Having returned to college in my late thirties when my children were in school, I became a CPA in my early forties. I spent the next decade or so working for public accounting firms in the local Montgomery/Chester County area. During that time I developed a specialization in the accounting and tax issues that small businesses and individuals face. After nearly fifteen years in accounting, I formed my own practice that provides accounting and tax services to small businesses, sole proprietors and individuals.

I didn’t come to this interest in serving small business entirely by accident. Growing up in the midst of a family business provided me with a first hand total immersion experience in the small business environment. I gained a rather extensive background in small business operations and administration, and was trained in all facets of sales, advertising, marketing and day-to-day office procedures, as well as some early training in accounting and record keeping. Through my twenties, I put this experience to use as a bookkeeper for small businesses at a time in my life when the job was more important than the credentials.

As a member of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and the Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs (PICPA) since I became a CPA in 1989, I participated in the PICPA group, Women in Accounting, serving as co-chair for three years. These organizations not only provide a reliable safety net for professional support, but also countless educational and technical links, which are invaluable in helping me to stay current in this very demanding profession.

Since beginning my own practice, I have become a member of the National Association of Tax Preparers — a top-notch resource for nearly any professional information you could ever need. In addition, I am a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor.

For a number of years, I had participated in the Soroptomists, an organization of professional women, which pre-dates the inclusion of women in organizations such as Kiwanis and the Lions Club. I credit Soroptomists with my interest in helping women, something I wish to pursue from an accounting and financial vantage point. Having raised children and having been widowed at a relatively young age, my personal experiences enable me to provide women who are facing such situations with the empathetic and professional help they need.