Ensure that any time away from your desk, any planned work that you're gonna be working on, any roadblocks that you're having, you say those things before they become problems, because it's so much easier to kind of get ahead of the horse before it gets out of the table. I don't know if that's an idiom that people actually use anymore, [laughs] but I do think that it's important to ensure that folks aren't caught blindsided, that if you've been working on something and you're stuck on it, give people an opportunity to help you out, and give others the grace to see you where you are so that you don't foster resentment. It's much easier to get something done if you speak up about it sooner rather than later, and it's difficult. I know, for one, it's something that I've had my issues with, especially in situations where you are, you know, bound to your home. Reduce your stress levels and just ask for help. Actually there was one thing that I didn't mention at the top when I said "Set up a strict calendar." On your calendars, I also recommend that you put your self-cues. If you're someone like me who--I drink a lot of caffeine over the course of the day, and I recently spoke to a nutritionist who kind of reminded me that when you work asynchronously and when you consume a lot of caffeine, caffeine suppresses your appetite, and it causes you to fall into really unhealthy eating patterns. More often than not, when you find yourself at home throughout the day you get really comfortable--too comfortable sometimes--so I kind of encourage that you set up your calendar so that you have a routine, so that you're not just, you know, at home and not separating what is home from what is official work time. So when you're working from home, set up your calendar so that you have a routine. Have, you know, time for a shower, time for breakfast, time for the gym if that's something you do in the morning, so that you have a much more regimented schedule. And on your calendar as well, put in your hunger cues. If you're gonna eat at, I don't know, 7:00 a.m., if you're gonna eat breakfast or drink a smoothie at 7:00 a.m., it stands to reason that by maybe 11:00 you might need a small snack, so put a snack cue in your calendar. Maybe at 12:30 you're going to need your larger lunch. Put your lunch on your calendar. These things are important to help you establish a routine around your new lifestyle. Okay, we skipped back up to one, so I'm just gonna finish up with five and six. #5 is to protect your space. Whether it's that you need a physical demarcation of where work happens versus where life happens or if you're the sort of person who is able to, you know, keep up with the simultaneous demands of your work life and your home life, then it doesn't really matter where you work as long as work gets done. Just make sure you're protecting your space. Make sure that, if your close of business is 5:00 p.m., you're not allowing the fact that you work from home to have you check, you know, e-mails at 11:30 p.m. when you're supposed to be asleep. Ensure that you're protecting your space and establishing boundaries in that way, and help others understand and protect those things by communicating what your boundaries are. Just because we're working from home and we're mandated to work from home doesn't mean that my time after, you know, 5:30 p.m. is available to you, and if you see me online, mind your business. As far as you are concerned I am off work, unless it is a dire emergency. And then the sixth thing is don't forget to move. It's very easy, I know. I fell into the trap of eating inconsistently, over-indulging, under-indulging, such that after I had worked remotely for a while I realized that it was getting harder for me to, like, move physically, and it's easier to get ahead of that by simply incorporating movement into your day so that you don't develop back problems or spine problems or anything like that as far as your abilities may allow, but I also think that it's a good way to get out of the monotony and to inject some freshness and a fresh perspective into your day. If you just incorporate a quick 10-minute walk or maybe do some squats or, you know, whatever it may be that you can incorporate into your life to make your life easier, that is helpful and beneficial to you and obviously doesn't take away from you enjoying your day, I would say you should incorporate those things. I've been blathering on for a while. I hope these tips helped you out. Please let us know if there are any tips that work for you when you work remotely or asynchronously with your teams. That's it for now from me. Thank you so much for listening in. Next up you have Amy.Amy: Hi, Uso. Thank you for joining me.Uso: Hello, Amy. Good evening. It's my pleasure.Amy: Thank you. So I was wondering if you can tell me a little bit about your job as a tech auditor and how you got into that work.Uso: Okay, sure. So being in public accounting, I guess you could say I happened upon it. So I had an undergrad in accounting, and I was in grad school studying finance. Given that I had accounting background I figured, "Hey, finance will be a good thing that can, you know, supplement and complement my accounting degree." So I started doing that and I realized I really didn't like finance, so I added information systems as a second major. But doing that opened up--because this was back in 2002 to 2004 when Enron was happening, [?] was going down, so SOX became a big thing. I graduated in '04, and SOX--you know, filers had to be compliant with SOX in 2004, and--Amy: And SOX is the Sarbanes-Oxley legislation that sought to put some protections in place for consumers because companies were behaving very badly.Uso: Exactly. [laughs] I could not have said that better. And so most companies, especially large companies, were required to have IT audits performed. They had controls that they had implemented, and these controls needed to be validated. So that's kind of how I got into the [?] realm. Now, fast-forward 15 years, I'm still doing it because I absolutely love it. I love learning about companies and understanding their control structure so I, you know, can figure out how we can help them, how we can give them recommendations that they can implement.Amy: And when you talk about control structures, you mean things like separation of duties or checks on security so that the people who are accessing the system only have certain rights, the minimum rights that they need to do what they need to do and not extra stuff, right?Uso: Yes, exactly. So, you know, most of the company's financials come from one of the systems, and what was happening back in the day, one person can take a transaction through the system without anyone else touching that transaction. So I can create a vendor, I can pay that vendor. I can then determine where that check goes where that vendor, which leads to fraud or could lead to fraud--errors too, but fraud is one of the bigger reasons, because one [?] could pretend to be a vendor and the company never get any products or services, but I'm also the receiving clerk, so I can check off that this item that we've ordered has been received, and then I send the payment. Or I can even do it for myself, you know? Create some type of a dummy company with my address and then pay myself that way, and a number of companies actually lost money that way. But then there are also other ways outside of just fraud. You can have errors. You can also just have things that are--when you are developing code, and I know we're kind of getting into the technical realm, but when you're--and that's where a lot of errors could potentially happen, but when you're developing code you have the ability to determine how things are being calculated. So you can determine that 1 times 1 is equal to 100 versus 1, and if there aren't checks and balances in place to validate that 1 times 1 is 1, then, you know, the company could be losing money and not realize it. I always remember when I was in college, one of the things they always talked about was the [Lloyd fraudware?]. I think the guy changed one of the configurations by, like, a penny, and he was siphoning that to his own account, and I think he ended up getting millions of dollars.Amy: Oh, my gosh.Uso: You know, so now having--ensuring that the same person who is creating and developing the configuration is not the person who is making that configuration the final configuration in the system, or at least having somebody inserted to check it and make sure it's doing what the company thinks it's doing, you know? That's kind of what we call the control structure.Amy: Got you. Uso: Now, with cybersecurity, the security piece is getting focus. I think with SOX, this change management piece was the big deal then. Security was important, but now with cybersecurity and personal information and protecting that personal information, security is being put on the map so to speak.Amy: Mm-hmm, very good. So I know you got into this kind of a little by accident, because you were down the accounting path and then you just got interested in the IT side of things, but what surprised you about this work that you didn't expect before you got into it?Uso: It is interesting. You know, when you--at least I when I thought of accounting, I thought "boring." And, you know, finance to some extent, but then even though IT audit is not truly core IT, you have the ability to learn a lot about the technical side of what companies do, because before you can offer a company recommendation you have to understand what they have configured and what they have in place, what systems they have, what infrastructure those systems sit on, and then how they're securing their environment, how they're ensuring that, you know, they're protecting--another big area in the IT control realm is that [?] recovery. If we remember 9/11, a number of companies went under because all of their operations were in that building. You know, Tower 1 or Tower 2. They did not have any of that information backed up to a different location. Now we all have phones, and you'd be surprised to know how many people do not back up their pictures and their contact information outside of their phones. So the phone falls in some water, and that's all of their information. And so, you know, that's also one of the areas that we look at, because in 2018, 2019, there's still companies that do not back up data or do not back up frequently, which may sound surprising. [laughs] But it is true. And helping them understand why it's important, or understand why it's important to back it up to something other than the machine where you have the information or outside of the building where you have your information so that you can access it if something happened. You know, you might have people say, "Well, we're not in a [?] plane." Okay, but a pipe could burst. You know? So [laughs] the risks are still there, and, you know, we help companies understand what their risks are so that they can design controls, they can help them make [?] those risks.Amy: That's terrific. So a lot of computing is moving to the cloud, and how are you managing those same risks when the companies don't own the servers and the computers that the work is really being done on?Uso: So two things. The company now has to hold their service provider, that cloud provider, accountable, and they also are still accountable, because at the end of the day it's their data. It's their information. As a client of theirs, I gave them my information. I did not give the cloud my information. So when something happens, I go to the company that I gave my information to. So what companies are doing, there's something called a SOC report, Service Organization Controls report. So the cloud service providers have auditors come in and review their controls, and one of the reasons why the cloud service providers are so successful [is] because they're doing such a large-scale operation. They can afford to have, you know, the best auditors come in, validate their controls, and they can afford to put robust controls in place. So a lot of these companies--the larger cloud providers I guess I should say, because some of the smaller ones are not as sophisticated, but the larger ones, they have very robust controls in place, and they love to have auditors come in and look at it and try to tear it apart so that they can demonstrate that their controls are robust. And even those large companies have incidents happen, you know? That's why the Amazons of the world, they have data centers on both coasts and different places, because things happen, and for companies that do not have the infrastructure in place to support that in house, putting it on the cloud is probably the next best thing because it's going into a secure infrastructure. Now, where some companies think, "Oh, I just put it in the cloud. It's okay." You have to ensure--the cloud companies, in those SOC reports there's something called complementary user entity controls, and what that says is I have this gate, but you design the lock, and you design who has access to that lock. And companies don't realize that, so they think "Oh, it's in the cloud. It's okay," but no, there are those complementary user controls. If you are not doing those things, then the cloud service provider can say, "Well, we did what we're supposed to do, but they came in through the gate. We put up the fence of the infrastructure, but the people came through the gate because they didn't put a lock on the gate like they were supposed to." They will tell you what are the things--you know, they may say, you know, "You must authorize all users that are granted access," or for firewalls, the firewall is kind of the router, I guess, so to speak. I'm trying to find a good way to explain it, but the firewalls protect the network. So, you know, if you have internet traffic, it has to flow through the firewall. The firewall validates that this traffic is coming from a computer that's authorized before it can view your information. But you have to set up the firewall to do that. The cloud service provider is not configuring your firewall to tell which of your people can come in and view your information, and sometimes companies don't realize that. So it's easier, but you have to take the steps to also ensure that you're doing those things that you need to do.Amy: Thank you for