Professor of Practice and Director, Master of Accounting and Information Systems Program
Virginia Tech, Blacksburg
Virginia Board of Accountancy vice chair and educator member, American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) State Board Committee chair, AICPA Board of Examiners member, National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) Uniform Accountancy Act Committee member
as a senior audit manager for KPMG and a partner at Creedle, Jones & Alga, PC, Nadia left public practice behind for a new challenge: academia. She joined Virginia Tech, her alma mater, in 2015, where she teaches, oversees the Master of Accounting and Information Systems (MACIS) Program, and advises students in the accounting analytics, audit, and financial services options within the MACIS Program.
Nadia says teaching at Virginia Tech is a dream come true. “As I was applying for admission into graduate programs, our department head at the time asked that I teach both of our principles courses while earning the degree. I am so grateful that he asked and challenged me in this way, because it changed my life! I really grew through the experience and realized that teaching was ultimately the career pathway I wanted to pursue.”
She believes it was important to begin her career in public accounting. KPMG and Creedle, Jones, and Alga provided her with a tremendous educational platform and experiential background that enables her to bring significant insight to students in the classroom in addition to advising them on their future careers.
Nadia shares that “education is the key to success and being at the heart of it, educating the next generation of accounting professionals and CPAs, is absolutely incredible!”
"Giving back to the accounting profession through volunteerism is in direct alignment with my core values,” Nadia says. “It enables me to provide meaningful contributions to the profession that I hold in high regard, while also exemplifying the principles of generosity and service.”
Nadia served on the Virginia Board of Accountancy’s (VBOA) Peer Review Oversight Committee beginning in 2010 as a member and then as chair in the later years of her tenure on the Committee. She was first appointed as educator member of the VBOA in 2019 and reappointed in 2023. Nadia believes serving as the educator member is the perfect intersection of her professional and academic experience.
She is very passionate about the accounting profession, which drives her involvement in a variety of areas within the profession. In addition to serving on the VBOA, she serves as a member of the AICPA Board of Examiners and NASBA Uniform Accountancy Act Committee. She was previously heavily involved in the CPA Evolution initiative, serving as co-chair of the AICPA’s Information Systems and Controls Task Force and speaking on the topic with professionals, faculty and students across the country. She has also served on other NASBA and VSCPA committees and task forces.
“There is no shortage of areas within which accounting professionals can volunteer their time. I encourage all accounting professionals to identify their passions and pursue related volunteer opportunities.”
Nadia points out that the accounting profession is currently facing a pipeline decline that is, in part, due to fewer individuals pursuing careers in accounting. The impact of the decline will be exacerbated by the fact that, per the AICPA, 75% of CPAs will retire in the next 15 years coupled with fewer individuals forecasted to pursue college degrees over the next 5–10 years.
“One of the biggest hurdles we need to overcome when attracting talent is the perception that accounting professionals are boring, confined to cubicles and need to be math geniuses, which couldn’t be further from the truth! We are not at all the stereotypical accountant of the past. We are fun, dynamic and innovative! We have embraced technology, which has transformed the way we perform engagement procedures and analyze financial data. Our skill sets and knowledge have evolved as a result.”
Nadia said the efforts the profession is already undertaking to address its image problem, such as marketing through social media, talking with middle and high schoolers to give them exposure to the accounting profession much earlier in their education, providing more information regarding career pathways to college students, and considering changing the way courses like Principles of Accounting are taught. “Principles of Accounting is many business students’ first exposure to accounting, and it is imperative that the experience is positive and engaging.”
Additionally, Nadia says that “increased communication regarding the value of the CPA license is an area for improvement of the accounting profession. It is important that students and others potentially considering licensure recognize that the CPA is more than a certification. It is a license issued by state government, signifying that the accounting professional possesses a high level of competency. Widely esteemed and globally recognized, CPA licensure leads to higher compensation and expanded career opportunities. Per the AICPA, CPAs earn 10–15% more in salary than unlicensed accountants and ‘have the potential to boost their earnings by $1 million [over] their lifetime compared to a non-CPA in the same position.’”
Nadia said she would like to see the profession continue to collaborate and brainstorm ways to attract more students into the pipeline and increase the level of diversity within accounting. “There is not one item or one party that will solve the pipeline issue, but rather a collaborative effort involving all levels of the profession. It is important for the future success of the accounting profession that we keep an open mind, understand the data available, and continue to take action.”
Another challenge within the profession is modernizing the requirements for CPA licensure while protecting substantial equivalency and practice mobility, two concepts that CPAs truly value, she notes. “Additional pathways [to the CPA] are currently being discussed, which could have a significant impact on educational institutions. Protecting the license and flexibility that CPAs have grown accustomed to is paramount and at the forefront of every discussion.”
Nadia’s advice for professional success
To aspiring CPAs, Nadia says, “you are embarking upon an incredible journey within an outstanding profession! The accounting profession is a stable profession that offers many career pathways and flexibility.” The stability of the accounting profession is often overlooked or not understood by students, but is a very important aspect to keep in mind, she notes. “Even in times of economic downturn, CPAs are still needed to continue to lend credibility to the financial information being reported, to provide tax preparation and consulting services to entities and individuals, and to provide valuable advice to entities when faced with making difficult decisions.”
Nadia further indicates that “the opportunities as a CPA within the accounting profession are limitless, and the flexibility in terms of career pathway, travel opportunities, and work modality are extremely valuable.”
As previously indicated, Nadia was very involved in the CPA Evolution initiative over its development. The new CPA Exam launched in January, and she agrees with the AICPA’s sentiment: “It’s never been a more exciting time to pursue the CPA license.”
“Due to recent technological advancements, accounting professionals are becoming more efficient and the advancement pathway within firms is changing such that new hires are performing more challenging work than new hires of the past. The changed skills and knowledge needed to be successful within the accounting profession are reflected in the new CPA Exam.”
Nadia recommends aspiring CPAs take the CPA Exam as close as possible to earning their degrees. “Historically speaking, those who have done so performed better on the CPA Exam than those who waited to take the CPA Exam. Additionally, I recommend utilizing CPA Exam study materials from a reputable study material provider.”
