PRESIDENT - 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.

 

PRESIDENT ELECT - Wendy S. Lewis Wendy Lewis 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.

 

PAST 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.

 

SECRETARY/TREASURER - Mary A. Ross Born and raised in Yokohama, Japan, Mary graduated high school from Nile C. Kinnick in Yokosuka, Japan.  After graduating high school, Mary attended the University of Illinois at Chicago Circle where she received a Bachelor of Science degree with distinction in Accounting and became a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Texas in 1983. Mary’s Accounting career began in 1981 working for a electric utility company in the Financial Accounting and Budgeting Department until 1986 when she began working in Municipal Governmental until 2003.  Her Municipal Governmental Accounting career consisted of working for the Cities of Victoria, Bellaire, Galveston, and Pearland, Texas where she served as the Director of Finance for these Cities.  Mary also served as the Senior Budget Coordinator for the City of Pasadena, Texas. Since 2003 Mary has been managing a family investment partnership that is involved in various investment ventures and she is also a sole proprietor as a Certified Public Accountant.  Her experience and expertise include governmental and non-profit budgeting, financial statement preparation and financial administration, long-term strategic financial planning, investments, and preparation of tax returns.    Professional & Civic Affiliations: Served as State Representative to the National Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) President of the Houston Affiliate American Women’s Society of Certified Public Accountants (AWSCPA) American Women’s Society of Certified Public Accountants Houston Affiliate “2007 Member of the Year” Executive Board Member & Treasurer of the Resource and Crisis Center of Galveston County Executive Board Member of the Executive Career Women of Galveston Board Member of the Rotary Club of Galveston Board Member of the Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council Serve on the Zoning Board of Adjustments for the City of Galveston

 

VICE PRESIDENT - MEMBER SERVICES - Amy Knowles-Jones Amy Knowles-Jones, CPA, CIA is the Internal Audit Manager at Oxford Industries, Inc. (OXM), an international apparel design, sourcing and marketing company in Atlanta, Georgia with brands that include Tommy Bahama and Ben Sherman. Amy's experience includes Panasonic Automotive Systems Division where she served in two roles as the Consolidations Manager and Internal Control Manager and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as a senior risk management consultant. Amy graduated from Valdosta State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting. She is a CPA, certified in Massachusetts and a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA). Amy has previously served in AWSCPA as the National Treasurer/Secretary and President of the Georgia Affiliate and continues to serve on the GA advisory board as well as chairing the scholarship committee. She has also been a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) since 1998.

VICE PRESIDENT - MARKETING - Lynda N. 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, 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 Ms. Biondo is currently a Director in the Global Trade Support and Operations group at Marathon Asset Management LP, where she is primarily responsible for managing the group’s global operations and accounting.  Prior to joining Marathon Asset Management LP, Ms. Biondo was a Senior Manager in PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP’s alternative investment management assurance and business advisory practice. Ms. Biondo has over thirteen years of experience providing accounting and business advisory services to a wide range of both broker-dealers and investment companies, including private equity funds, hedge funds, and commodity pools. Prior to joining PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Ms. Biondo spent over six years in Deloitte’s banking and securities practice including a two year global strategic client assignment in the London office. Ms. Biondo graduated with honors from the State University of New York at Buffalo, receiving her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a concentration in Accounting & 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). Ms. Biondo  currently serves as a member of the national board of directors for the AWSCPA and has served in numerous board positions for the NYC affiliate of the AWSCPA including President and Director of Membership. Ms. Biondo most recently was named Woman CPA  of the Year by the AWSCPA at the 2008 JNC conference in Dallas.

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 – Nevada.

NATIONAL DIRECTOR- STUDENT DEVELOPMENT - Alexandra L. Miller Alex 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.

NATIONAL DIRECTOR MEMBERS AT LARGE - Erika D. Bonner Erika is a senior manager in KPMG’s Seattle Federal Tax practice where she focuses on multinational corporations, financial institutions and FAS109. She has been in public accounting for 10 years, practicing in California, Utah and Washington and has also spent 2 years with a forensic accounting and restructuring firm. Erika graduated Cum Laude with a Master’s in Accounting degree from the University of Notre Dame and a Bachelor’s in Accounting from Utah State University. She is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Utah and Washington. Previous positions with the AWSCPA include Utah board member and president of the Utah chapter. She is currently a member of the AICPA and Washington Society of CPAs.

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