Page 48 - JoFA_Jan_Apr23

THE LAST WORD / Tayiika M. Dennis, CPA

Tayiika M. Dennis, CPA, is a
principal at CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen
LLP), working out of its Century
City, Los Angeles, location, and
chair of the California Society of
Certified Public Accountants.

Favorite food: Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese —
pretty much any Asian cuisine.

Favorite travel destination: Lake Tahoe,
where I was born, and Arizona, where many
family members live.

Favorite leisure activities: Spending time
with my dog, Chez. I love to dress him up
for Halloween. (I’m not sure the feeling is
mutual.)

Favorite app: YouTube, because you can
find everything there.

‘I am focusing on enhancing the image of the CPA …’

Joining the accounting profession: My family has been that are not as positive — for example, that accountants
in either the Navy or nursing. I entered UCLA as a pre- are overworked during busy season and their career paths
nursing major, thinking I would follow in their footsteps, are limited to doing taxes and audits. In reality, though,
but realized that wasn’t the course for me. Then I discovered accounting offers many different career paths.
economics, which led to accounting. I remember my first Having the education it takes to be a CPA is beneficial,
accounting professor at UCLA, David Ravetch, who was no matter what you choose to do, and it can be a fun,
passionate about the subject matter, and, before our final exciting profession. During my term as CalCPA chair,
exam, he played his guitar and sang a song about everything I am focusing on enhancing the image of the CPA and
he taught us that quarter. promoting its acronym as the Coolest Profession Around
I’ve been in public accounting for 20 years, and one (#coolestprofessionaround).
reason I’ve stayed so long is because my specialty area is
nonprofit organizations. I work with public charities and Promoting diversity in leadership: Part of making the
private foundations. They provide a valuable service to the profession more attractive for prospective CPAs is promot-
communities and individuals they serve. I help them keep ing inclusivity. When you look at statistics as reported in the
their missions alive. AICPA’s 2021 Trends Report, the percentage of women at the
partner level is less than 39%. Only 2% of partners are African
Making CPAs cool: I attended the CalCPA Leadership American.
Institute and was encouraged to join the Los Angeles One way we can enhance our image is to examine flexibility
Chapter board of directors. I was elected L.A. Chapter in the workplace. The pandemic did force some flexibility, and
president for 2015–2016. I started becoming more involved we should keep that up, especially when it comes to women in
with CalCPA at about the same time I joined my legacy the profession who may decide to have children. We should
firm, which is now CliftonLarsonAllen. Getting involved offer pathways for them to continue growing in their careers.
with CalCPA was instrumental in my becoming a principal Even if they work on a 75% or 50% basis, their firms will still
at CLA, and it was a way to give back to the profession. benefit from their leadership, and we will create many more
This year, as chair of the California Society of Certified opportunities to grow the profession. PHOTO BY MARK VON HOLDEN/AP IMAGES
Public Accountants, I have been looking at how people
perceive CPAs. There are obvious qualities people associate — As told to Teri Saylor, a freelance writer based in North Caro-
with us, such as being good at math and paying attention lina. To comment on this article or to suggest another subject for Last
to detail. There are also some opinions about the profession Word, contact Courtney Vien at Courtney.Vien@aicpa-cima.com.

46 | Journal of Accountancy January 2023