that. So, you know, I think it's fascinating the way this role is changing in terms of IT and just all of the technology that's available and the way our platforms are changing. I grew up in IT back in the day, and it seems like this is a place that is ripe with opportunity for people just coming out of college or maybe even looking for a career change. What would you say to someone who's interested in learning more about whether or not they might be a fit for this industry? What kinds of resources are available to them to learn more?Uso: And this is tricky, 'cause I wish schools--and I think some schools are getting there, 'cause ideally the colleges will be providing guidance in this area because there's so many career opportunities in the IT field, even in public accounting. So even the traditional--you know, even the traditional accountant or auditor is different now. For the financial audit teams, they're adding data scientists and they're adding data analysts, so those are fields that maybe five to ten years ago, it wasn't a thing, and people may not know that. Even four years ago, some people entered school and that was not a career path, and now in your graduating years it's an opportunity. Project manager, you know? You know, if you're on the company side, project managers are in great demand. Certified information systems security professionals, you know? They're in great demand. It can be intimidating, but Google's probably the best place to start because that usually has the most updated information. I can tell you a number of universities, and, you know, when you look up careers in auditing or careers in IT auditing, you'll see that it's no longer traditional just control management. There are risk management roles, security roles, the data roles like I said, and the data roles are becoming more and more important because of big data. You know, companies have all this data. Somebody has to analyze that data and assess it and determine, you know, how can we use it. Even for auditors, you're getting information from a company, you want to know if there's all of the information that I need. So let's say you're auditing an insurance company [and] you get a list of claims. You have to performance procedures to ensure that that list of claims has all of the claims that you wanted to see for the period of time that you wanted to see it. So you may see "I need to see all claims for 2018 over a million dollars." Well, how do you know that this report that they gave you has all this information on it? You have to do some type of validation procedures to get comfortable that the information on the report is complete and then do your auditing procedures to, you know, understand and test the accuracy of it. A lot of times also the bigger firms--so in public accounting the big four firms and some of the larger public accounting firms, they also have a lot of info on their website that can potentially help. But again, that may be skewed to their company. So I would say start with just, you know, a broad search on Google depending on what aspect of IT you're interested in and then kind of use--you know, I always go for a known site. So, like, if I'm Googling something and I see Harvard is in the top six, I probably will click on the Harvard Business Review's point of view and read there first before going to the next thing, 'cause there's some things that make you go like, "Hm, I don't know." [both laugh]Amy: So what about for people of color in this industry? I would imagine that there's a predominance, especially in management ranks and probably in some of the bigger companies--I know a lot of the bigger companies are really committed to diversity initiatives, but I would imagine that it's common for a person of color who goes into this work to be the only on their team or the only in their department. What resources or organizations are available in this industry so that people can feel supported, feel like they have a community in this space?Uso: Right, yeah. And it's interesting. So public accounting generally, yes, is still pretty traditional, all white male, but I noticed the IT audit side is very diverse. It's very interesting, because I think it's one of those areas where your skill--yes, politics play a part, but your skill set is needed and your skill set is valued and respected. And there are an number of resources. Most of the bigger firms have affinity groups that, you know, they're either women's groups, groups that are by race, and then even for sexual and gender-type diversity, there are groups for that. And then outside of the firms there are also various groups. You know, there's Women in Technology. There's the National Association of Black Accountants. There's the National Society of Black Engineers. There are a number of affinity groups that are out there that focus on helping minorities 1. connect with each other and 2. be exposed to the resources and development that they need in order to progress in their organizations, and it's one of those things where I personally feel like it's--when I started in public accounting, I was a member of the National Association of Black Accountants, and I felt like that really helped me to 1. understand what it takes to be a professional. It helped me to expand my network, because I got to meet not only people in my firm, but also people in other firms. I got to meet professionals at my level, professionals that were higher than me, professionals that were my gender, my race also outside of that, and that really helped me to have a wider view, a wider point of view and different points of view, as I progressed through my career. Some people feel as though these groups sometimes hinder your career, and I say it only does that if you're not being smart about how you're using your time. Because sometimes I think people only use this opportunity for social networking. They don't use it for any technical development. They don't use it to help auditors--like, one of the errors I have focused on as I was coming up in my career was the development of [?] students. So things that I learned, I would go back and present on campus or, you know, in that I was director of student [?] services, so, you know, help them build some of the governance documents, and even talk to some of the professors about some of the things that I'm seeing and things that they should be implementing and instilling in their students. So I'm a firm believer in it. Now, I can tell you that my white counterparts will always be like, "Well, why do we need a group for black people? What would happen if we had a group for white people?" It's like, "Kind of technically we do." [laughs]Amy: [laughs] Kind of all the groups are for white people unless they're saying specifically that they're not.Uso: Yeah, 'cause I think sometimes you get discriminated against. You know, people don't want to do it because they don't want to say that "I'm in this group," that, you know--and the group may be, you know, black or Latino or whatever in the name. There's alpha. There's also the [?] for the Asians, but even though the groups have that in their name, we welcome everyone, because we realize that we need that perspective from, you know, the white male manager, the white female manager, because they're the ones that can help us understand what their points of view are, and then we can also help them, because sometimes they realize, "Oh, wait. My view might be skewed," or "I was never exposed to anyone outside of my town, my city, my race," you know? So usually it's a two-way learning experience.Amy: So I want to put a really fine point on that, because I always tell people, "Go to the conference that's not for you. Show up at the meeting that's not for you. If you're at a conference, go to the breakout where you're not on the menu." Right? Like, find the place where you're different and go listen, because I think it's important for people--you know, the same person who says, "Why do we need an association of black accountants?" That's the person that needs to go to the meeting to listen, to learn why they need associations of black accountants, right? They have no ideas what kinds of barriers are in place for people who don't look like them, and so, you know, I always challenge people and they say, "Well, yeah, but, you know, how do I even learn about this?" Go sit down in the back of the room, don't raise your hand, take notes, pay attention, and--"What if someone asks me what I'm doing there?" And I say, "Tell them you're there to learn, and then zip it." [Uso laughs] Like, nobody's going to ever get mad at you because you want to learn more about their experience, right? So thank you for being on that train with me.Uso: And I've had people who have said being in that room where they were the only really opened their eyes, because they're sitting there and they're like, "Oh, my goodness. I'm so uncomfortable." And then they start realizing, like, "This is so-and-so from my group who is the only. This is probably how they feel." And I think sometimes that's such good advice to give, because going out there and experiencing, there's nothing that compares to that. Hearing second-hand about it, I don't think you could fully appreciate it. I also liken it to parenthood, you know? Before you have a child, you have all of these things that you know exactly how to raise a child, how a child should behave, everything, and then you have yours and you're like, "Oh, my goodness. This is not anything like I thought it would be. I can't control my child. My child runs wherever." You know, you can't keep up, and you start to appreciate parents more because you realize how difficult it is to be a parent. So sometimes you do have to sit in that person's shoes so you can understand what they experienced.Amy: Yeah, absolutely. And it's so funny because I--yeah, I think my kids--on that point, I think each one of my kids exists for the sole purpose of proving me wrong on something I said before I had children. [both laugh] I don't want to get off-topic, but yes, you are right about that. It is so much easier to be a good parent before you have kids. But I think for a lot of people, you know, that self-awareness and that self-consciousness that they feel for the first time, you know, people can go a long way through their lives with never having that kind of moment where they have to be self-aware and they feel very self-conscious, and when they realize in that moment that other people have felt that way for, you know, 25, 30, 45, 50 years, right, in their careers, and, you know, I think there's just an amazing amount of empathy that can happen in those epiphanies. So I'm so glad to hear someone else say, "Come to the meeting."Uso: Yes, it's so important. And you can never, never not benefit from being there. It will be uncomfortable. I cannot promise you that it won't be uncomfortable, because people will probably look at you like, "Hm. Is she [?]?" "Do I have to be careful what I say?" Because sometimes, you know, people do--in some of these meetings, people do get a level of comfort where they share openly, and sometimes when there's somebody in the group that's of that group that they're talking about they may not share as comfortably, but you need to be there. You need to understand some other things that people see. And I always, even to my colleagues and black friends, I'm like, "You have to also look on the other side." So some of them, you know, yes, at work we're usually only, but sometimes going to some of these other conferences and understanding the expectations can help us also. So I have always tried to go to my NABA conference, but I also go to my ISACA conference, which is, you know, the Information Systems Audit and Control Association, which governs the work I do, and now that I'm in the insurance industry I go to the, you know, insurance accounting and systems association conference because I want to develop the technical knowledge and the technical skills so that I can have those conversations and be comfortable. I mean, you start to realize there are some people who are just idiots and that's just who they are, but more and more when you go out and meet other people, you realize that getting people and having them learn a little about you and you learn about them breaks down some of those barriers, because a lot of things are just perception. They're not reality. They don't really just hate you because you're a black woman, you know? Sometimes they just--they don't know what to say to you, and for me it's a little harder because am I a black woman, I'm a black woman from a different country. [laughs] So some of the things that are culturally acceptable and expected, I don't always know about it, and my friends always--you know, they gave me the whole "Bless your heart" kind of thing [laughs]. There's some things that I just don't know, but I am not afraid to learn. I am not afraid to learn, and I'm always going out there so that I can learn and develop and become a better person.Amy: I think that's fantastic. So you and I had talked before about--I'm gonna switch gears a little bit on you, but you and I had talked before about how each of us, you know, people in general, we kind of contribute to the de facto segregation and the narrowing of our own professional networks and our own communities and, you know, only hanging out with people who are just like us until we had that moment when we realized, "Oh, my gosh. I've done this to myself and I didn't even realize it," and I was wondering if you could share a little bit about your experience with that.Uso: Sure. So when I moved to the U.S. and I started my public accounting career I was in New York, and I remember my first time going to training. It was, let's say, 2,000 professionals, and the black professionals were a very small group there. We were there for two weeks. The first few days, I would always go find my friends and, you know, go sit at that table, and I don't remember if somebody said something to me, I don't remember what it was, but one day I decided, "You know what? Let me just go sit at one of these tables," and I can tell you, I mean, of those 2,000 people, if we had 100 people who were not white, that probably was a large amount. So, you know, I'll go a little bit off-topic for a second. I always hear people say, you know, "Oh, is that so-and-so?" And they may take you