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• Real-Life CPAs

Jennifer Woods

Manager of Financial Reporting and Analysis
AICPA (that's us)
Durham, NC

 

Since Jennifer Woods always enjoyed her accounting classes, she didn’t find making a career decision very difficult.

Besides, she also knew that it was a very stable profession with so many opportunities available. “The CPA profession provides so many paths, some are extremely challenging and some are just challenging, very few are easy,” she says. “As much as you will always be challenged, you will always be needed, and therefore, will most likely always have opportunities.”

After spending several years in public accounting and the telecommunications industry, Jennifer joined the American Institute of CPAs in the publications department.

Now she's moved back into a more "traditional finance role" as a Manager of the Financial Reporting and Analysis team at the AICPA. A typical day for Jennifer is spent reviewing monthly financial information and reporting to management, the Finance Committee and Board of Directors. She's also heavily involved in the budgeting and forecasting for the AICPA. But for someone who has run several marathons and half-marathons, a typical day is merely a small challenge.

Being a CPA is a career that allows you to learn something new every day, Jennifer says. ”You get to work with intelligent people and it allows you flexibility.”

So what advice does Jennifer have for students interested in becoming a CPA? “Learn all you can in various subjects and meet as many people as you can – and stay in touch,” she says. “You never know where your path will go and what and who you wished you knew.”

Got questions of your own? Ask a CPA.