PRESIDENT - Mary F. Cheaney Mary Cheaney is with her own accounting practice in North Miami Beach, Florida since 1990.  She has been practicing in public accounting since 1981, after working four years with the Internal Revenue Service in Jacksonville, Florida. Awarded a $20,000 IRS scholarship, Mary graduated from Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina in 1977 with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Accounting.  Listing the IRS and two national CPA firms as former employers, she has had extensive training in several areas of taxation and accounting.   As a result, she has developed a specialty in the areas of tax planning for the real estate professional and small business owner, retirement planning for investors, and wealth preservation through estate and gift planning. Mary has taught many classes on a wide range of topics through various public forums and professional organizations.  She has been published in the Tax Advisor, featured in local newspapers and has hosted radio talk shows on a variety of topics including estate planning, IRS procedures, staring a new business and unlimited tax reform legislation.  Mary is also a certified presenter for the Educational Foundation for Women in Accounting’s Leadership Training Series. Mary is actively involved in several professional organizations.  She is a member and Past-President of the American Woman’s Society of CPAs of South Florida..  She was a charter board member of both the CPA Club of Fort Lauderdale and the Commercial Real Estate Women of Broward County.  In addition, she is a member of the Florida Institute of CPAs, the American Institute of CPAs, and the National Association of Women Business Owners. Her community support encompasses several worthy causes, focusing primarily on women’s issues.  She has served as President of the Board of Trustees for the Educational Foundation for Women in Accounting.  In addition, she is a Past-Chairman of the Board of Directors for Women In Distress of Broward County, the only certified domestic violence treatment center in Broward County, a volunteer for the Financial Appropriations Committee of the United Way, and a volunteer for Positive Images of Broward, a welfare-to-work agency supporting a woman’s ability to change her destiny.

 

PRESIDENT ELECT - Stefanie A. Yurus Stefanie Yurus is a Bay Area native.  She graduated from U.C. Berkeley with a B.S. in Business Administration and from Golden Gate University with a MBA in Finance.  She has over 15 years of work experience working in various fields in the bay area.  She obtained her CPA while at KPMG in San Francisco.  Her most recent work experience is with the Children’s Hospital & Research Center Foundation.  She was previously as accounting manager for the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco where she worked primarily on the accounting for the renovation of the old San Francisco Public Library and the related capital campaign.  She is on the national board of the American Woman’s Society of CPAs and also on the Board of the Educational Foundation for Women in Accounting which is a nationwide organization that raises funds for accounting scholarships.

 

PAST PRESIDENT - Jennifer C. Laudermilch Jennifer is a Senior Manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) in the Birmingham, Alabama office and leads the PwC internal control practice (Systems and Process Assurance) for the Alabama and Tennessee markets.  Prior to her relocation to Birmingham in 2005, Jennifer spent three years in the PwC National office developing the Firm's approach to 404. As a result, she is frequently asked to speak on the topic of internal control to local organizations. Jennifer graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting, and from the University of Georgia with a Master’s of Accountancy. Jennifer has been a national board member for several years, serving most recently as President Elect and VP of Marketing.  On a local level, Jennifer served as the president of the AWSCPA Georgia affiliate, and served on the board of the Georgia affiliate as President Elect, Treasurer and Member at Large.

 

SECRETARY/TREASURER - Amy Knowles-Jones Amy Knowles-Jones is an Internal Audit Manager at Oxford Industries, Inc. (OXM), a global apparel manufacturer in Atlanta, Georgia. Prior to joining Oxford, she was a senior risk management consultant in the Atlanta office of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC). Amy graduated from Valdosta State University in 1997 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. She is a CPA, certified in Massachusetts and a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) in Georgia. Amy has been President of the Georgia affiliate for past several years and continues to serve as an advisor to its board. She has also been a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) since 1998.

 

VICE PRESIDENT - MEMBER SERVICES Wendy S. Lewis Wendy is the Controller for Jim R. Smith & Company in Houston, Texas.  Jim Smith is the largest individual owner of shopping centers in the Houston metropolitan area.  The company owns and manages over 2,000,000 square feet of lease space.  Wendy’s duties encompass human resource and payroll functions, as well as all areas of finance including day-to-day operations, financial reporting and lender relations, tenant contact, and preparation of all tax returns for the business entities, employees and family members.  Because of the Smith’s vast business and philanthropic interests, Wendy also spends a large amount of time researching a variety of topics. Wendy received a BBA in accounting from the University of Texas San Antonio.  She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), Texas State Board of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA) - Houston Chapter, and the American Woman’s Society of Certified Public Accountants - Houston Affiliate. Charitable and civic activities have always been important to Wendy.  She served on her homeowners association board as their treasurer for twelve years.  She is an active member of St. Thomas Presbyterian Church.  She was the adult choir president for numerous years, and served as a Ruling Elder for a three year term.  Wendy has participated on several church committees, and been active with various mission projects in Houston, as well as at previous churches in Huntsville and San Antonio. She has served on the board of the Houston Affiliate in different capacities, and as president for the 1996-1997 year.

