Stacie Kowalczyk, CPA

Bio

Stacie has 18 years of experience in public accounting. She specializes in serving nonprofit organizations, higher education, social service, healthcare and religious organizations, and she has extensive experience providing single audit services. She also provides audits, reviews and other attestation services to for-profit entities in the retail, consumer products, financial services and professional services industries.

She works collaboratively with her clients, to keep them informed of accounting regulations that can impact their audit. She also provides specialized expertise on complex accounting issues, including revenue recognition, convertible debt instruments, investments and fair value measurements, endowment accounting, equity compensation, board governance and benchmarks for financial performance. In addition, she has experience performing gap analyses and developing process and workflow charts to strengthen internal controls and mitigate risk.

Stacie is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Texas and California Societies of CPAs. She was featured in the October 2018 edition of the CalCPA magazine for her cover article on revenue recognition. She is a former adjunct professor of accounting at the University of San Francisco, and she received a B.S. in accounting and an MBA from Arizona State University. Stacie is the Chair of the Armanino Women’s Advancement Network and sits on the Women in Leadership Advisory Panel at the University of Houston, Bauer College of Business.

*Stacie holds her interest in the firm through SEK SERVICES, PLLC

I knew I always wanted to stay in public accounting, but I wanted to find a firm with an entrepreneurial, innovative and high-growth culture in which I could succeed. Partner Paul O’ Grady played a large part in convincing me, over a two-year period, that Armanino was that firm. Paul took a chance by believing in me and that I could succeed here, and he gave me the confidence to do so. Looking back, making the move to Armanino was the best decision I’ve made professionally.

In the higher education sector, small and medium-sized colleges and universities will face increasing challenges around controlling costs, increasing enrollment and balancing the financial aid packages they offer. If they can’t address these problems, some colleges may be acquired or merged with other institutions, or may have to cut back on programs.

Although technology is also a challenge for many organizations, it will be part of the solution. Institutions can leverage technology to drive efficiency and control costs, or to improve the effectiveness of their marketing, for example.

I work with several nonprofits that have programs for children with a variety of developmental and learning disabilities. The depth of their work and the programs they offer for the kids and their families is so impressive. I’m really inspired by their mission and by how dedicated and involved the employees, board members and volunteers of these organizations are; it’s just a very positive environment.

It’s very open and collaborative, with both clients and staff. I also like to challenge my staff to think on their feet and be problem solvers―and I want to be challenged in return. If they have an idea for a new way to do something, like an alternative way to audit a transaction or area of the financial statements, I encourage them to bring up their suggestion and formulate a solution.

Seeing my students learn, graduate and enter the accounting profession when I was an adjunct accounting professor. I knew that my years of experience in public accounting had helped teach them what they needed to know to succeed in their audit class, and above and beyond the textbook and into the real world.

My parents. They passed along the whole concept of learning the value of hard work and striving to give your kids a bright future. When I was growing up, I didn’t always understand where they were coming from. I gave them a hard time, but now I understand the sacrifices they made and realize that a large part of who I am today is because of them.