for somebody else, and then black folks will be like, "Why do they think we all look alike?" Being in that room, like, there were, like, so many guys that, to me, I couldn't tell who was Joe from Jim from Bob. [That] made me, like, really understand how it is that we can all look alike, but side-note. But being in there and looking around and seeing all of these different people, you know, I thought "Let me go sit from people who are not from New York, who are not black, who I've never met before." So I started, for lunch and dinner breaks, just going to sit at random tables with people that I had not met before. You know, I developed relationships. I met people who I was so similar to that, you know, it was very interesting. And after that, even at work, you know, I started having conversations, and I remember I was on a team once, and then--you know, I always said that if you heard the conversations and the things we talked about as a team or the shows that we watch, the music we listen to, and people just told you the thing and you had to map it to the person, you would get it wrong, because the person who could quote the movie Friday was not the black girl on the team, and the person whose favorite movie was Pretty Woman was not the white girl on the team, you know? And that's when I started realizing that we have a lot more similarities than differences, and the only way I got to know that was to step out of my comfort zone and go meet people that I had not met before and be uncomfortable. And it wasn't even--I mean, yes, at first, you know, it takes a little [?], but once you sit there, people are pretty friendly. There are some who are not as friendly, but for the most part people were friendly and willing to, you know, open up.Amy: Thank you for sharing that. You know, I think if we all start with just being a little uncomfortable at first, and then what used to be a little uncomfortable becomes comfortable, and then we start to be a little uncomfortable again, and pretty soon you build that muscle memory to where it's not all that uncomfortable anymore.Uso: Yep. And I'll share another story. I have two kids. I have an almost 9-year-old and a 6-year-old, and I remember when my son, who's the older one, was in preschool and we had to look for an elementary school, we looked at a number of schools. Private schools, public schools, charter schools, and one of the things that--I think he was in pre-K, and he was telling us about a friend in his class and something that he said, but he wanted to--so he told us the boy's name, but we didn't know--we didn't recognize the name, so we were like, "Oh, which one is this?" And he's like, "Well, the one that looks like people on TV," and we realized he didn't have, you know--'cause he had just started his new preschool, but before that, all of the years that he was in preschool, it was a predominantly black preschool. So he didn't have any white boys in his school, and then we started looking around and realizing that that was our network. So we made a concerted effort that wherever he goes to real school is going to be a diverse place, because he really shouldn't have to describe somebody based on what they look like on TV. He should know them, be able to relate to them, and have relationships with them, and it's so great now to see that he has such a diverse network and that I feel like I can't wait to see kind of what their future looks like, 'cause I think they will have a different perspective on diversity than we do, 'cause to them it's like, "That's just my friend." "That's not my white friend, that's not my black friend. That's my friend." Amy: Oh, I sure hope so. And I think there's another angle to that too, which is that it's sad that the representation that he sees on TV is so predominantly white.Uso: Different story, but yes. [both laugh]Amy: I didn't want to let that moment pass. I think that there's another lesson in there about media and representation and those sorts of things, but, you know, I'm grateful. I'm grateful for other parents out there who can, you know, self-reflect on the kinds of experiences and exposure that their kids are getting and say, "Oh, we need to be intentional about this. We need to be intentional about bringing more diversity and exposing our children to different types of people." I was wondering. I know that you have experience as a volunteer leader within some of the companies that you've worked in around bringing together diverse employees and their allies, and I was wondering if you could share a little bit about what drove you, what motivated you to do that work--which can be exhausting and thankless and on your own time and in addition to your day job--and also just a little bit about what you got out of that experience?Uso: Yep, sure. I think I've always had a servant/leader-type mentality, because growing up my dad always, for birthdays and holidays, took us to places where we could volunteer to help others. He was a baker, so we would bake, and then we would serve--you know, he'd take us to different homes. One was a children's home for children who had polio and then one was an old people's home. When I moved to the U.S., I first started volunteering at the library for people who couldn't read, and I realized--the thing that attracted me was this flier that said, "If you can read this you can help, because there are people who can't read this." And I was like, "Really?" And I met people who were over 21, all the way up to, like, 60, who couldn't read, and I'm talking about don't know that t-o-i-l-e-t is toilet. They just use the picture of the door to know that that's where they go to use the bathroom. In school I volunteered. [?] I used to help kids with homework, but once I got into the profession and I realized that there are opportunities 1. to network with others like myself, but also to help others in the firms, I loved it. I jumped at that opportunity. So I moved from New York to Indiana in my second year as a professional, and being in Indiana, I did not have a lot of others that looked like me in the firm. We didn't have enough to have, like, a black employees network, so we ended up in a multi-cultural circle, which was great because we had people from different parts of the world, different genders, different thought processes, and because we didn't have, like, black partners or Indian partners, our leaders were the white partners. So that really helped us 1. we got the support we needed, but 2. we were able to have conversations and understand what it took to grow in the firm. One of the things that I did was to organize these many--what did we call them? It was, like, Breakfast with a Leader. So each partner would meet with three to four professionals from the group for either lunch or breakfast and just get to know each other. That was so powerful, and I still have relationships with some of those people today even though I'm no longer with that firm. And, you know, one of my partners was always telling me about this client contact that he wanted me to meet, and, you know, people always tell you they want you to meet people, but when I finally met the person he wanted me to meet, the first thing the person said to me is "This guy really respects you. He has been telling me about you for the past year." And that--sometimes you don't realize that. You don't have that. You don't get that. You know, people will say whatever, but they don't follow up with their actions and match it, and so I think that whole experience, I still say that I think 1. if I stayed in Indiana I probably would still be with that firm, but that just really helped me to grow as a person, helped me understand my weaknesses, things I need to develop, helped me educate others on us as a group and help them see, you know, us as we are high-performing professionals just like everybody else. We just have differences, but those differences are not hindrances. So, you know, educating them and then educating ourselves. It was just a really powerful experience.Amy: That's breaking down the walls between you, right? And I think so many times people look--when they look mentor, they look for people who are just like them because that's what's the most comfortable. Not because there's any animosity, right, between them and another group or not because they harbor any ill will, just because they don't want to be uncomfortable with that first minute either, and so what you really did was you took away that discomfort and opened up--you know, opened up the channel for people to be mentored and, you know, for executives to find mentors that didn't look just like them, and that's powerful.Uso: Yep, it was very powerful, and it's really helpful because a lot of times you really do try to go to people who look like you, and one of the things that I've learned is you need people as mentors who have had similar experiences to you, but it doesn't matter what they look like. If you are a high-performing individual who is on the fast track in your company, it is very helpful for you to have a high-performing mentor, because having a mentor that may take, you know, three or five years less than you would take to get to a level, they may not understand what you need to do to get there because they didn't do that, but having a white mentor versus a black mentor probably won't make a difference to you, because what you need more is someone who has the technical capabilities and the connections to get you where you need to go, and I think people undervalue the need to have advocates, 'cause the advocates are the people who have the power to connect you and also sell you and get you to where you aspire to go. Having a mentor is great, but if your mentor does not advocate for you, you know, then you may not be getting the best out of that relationship, and I think sometimes why people try to build the relationship, the mentor-type relationship, with people who look like them is because they may have tried to develop a trusting relationship with someone who broke that trust, and then they associated that, breaking that relationship, with the person's race. No, that person is probably a person who would have broken somebody's trust regardless of who it is that they're mentoring. And yes, I do, you know, accept that there are people who haven't [?] somebody different. They may have acted differently, but I'm learning now that it's a smaller group of people. It's not as large a group of people as we think, and sometimes we generalize that one-off experience and kind of take the brush and paint the whole wall with it to say, you know, "All white men, you can't trust them because this is what happened to me," but you'll learn that sometimes you can trust people more than you think and a lot of the people who have helped me in my career have not looked like me. A lot of them were not my same gender, and, you know, they were very honest with me, and I think what was helpful was for me to be open-minded and receive information, 'cause what I've learned is sometimes we're not receptive to constructive feedback, and because of that we are not given the truth, so we don't really know the reason why we didn't make it to the next level. And a lot of times it's not just because of what we look like, but it's because of what our work output looks like. Which, you know, as we all know, there is no color there, you know? But if you don't know if your work is not of the quality that is, you know, expected of you, you may not know that you need to improve your work quality.Amy: That is true, and a lot of times we have to have trusting relationships to get good feedback. You have to build that relationship first so that people know that they can trust you with their feedback. How you receive feedback is so important as to whether you will get it a second time, and I tell people, don't punish the people who praise you, because if somebody's giving you a compliment, if somebody's telling you you did a good job and you belittle that praise, they're not gonna tell you next time, and you're not gonna know when you're on the right track, and you may hear something constructive that you don't want to hear, but if you can say, "Thank you for making me better. I'd like to think about that," even if you do nothing with it--if all you say is, "Thank you. I'd like to think about that," that goes so far in building a relationship with someone. And then if you do actually think about it and come back to them with questions later, even better, right? Because they know that you really have a desire to improve. So spot on. Oh, I love talking to you. [both laugh]Uso: And it is hard, 'cause you do not want to hear that you suck. [both laugh] You know? You don't, and I can tell you that I have received feedback that hurt me to my core, and I'm sure my facial expression and my reaction was not the most receptive, but I went away and realized, "Oh, my goodness. This is true," and one of the things that I had to realize--there is this one person who I had one shot to work with her, and I had come to her with a lot of praise and, you know, all of this stuff surrounding me, and I screwed up, and, you know, she had a lot of influence in what happened to my career that year, and I was mad, but then, you know--it took a while, but then I realized she only had one shot at me, and I screwed that shot up, you know? She didn't find all of the errors in my work. I put the errors there. I missed the stuff. But at the time it was happening it was not easy for me to realize that, you know? You have to really sometimes, like you said, just say, "Thank you for making me better," and go away and think about it and not just be like, "What? When? Where? How? What? I didn't--" You know? "Thank you for making me better." I like that. I think I'm gonna use that. [both laugh]Amy: So in the time that we have left, I'd love for you to answer--like, finish two of my sentences. The first one is, "I feel included when _______."Uso: I feel included when my opinions are asked and respected.Amy: And the second sentence is, "When I feel included, I ________."Uso: When I feel included, I am happy, and I'm usually looking for ways to help include others. Amy: Thank you so much, Uso.Uso: My pleasure. Thank you for the opportunity.Amy: This was so much fun, and I hope we get to talk again soon.Uso: I'm sure we will.Amy: All right.Uso: All right, take care.

