Danielle Supkis Cheek, CPA, CFE, CVA – 2021 40 Under 40 Honoree

• 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 “Most Powerful Women in Accounting” List, CPA Practice Advisor
• 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 “40 under 40,” CPA Practice Advisor
• 2019, Women Who Mean Business, Houston Business Journal
• 2019, Distinguished Member to the Profession, Houston CPA Society
• 1st woman to receive Maximo “Outstanding Young CPA Award,” AICPA
• 2018, Significant Contribution by Member in Education, Houston CPA Society
• 2014, Rising Star, TSCPA
• 2015, “40 Under 40,” NACVA
• Rice University Business School Part-Time Faculty

What are you doing to make a difference in the profession, your community, the world?

One of my greatest pleasures was serving on the AICPA PCPS Technical Issues Committee (TIC). TIC provides feedback and comment letters to standard setters that impact private entities and their CPAs. In 2021, I was appointed the IFAC Small and Medium Practitioners Advisory Group (SMPAG) that server a similar role internationally.

The common misconception is that standard setters are not interested in input that comes their way from all corners of the profession and general public.  At the risk of being repetitive, I personally found that is the furthest from the truth. The standard setters do read your letters and take them into account when drafting final guidance. I encourage you to write a letter when a standard impacts you (or your client, if applicable). You don’t have to be overly technical in your response or even answer all the questions; your voice is important. Also, I have found that every standard that I have worked with is looking for ways to better appeal and get input from a large variety of stakeholders and are willing to take input, ideas, and suggestions about how to better reach stakeholders.

Favorite books/websites/podcasts/speakers/bloggers that you find influential:

I have a young son and a new addition daughter, and these days we are still reading a lot of children’s books. We fill our time with stories about being nice, sharing, caring, etc. There are too many books to name, but one of my favorites remains Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker. It is mostly a bedtime book, but it is also about working hard and helping the team.

What do you like best about the accounting profession?

The variety and flexibility. This month I joined MindBridge. I love public accounting, but there are parts of public accounting that I wanted to do more of that didn’t make financial sense within the current model of public accounting. The most exciting part of my current journey is I get to help firms change how they think about the business of public accounting and how to find ways so that everyone gets to do more of their favorite kind of work. Not a lot of industries have that kind of variety within a profession.

See all of the 2021 “40 Under 40” honorees.