Current Involvement: Vice President of the National Association of Black Accountants Inc. – NY Chapter (NABA), Siena Board of Trustees, and I play in competitive co-ed flag football leagues in NYC.
Involvement while at Siena: D1 Women’s Volleyball, D1 Women’s Lacrosse, Black and Latino Student Union (BLSU), Saints Supporting Saints tutoring program, Public Safety (Burgandy is in our Athletic Hall of Fame!)
How do you involve yourself in your community?
As a NABA executive board member I help support over NABA student members at over 20 colleges and universities in New York. We provide professional development trainings, assist with resume reviews, and facilitate networking with our partners in the industry for potential internship and job opportunities. Each year we also provide tax return services free of charge for underserved communities. Outside of NABA, I participate in the Caring Kind Tackle ALZ women’s football game where I raise money to help cure Alzheimer’s and support those living with or caretakers of those living with the disease. Last year we raised over $200,000!
Describe a typical day in your life.
A typical work day involves me flying to where my client is located (Mondays). I spend the day working on money laundering cases while listening to one of my 30 different podcasts. In the evenings I’m usually spending time working on NABA items such as monthly or quarterly financial reporting. Or I can be found watching TV and reading my Kindle with some wine. A typical weekend involves me playing on between one and four co-ed flag football teams or more importantly brunching with the team! We play hard and brunch hard!
How did your Siena education prepare you for the work you’re doing today?
Most of my professors in the business school and my field of study had real practical experience. That meant the textbook was taught with a context that allowed me to envision what I’d be getting into. As much as I was not a fan of the core liberal arts classes initially (writing papers…eek!), the professors were pretty cool people and I developed writing and analytical skills that helped me be successful day 1 at PwC. I was active all over campus, including working at Public Safety, that allowed me to build relationships with the faculty and staff that I still maintain today. As cliché as it sounds I know I became a well-rounded person. Even though many from my incoming class at PwC came from bigger “more prestigious” schools and held several internships at the big firms that I never did, I never felt as though I didn’t belong at PwC and I think Siena had a lot to do with it.
Describe your professional progression since leaving Siena.
I started at PwC as an associate in the assurance practice auditing hedge funds and mutual funds. I earned an early promotion to senior associate after two years and continued another two years before making the switch to advisory in forensic consulting. I made manager after one year in forensics and I’m in my fourth year in the practice. I specialize in anti-money laundering remediations for large banks and I also have experience in anti-bribery/anti-corruption work for pharma life sciences companies.
Siena Favorites
Professor: Dr. Chester Brearey (audit, and he has Tootsie Rolls in his office!) and Paul Dwyer (business law)
Study-break food: Almond M&Ms, Marshmallows, or anything sweet!
Residence Hall: New Hall (now called Snyder Hall)
Class Year: Sophomore year! My dorm room in Plassmann was known as Club 422 because it was the designated hangout spot. My friends and I spent so much time together and laughed way too much or as I like to say just enough. That was also the year we won the women’s volleyball MAAC championship against our arch rivals Fairfield at their home court in a dramatic 5 sets! It was and still is the sweetest victory I’ve ever tasted. I only remember all the fun I had over that year. I don’t recall doing much work but I must have done some because my GPA was great, haha!
Food in the Dining Hall: Fresh chocolate chip pancakes and bacon. It tasted even better when they had it available for dinner.
Memory: Winning that MAAC Championship against Fairfield in '07 at their place after they guaranteed a victory on their website.
Advice for current students:
Take advantage of everything Siena has to offer. You will realize very quickly that you miss all that makes Siena, Siena.
Career advice for Saints:
Don’t be afraid to take an “unconventional” path throughout your career. It’s good to have an idea of where you want to be but know there are multiple ways to get there. All experiences are valuable and will provide you with some transferable skills that will be useful at the next stop in your career no matter how unrelated the jobs may seem.