Whenever you make the decision to do something great, you are often met with negative thoughts. Many don't discuss the negative thoughts that accompany getting started and excelling in the Speaker and Author Industry. In today episode, Veronica hit on what leads to those negative thoughts and ways for you to combat those thoughts. - What it means to be a servant leader - The power of saying no - Being mindful of the conversations you are saying and so much more...Veronica shared how through her personal journey she was able to become an authority in her industry by learning lessons from her falls off the cliff. She also discusses how your mini wins can empower you. Veronica Pryor-Faciane is the CEO/Founder of New ID Life Coaching LLC. This wife and mother of four beautiful children authored the newly released book entitled God's Diamond in The Rough (released March 2019) and co-authored the newly released anthology For a Mother's Heart (released May 2019). Due to her passion for inspiring others, she will be included within 2 more anthologies due to release in the 3rd and 4th quarter of this year. Veronica is currently a part of the 1st black woman mental health 4 city tour called Crazy Like a Fox.Those who choose to take this journey via reading her autobiography will gain insight of how to travel through life's challenges/obstacles and not allow life's journey to go through them, which leads to stress, depression, anxiety, and the possible thoughts of suicide. Veronica is a phenomenal Transformational Speaker and Life-Coach. Her mission is to assist as a guide for others to develop a successful roadmap towards their NEW ID and not the identification that was given to them by their parents, environment or various societal factors. This passion was invoked after developing a warrior and not worrier mindset, overcoming 28 years of incest, financial, physical, spiritual and domestic violence suffered at the hands of her ministerial birth-father.Veronica currently works as an auditor with a major school system for over 18 years in the Baton Rouge area where she serves as a financial literacy trainer for aspiring principals as well as training secretaries and principal's concerning the proper handling of school funds throughout the district as she builds her own company. She graduated from Grand Canyon University in fall 2018 with her master's degree in Psychology with a concentration in Life Coaching. Veronica has always strived for excellence despite life's adversities by accomplishing the following:Graduating from Xavier University of New Orleans with honors in 1994, President of Xavier University's National Association of Black Accountants, member of Alpha Kappa Mu Honor Society, a member of Who's Who Among Students, selected to participate in a Graduate Internship during my Junior year of college at Notre Dame University, and other academic distinctions.Veronica worked within various facets in God's Kingdom (i.e. teaching during Vacation Bible School several years, directing choirs and planning events such as a Back to School Rally among a few.)Her passion for helping those that have experienced various traumas throughout life has assisted in her healing journey. She is no stranger to the challenges of dealing with depression, anxiety and has attempted suicide. Veronica is an enlightening, transparent and thought-provoking speaker that does not mind sharing her truth, hoping to guide others towards their Best Blessed Lives. She is a living example of how restructuring negative thoughts via mindfulness can pave the way to living your best life. She often reminds others that:Veronica's Motto:A Positive Mindset & monitoring your internal G.P.S. (Guarding your Psychological Steps Daily) is key towards evolving into the precious gem “YOU DESIRE TO BE.”~ Veronica Pryor-Faciane, MSContact InformationEmail addresses: NewIDLifeCoaching888@gmail.comSocial Media Information:Website: https://www.newidlifecoaching.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/veronica.facianeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/newid888/Links to purchase E-books: Books2Read.com/GodsDiamondintheroughKindle version: Bit.ly/GodsdiamondkindlePurchase on Amazon paperback version: Bit.ly/GodsdiamondFor those desiring a signed copy, they can reach out to Veronica via emailSocial Media Handles (LinkedIn, Facebook etc.)Instagram @NewID888"01Facebook New ID Life Coaching LLC or Veronica Pryor-Faciane

