Kimberly Ellison-Taylor, CPA.CITP, CGMA, CISA – 2022 Most Powerful Women in Accounting

TRAITS OF AWARD WINNERS

1. She has been the driving force to create a culture of excellence, innovation, and inclusion. If she is a vendor, she has helped to develop the technologies and solutions that will empower organizations to be more productive and profitable.
2. She is one of the top leaders in the accounting profession and her leadership has had a demonstrable effect upon the accomplishments of the organization with which she is associated.
3. She is a mentor, sponsor, and a role model, someone who stands out in her ability to encourage and help those around her thrive and flourish.
4. The work she does is influential and is having a positive impact on the accounting profession as a whole.

PERSPECTIVES

What do you feel is the most important issue facing the accounting profession today?

Talent Management, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Transformation are the most important issues facing the accounting profession today. Yes, we can and must leverage technology, however, the reality is that we are a people based profession. I noted people related concerns first because without a focus on these areas, business growth, change management, operational excellence, and analytics will be significantly more difficult to achieve—if at all.  Pre COVID, we had work to do to better connect, engage, and inspire an inclusive teams. In a post COVID-19 environment, work environments will include hybrid team members.  We can’t have a business as usual approach if we want to be the profession of choice.   

What one thing would you recommend accountants do to prepare for the future?

Review the various technologies and determine the one or two that will help you further differentiate your services, brand and market presence. Clients and customers are challenged to mitigate and avoid disruption in an increasingly uncertain and fast paced environment.  As a trusted advisor, we must reinvent and reimagine the services that we provide that will help us look around corners.  Technology is a non-negotiable differentiator. Its strategic value can’t be overstated. 

What one skill or experience would you recommend that young women getting started in the accounting profession master?

Self-advocacy is a skill set I would recommend as it covers many areas. Mastering this skill set early will counter the “we didn’t know she was interested in advancement” notion that we sometimes hear. Self -advocacy also means being proactive about opportunities and saying yes even when we feel only 60% ready. If our male colleagues can learn on the job, then we certainly can as well. It also means identifying areas that are not as strong in our skillset/experiences and seeking resources, training, and mentorship to further advance and grow.

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