Tracey Golden, CPA, CGMA – 2019 Most Powerful Women in Accounting

What advice would you give to female college students about the opportunities for women in the accounting profession?  

Speaking from my experience, the opportunities have been beyond my expectations when I first decided to study accounting. There are so many directions a career in accounting can take, the sky is truly the limit! When you are starting out, build your network, learn as much as you can from the great people you will work with and begin to develop relationships that will turn into your mentors and sponsors.  

What would you suggest to accounting firms that are interested in retaining and advancing more qualified female staff?  

Recognize that firms are better with women (and under-represented minorities) at all levels within the organization and commit to goals to promote women to important leadership roles. Don’t make decisions about assignments you assume a female professional would not be interested in- ask them and you’ll be surprised at how wrong your assumptions can be. Focus on opportunities for development, mentoring and remember it’s critical to ensure there is sponsorship at the right level among leaders in the firm.

Why did you choose to work in – and stay in – the accounting field?
I chose to study accounting because I determined that the best opportunities for me in business could always be pursued with a background in accounting and the CPA credential.  Accounting is the language of business and I have lived all over the world so I recognized the importance of “speaking the language” and how it applies equally in business. I wanted to be able to do anything in business and believed starting out in public accounting would give me the base. I stayed in public accounting because I have loved what I have been doing every step along the way. I have always worked with highly talented colleagues, which sparks my passion to do better every day.

What book(s), blog(s), podcast(s) do you recommend? 
Amy Cuddy’s TED Talk on Power Posing, book- The Truth About You, newsletter- The Broadstreet. This is a hard question!

What changes do you foresee in the accounting profession of the near future (3-5 years)?

I see the future of work hitting fast- the need for continuous learning cannot be overstated.  I see CPAs transforming how they do audits, how they deliver advisory services and where they focus in tax. We are well-positioned to capitalize on the opportunity to do less manually-intensive tasks and help our clients in new ways with the time savings and new skills we are acquiring.

How do you see yourself participating in shaping the future of the accounting profession?

I am looking forward to serving as Vice Chairman and Chairman of the AICPA in these exciting times. The AICPA’s and in fact the Association’s work is important to spur accountants to stay relevant. That means new tools, new ways to learn and continued focus on protecting the public interest by ensuring that financial reporting meets the expectations of all stakeholders.

Describe one person who has been an important mentor to you and how that person helped shape the direction or focus of your professional life.  

A partner I worked with when I was a new manager became my most impactful mentor and sponsor. He saw my potential and helped guide me to think about opportunities I would have never known existed. Pursuing those opportunities made me who I am today and I will be forever grateful to him.

Please share a personal rule or principle that you follow. 

“Do right and fear no man.”

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Learn more about the 2019 Most Powerful Women in Accounting.