An accomplished leader and former business owner, co-founded of EtiennePartners with her husband.  Together, they help organizations build more inclusive cultures through training and workshops designed to be practical, apply immediately to real-world situations to maximize participant engagement and long-term retention. Previously, as Director - Diversity & Inclusion for Grant Thornton (GT), she managed the firm's Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Team responsible for developing and implementing GT’s firm-wide D&I strategy.  Before GT, as President & CEO of the National Association of Black Accountants, Inc. (NABA), Jina was responsible for strategic direction, stakeholder relationships, organizational priorities, and managing the day-to-day operation of the Association and its staff.  Before joining NABA, she was Director – Taxation, Tax Ethics & Professional Standards, AICPA Tax Section at the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA).  She joined the AICPA after 17 years in private practice at Etienne & Associates, LLC (E&A), a boutique CPA firm specializing in tax that served small businesses and their owners.  She began her career in public accounting in the tax department of Touche Ross (now Deloitte).  On a personal note, she is part of the Peloton community (#Mama_Cat), loves coffee and enjoys jigsaw puzzles, Sudoku, and cake decorating. In this episode of Fairygodboss Radio, Romy sits down with Jina to discuss her career and motherhood.

EPISODE 10 My Story Dr. Cozette M.White Is money the game changer in relationships?Dr. Cozette M. WhiteDr. Cozette M. White is an acclaimed 5x bestselling author, nationally recognized advisory accountant and tax expert, international speaker and philanthropist. She has been coined the “Financial Physician” as a result of her unparalleled ability to diagnose and boost the financial health of organizations and families. Dr. Cozette is the Founder and CEO of My Financial Home Enterprises a global financial firm providing comprehensive accounting, tax and business management services for businesses and individuals. My Financial Home has been featured in Forbes Magazine and named one of The Boss Network's top 50 companies two years in a row. As Cameka Smith, Founder and CEO of the Boss Network put it, “without question she is brilliant at teaching others to leverage their unique gifts and qualities into a financial windfall.”Dr. White is a resident Money Matter’s Expert for FOX40 and her advice has been called upon by CBS This Morning, NBC, ABC and FOX television stations. She has been featured on the numerous radio shows including Radio One and iHeart radio, she’s a recurring voice to millions making regular appearances in various national media outlets, including Black Enterprise, Forbes, Women of Wealth, Upscale, The Huffington Post, and countless newspapers across the country. Women of Wealth dubbed White, “Wealth Builder Extraordinaire.” White received her Master of Business Administration degree from the University of La Verne and her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from California State University, Dominguez Hills. Later Dr. White was awarded a Doctorate Degree of Philosophy Letters. She is involved in her community and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., National Association of Black Accountants and National Black MBA Association.In addition, she holds the following credentials: Licensed/Certified Income Tax PreparerCTEC Registered Tax Preparer (CRTP)Certified Financial PlannerContact Dr. White today and let’s begin your transformation! http://cozettemwhite.com/Join Gil&Renee weekly on Monday nights at 7:00 PM CST for the Rich Relati