VICE PRESIDENT - MARKETING - Lynda Nigh Practicing in public accounting since 1994, Lynda owns a tax practice in Tucson, Arizona.  She previously worked as a Tax Supervisor for Beach Fleischman & Co. focusing on individual and trust tax returns and with Jon R. Young & Co.  Prior to commencing work in the accounting field, Lynda spent 15 years employed in the legal community and was certified by the National Association of Legal Assistants as a civil litigation specialist. Lynda graduated magna cum laude from Northern Arizona University - Yuma with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in Arizona (1998).  Lynda is a member of the Arizona Society of Certified Public Accountants (ASCPA since 1995) and a member of the American Woman’s Society of CPAs (AWSCPA since July of 2000). Actively engaged in the Tucson Arizona affiliate of the AWSCPA, she currently serves as Membership Director and is also a past president.

 

VICE PRESIDENT - PUBLICATIONS - Usha Murthy Usha Murthy, in her position as Chief Financial Officer at the Los Angeles Regional FoodBank, oversees all of the Foodbank’s fiscal interests. She has 16 years of experience working as a CFO, Controller, and a financial analyst for various non-profits and government agencies, including the Resolution Trust Corporation, Heart of America United Way, and the Jewish Community Foundation.  Ms. Murthy received her BS degree in Accounting in India.  She later earned her Masters of Business Administration with dual emphasis in both Corporate Finance and Banking from the University of New Orleans, Louisiana.  She holds a CPA certification and has been affiliated with memberships at the Missouri State Board of Accountancy, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the California Society of CPAs.  She is also the President of the Los Angeles Affiliate of the American Woman's Society of CPAs (AWSCPA) and a Board member at the AWSCPA National in the capacity of VP-Publications. In her spare time, she enjoys running, cooking, yoga and crocheting.

VICE PRESIDENT - JNC - Ivy L. Defino Ivy is the President of her own public accounting firm in Davie, Florida.  Prior to establishing her own firm, she was a manager at CBIZ McClain Accounting, Tax & Advisory, Inc. in their Miami office.  Her areas of expertise are tax, compilation work and accounting services for closely-held entities.  Ivy earned her bachelor’s in Business Administration from Florida Atlantic University in 1985, and earned her Master’s Degree in Accounting from Nova University five years later.  She has been a member of AWSCPA since 1998 and is a past president of the South Florida Affiliate of AWSCPA.  Ivy also holds memberships with both the American and Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

 

NATIONAL DIRECTOR EAST - Kristi A. Biondo Kristi is a Senior Manager in PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP's alternative investment management industry and has over eleven years of experience providing audit and business advisory services to a wide range of both broker-dealers and investment companies, including private equity funds, master-feeder funds, offshore funds, hedge funds, investment partnerships, and commodity pools. Prior to joining PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Kristi spent over seven years in Deloitte & Touche LLP's banking and securities group including a two year tour in the London office. She graduated Cum Laude from the University at Buffalo-The State University of New York with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and finance.  She is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Washington D.C. She is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA) and the American Woman’s Society of CPAs (AWSCPA). She currently serves as a member of the board of directors for the American Woman’s Society of CPAs.  She is a past Vice President and Director of Membership of the NYC affiliate of the AWSCPA.

NATIONAL DIRECTOR WEST - Kelly K. Welter Kelly owns her own accounting practice, KKW & Associates, Inc. in Las Vegas, Nevada. The firm specializes in individual and business taxation as well as business consulting. Kelly has worked in public practice since graduating from Oregon State University and Agder Business College in Kristiansand, Norway in 1994. She worked at two local firms in Oregon before moving to Las Vegas in 2002. She then worked as the tax manager at a local firm until going out on her own in 2005. Kelly’s extensive work with small businesses over the years laid the foundation for her work with businesses in a variety of industries. It is very common for her to work with clients from the startup stage. She will assist them with business formation, setting up the accounting and payroll, and provide financial, general business, and tax consultation through all the stages of their development. Kelly is a member of the American Women Society of Certified Public Accountants, the Nevada Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. She is also on the National Board of Moms In Business Network and has served as the Southern Nevada Leader for the local circle. Kelly served as the Treasurer for Boys Hope Girl Hope – Nevad

NATIONAL DIRECTOR- STUDENT DEVELOPMENT - Alexandra L. Miller Alexandra L. Miller is the owner of her own accounting firm in Tucson, Arizona - Alexandra L. Miller, CPA, PC. Her tax and accounting practice specializes in individuals, estates, trusts, small businesses and the construction industry. Alex graduated from the University of Arizona with degrees in accounting and management. Alex has served AWSCPA at the national level in many positions, including past president in 2003-2004.  A member of AWSCPA since 1991, she is a past president of the Tucson affiliate. Alex is a member of the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA), the Arizona Society of CPAs (ASCPA), the American Society of Women Accountants (ASWA), the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), and the International Advisory Forum of Beta Alpha Psi. She is currently serving a term on the AICPA Work/Life Women’s Initiatives Executive Committee.

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