Blake and David discuss the latest cloud accounting news, including a California law that means chatbots have to disclose they’re not human, a survey showing that 73% think it's OK to text clients after business hours, Walmart's recent layoffs of hundreds of accountants in Charlotte, an MYOB glitch that sent personal payroll information to the wrong recipients, the no. 1 challenge blocking controllership transformation, stats showing that representation of black accountants in the profession has improved little over the last 50 years, and a proposal to allow for adaptive-learning CPE.

Jina Etienne joined us for this episode of Life In Accounting, a podcast production of Where Accountants Go.  Jina has had a tremendous career.  From building her own accounting practice, to serving our profession through working at both AICPA and NABA, to now joining Grant Thornton in the role of Director of Diversity & Inclusion!  Jina very openly shared her wisdom and insights with us on this episode, and we were fortunate to have her on the program. Is It Always This Easy? Jina started her career in accounting because the initial accounting course that she had to take as a business major ended up being a relatively easy subject for her.  After realizing she had natural ability in the accounting, and then hearing that it was a very stable career path, she decided to choose accounting as her career.  She started an internship with Touche Ross, and the rest is history. Opportunities Open Up After a few short years in public accounting, Jina decided to start her own practice.  She operated her firm for about 17 years in total and was very successful.  It was through her quest to continue to grow her practice in a way that suited her lifestyle that she came across the opportunity to join AICPA.  Jina figured that she could have a positive influence on far more people through working at AICPA than she could being self-employed, so she took advantage of the opportunity and went to work with the national association. Several years later she also had the opportunity to serve as CEO for NABA, the National Association of Black Accountants, which was also a position that she thoroughly enjoyed.  You'll hear it in the audio interview, but having the opportunity for public speaking on topics she is passionate about is something that energizes Jina.  Both the AICPA and NABA positions provided her those opportunities. Diversity & Inclusion Jina currently is the Director of Diversity and Inclusion for the national accounting firm Grant Thornton.  One of the most educational portions of this podcast episode is the discussion of the difference between diversity and inclusion, as well as the strides we have made as a profession and the challenges that we still face.  Jina is definitely a subject matter expert in the area, and I appreciated the frank discussion we were able to have regarding D&I in our accounting profession.  This interview definitely is more than just a career story – it's an educational opportunity! Books that Jina mentions in this interview that can help you with your own career include:   “The E-Myth” and “Rich Dad Poor Dad” Other episodes that may interest you include:  Lisa Ong and Sheila Enriquez To listen in on this interview with Jina Etienne, please click on the player below:

Please support the show at https://www.patreon.com/thebarbershopgroup Dr. Cozette M. White is an acclaimed bestselling author, nationally recognized finance and tax strategist, international speaker and philanthropist. Through resilience, White transitioned from Welfare to Warrior and now she's Winning! She inspires individuals to live in purpose, embrace passion, and achieve personal greatness through a balance in work and life. Dr. White is the Founder and CEO of My Financial Home Enterprises a global financial consulting firm providing comprehensive accounting, tax and financial management services for businesses and individuals. White received her Master of Business Administration degree from the University of La Verne and her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from California State University, Dominguez Hills. Later Dr. White was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree of Philosophy Letters. She is involved in her community and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and she is a member of the National Association of Black Accountants. Additionally Dr. White is the Founder and Executive Director of Achieving My Dreams Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization that provides scholarships to graduating high school seniors. In 2017, Dr. White was awarded the President's Lifetime Achievement Award by President Barack Obama and Huff Post named her “Top Expert to watch in 2018.” Follow her on Facebook, visit her website at www.myfinancialhome.com or call 805-983-1151. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thebarbershopgroup/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thebarbershopgroup/support

In a time when trust and transparency in business are in short supply, there's one leader working tirelessly to ensure our next generation of financial leaders are forward thinking, measured risk takers who operate ethically, transparently and with integrity. Minds Worth Meeting speaks with Jeff Thomson, CMA, CSCA, CAE, President and CEO of IMA (Institute of Management Accountants) about the future of the profession, globalization and the importance of partnerships to expand opportunities for everyone worldwide. True to his objective, Jeff advocates for offering leadership opportunities for a diverse set of stakeholders and partners including NABA (National Association of Black Accountants), ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants), Robert Half International, COSO (Committee of Sponsoring Organizations), IFAC (International Federation of Accountants), and IIRC (International Integrated Reporting Council). Through these partnerships, Jeff and IMA are able to broaden the influence of IMA and participate in discussions affecting the global landscape of management accounting.

July 31, 2017David L Wilson, Clu, Chfc; President, Equifinancial, LLC“ talks Digital Lending for Small Business".PLUS 5 Minutes of Personal Finance: "What is Concierge Care?"Spreaker: https://www.spreaker.com/user/sackheadsradio/dan-johnson-author-at-tax-revolution-ins_1SHR Media TV: https://youtu.be/NPNdO1W8bGsMR. DAVID L. WILSON BIO MR. DAVID L. WILSON is the President of DLW Enterprise and Equifinancial LLC headquartered in Miami, Florida. His integrated group of companies provides investment strategies, insurance, pension, estate and tax planning, and real estate sales and construction development services to clients throughout the United States, including several prominent sports and entertainment figures and professionals. For more than 25 years, Mr. Wilson has built a distinguished record of community leadership. He formally served as a board member of the Adrienne Arsht Performing Arts Center for 19 years and was the Treasurer for 15 year of those years. Mr. Wilson is a past board member of the Florida Grand Opera's Investment Policy Committee, the Carrie P. Meek Foundation, and currently has serves as the private sector representative on the Miami-Dade County Mayor's Finance Committee for the past 20 years, which reviews bond issuance and makes recommendation on bond underwriters for Miami-Dade County.Mr. Wilson is also a frequent lecturer for national and regional groups on investments, financial planning, wealth accumulation and transfer, strategies for buying businesses, strategic financing, current economic issues, and other financial topics. Additionally, he has been a speaker for the Black MBA Association, the Black Lawyers Association, and the National Association of Black Accountants. Among the lengthy list of activities and accomplishments, Mr. Wilson finds the time to co-host WMBM 1490 AM‘s Radio show entitled “Business in the Black”. At the 16th Annual "Things are Cooking in Overtown " DAVID L. WILSON will be recognized for his Leadership and continuous work in the Miami-Dade community.

July 31, 2017David L Wilson, Clu, Chfc; President, Equifinancial, LLC“ talks Digital Lending for Small Business".PLUS 5 Minutes of Personal Finance: "What is Concierge Care?"Spreaker: https://www.spreaker.com/user/sackheadsradio/dan-johnson-author-at-tax-revolution-ins_1SHR Media TV: https://youtu.be/NPNdO1W8bGsMR. DAVID L. WILSON BIO MR. DAVID L. WILSON is the President of DLW Enterprise and Equifinancial LLC headquartered in Miami, Florida. His integrated group of companies provides investment strategies, insurance, pension, estate and tax planning, and real estate sales and construction development services to clients throughout the United States, including several prominent sports and entertainment figures and professionals. For more than 25 years, Mr. Wilson has built a distinguished record of community leadership. He formally served as a board member of the Adrienne Arsht Performing Arts Center for 19 years and was the Treasurer for 15 year of those years. Mr. Wilson is a past board member of the Florida Grand Opera’s Investment Policy Committee, the Carrie P. Meek Foundation, and currently has serves as the private sector representative on the Miami-Dade County Mayor's Finance Committee for the past 20 years, which reviews bond issuance and makes recommendation on bond underwriters for Miami-Dade County.Mr. Wilson is also a frequent lecturer for national and regional groups on investments, financial planning, wealth accumulation and transfer, strategies for buying businesses, strategic financing, current economic issues, and other financial topics. Additionally, he has been a speaker for the Black MBA Association, the Black Lawyers Association, and the National Association of Black Accountants. Among the lengthy list of activities and accomplishments, Mr. Wilson finds the time to co-host WMBM 1490 AM‘s Radio show entitled “Business in the Black”. At the 16th Annual "Things are Cooking in Overtown " DAVID L. WILSON will be recognized for his Leadership and continuous work in the Miami-Dade community.

July 31, 2017David L Wilson, Clu, Chfc; President, Equifinancial, LLC“ talks Digital Lending for Small Business".PLUS 5 Minutes of Personal Finance: "What is Concierge Care?"Spreaker: https://www.spreaker.com/user/sackheadsradio/dan-johnson-author-at-tax-revolution-ins_1SHR Media TV: https://youtu.be/NPNdO1W8bGsMR. DAVID L. WILSON BIO MR. DAVID L. WILSON is the President of DLW Enterprise and Equifinancial LLC headquartered in Miami, Florida. His integrated group of companies provides investment strategies, insurance, pension, estate and tax planning, and real estate sales and construction development services to clients throughout the United States, including several prominent sports and entertainment figures and professionals. For more than 25 years, Mr. Wilson has built a distinguished record of community leadership. He formally served as a board member of the Adrienne Arsht Performing Arts Center for 19 years and was the Treasurer for 15 year of those years. Mr. Wilson is a past board member of the Florida Grand Opera’s Investment Policy Committee, the Carrie P. Meek Foundation, and currently has serves as the private sector representative on the Miami-Dade County Mayor's Finance Committee for the past 20 years, which reviews bond issuance and makes recommendation on bond underwriters for Miami-Dade County.Mr. Wilson is also a frequent lecturer for national and regional groups on investments, financial planning, wealth accumulation and transfer, strategies for buying businesses, strategic financing, current economic issues, and other financial topics. Additionally, he has been a speaker for the Black MBA Association, the Black Lawyers Association, and the National Association of Black Accountants. Among the lengthy list of activities and accomplishments, Mr. Wilson finds the time to co-host WMBM 1490 AM‘s Radio show entitled “Business in the Black”. At the 16th Annual "Things are Cooking in Overtown " DAVID L. WILSON will be recognized for his Leadership and continuous work in the Miami-Dade community.

Today we speak to Holly D Reid, @TheMasterPlaybook about how to teach children to Fish! Holly D. Reid is an award-winning author, speaker, and financial coach dedicated to helping adults and the next generation manage their finances as responsible stewards. She is the founder of The Master Playbook, LLC which was created to connect her passion for personal finance and her faith. She has educated thousands of people through her book - Teach Your Child to Fish: Five Money Habits Every Child Should Master, speaking engagements, and coaching sessions using sound financial principles, practical tips and her personal experiences. As a personal finance advocate, Holly is on a mission to motivate, inspire, and help others break the cycle of paycheck to paycheck living and create a legacy worth leaving. Holly’s philosophy is grounded in the basic principles of living debt-free, saving for the future, and investing wisely. She believes each person has the power to create a healthy financial future and co-hosts The Never Broke podcast to encourage entrepreneurship and showcase thousands of ways to make more money. She is a Certified Public Accountant and finance professional with over 15 years of experience. Holly earned a BS in Accounting from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University in Greensboro, NC. She currently serves on the board for The Kindezi Schools, an Atlanta public charter school, is active with the National Association of Black Accountants, Inc., the Atlanta Suburban Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and is a member of Word of Faith in Austell, Georgia. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-ash-cash-show/support

Spoken word is many things to many people...ranging from life itself to a cute pastime that occasionally has value when trying to seduce or vent. But spoken word is so much more...it is our soundtrack. Have you been listening? Ingrid B, founder of #OnTheBSide Entertainment, reminds us of the role poetry plays in our life & ability to weather the social storms of our times. I met Ingrid while serving as a priest in Miami. Trying to escape Coral Gables, one of my Miami brothers told me about the soul of South Florida and the Ambassador of that Soul, Ms. Ingrid B. What was crazy about that encounter was that I learned her father was also a priest in the Episcopal Diocese I was serving! So here's this PK (preacher's kid) who's head of this artistic underworld. It was incredibly compelling...to see her host & navigate an evening to a near Eucharistic joy was a thing of beauty that I had to respect. Spoken Word still Remains an Underworld Well at least for me it does...even though poetry is always present. Spoken Word rarely ever fails me. Yet how so often I fail spoken word. It's so easy for the poetic word to be shunned when facing a life that can easily seem void of beauty. When the world is filled with chaos and bigotry and hatred...when things seem hopeless...when the happenings of life render us powerless: it seems there is no beauty. But spoken word is there too..seeing what is truly ugly and conveying it with such beauty that one is compelled to hope. True hope...not that false hope. So what does spoken word have to contribute in the present socio-political climate? I #AskIngridB in this episode of Blacks with Power. Hear what she has to say and share your response! Resources Mentioned in this Episode: On the B Side Entertainment Sekou Andrews Amir Sulaiman There's still a few days to enter our sweepstakes! We all belong to various National Social/Community organizations: Divine Nine fraternities & sororities, NAACP/Urban League, Black Professional Associations (i.e. Executive Leadership Council, National Association of Black Accountants, National Organization of Blacks in Law Enforcement, and etc.). They each have Annual Conventions...and those conventions are expensive! Through this contest, BWP is offering you the chance to win the registration fees (up to $500.00) for yourself to attend the 2017 Convention of your choice.   Click here for your chance to win!

Black Organizations are going to face a difficult time, if a few key things do not change quickly and methodically. Regardless of your political perspectives, it is undeniable that there is a combative tone between the Trump Administration and anyone who disagrees with it. And it would be naive to think that there will never be an issue of contention between the Trump Administration and the myriad Black Organizations addressing various aspects of Black life in America. Black Organizations will need all hands on deck! That's one of the reasons we've launched our sweepstakes. Whether you belong to Divine Nine fraternities & sororities, the NAACP/Urban League, Black Professional Associations (i.e. Executive Leadership Council, National Association of Black Accountants, National Organization of Blacks in Law Enforcement, and etc.)...they each have Annual Conventions. And we all need to be engaged. Through this sweepstakes, BWP is offering you the chance to win the registration fees (up to $500.00) for yourself to attend the 2017 Convention of your choice. And the sweepstakes runs through the end of February, so there's still time to enter! Click here to enter The Major Need for Black Organizations is Financing! Dameon Proctor is a candidate for General Treasurer of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. In this episode of Blacks with Power, he lays out reasoning for why Black organizations need to have a sustainable financial strategy that is not solely dependent upon membership. What he sets out in this conversation is a concept I am certain you'll agree is critically important...especially in these times when Civil Rights are aggressively under assault. What do you think of Dameon Proctor's vision? Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Dameon Proctor for General Treasurer Join Blacks with Power on Facebook! Apply for membership in the group that empowers you by connecting you with others and with the information you need in order to use the power you have.

Deshawn Mosley a native of Jacksonville, Florida. A student of University of North Florida on his way persuing A CPA License, member of (NABA) National Associaion of Black Accountants,and  (UNF) University of North Student Union Senor Budget Assistant. Deshawn Mosley an inspired student and one who is determined to put his education to use.

Black film presents an undeniable power expression. But there's even more power behind the scenes. John P. Wheatley is a filmmaker & producer who's worked with Gabrielle Union, T.I., Kirk Franklin, Janelle Monáe & countless others. In this episode he shares his insights on the "behind the scenes" power of Black film/production. In the industry with a incredible ability to set the tone of culture, black film provides a means to influence the influencers and multiply one's ability to affect change. And, this perspective isn't just for the Black film industry. How can you employ this method in your sphere? Have You Entered the BWP Sweepstakes? We all belong to various National Social/Community organizations: Divine Nine fraternities & sororities, NAACP/Urban League, Black Professional Associations (i.e. Executive Leadership Council, National Association of Black Accountants, National Organization of Blacks in Law Enforcement, and etc.). They each have Annual Conventions...and those conventions are expensive! Through this contest, BWP is offering you the chance to win the registration fees (up to $500.00) for yourself to attend the 2017 Convention of your choice. Click here to enter

TONI T. ELLIS, Creator of www.soulsparking.com, CEO of Soul Sparking Worldwide, LLC, Soul Sparker and Clarity Coach has a raw, real, honest and unscripted conversation about diverse issues involving blended families with Cozette M. White. Cozette M. White, CFP, MBA, an inspirational speaker and entrepreneur money coach inspires individuals to live in purpose, embrace passion and achieve personal greatness through balance in work and life. Cozette has an exhilarating presence that compels people to stop allowing limits placed on them to hinder their financial progression toward becoming all they were destined to be. As an entrepreneur money coach Cozette empowers individuals and business owners to take control of their financial future and provide a financial legacy for their families. She focuses her practice on understanding the unique challenges women and their families face when it comes to planning for the future. Working one on one to determine short and long term goals, she applies her knowledge and expertise to develop retirement, investment, tax management, and estate planning strategies. Cozette is the Founder and CEO of White Tax Services, LLC in Oxnard, CA. White received her B.A. from California State University, Dominguez Hills and her M.B.A. from the University of La Verne. For over 22 years, White has provided auditing, taxation, accounting and financial accounting services for mature, sophisticated clients as well as start-up businesses and business acquisitions in various industries including manufacturing, wholesale, business services, investment management, leisure and retail. Cozette carries numerous professional certifications and designations. She is involved in her community and is member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. where she chairs the Audit Committee and the Economic Security Committee and she’s a member of the National Association of Black Accountants. Additionally she is the Founder and Executive Director of Achieving My Dreams Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization that provides scholarships to graduating high school seniors. Cozette resides in Southern California and enjoys, traveling, reading, and outdoor activities. "I believe the more educated you are, the more empowered you will be to make wise decisions with your money. My goal is help you gain clarity with your finances". It's your time to “Be Fierce, Fabulous, and Financially Fit”. See more about White at www.whitetaxservices.com and www.achievingmydreamsfoundation.org.

This is an alumni dinner event held by Baruch's student club, the National Association of Black Accountants.

This is an alumni dinner event held by Baruch's student club, the National Association of Black Accountants.

This is an alumni dinner event held by Baruch's student club, the National Association of Black Accountants.