June 2011- Spotlight on Johanna Klohman

Johanna Klohmann owns her own CPA practice in downtown Flagstaff.  She began working for Tyler Hager in 2003 and in 2008 he retired and she took over his practice.  Johanna provides a vast array of accounting and tax services including tax return preparation, bookkeeping, consulting, tax planning, and work for non-profit organizations.

 Johanna grew up in Flagstaff and graduated from NAU.  During college she worked at The Old Town Shops, Anchor Blue, Gail Lowe, CPA, and Frost and Stephens PC.  She is a new member of ASWA having joined last month after attending the annual membership meeting.

Johanna is has been married to Stuart for almost 12 years and they have an 8 year-old son Damian and a 5-year-old daughter named Bailey.  Her favorite pastimes include movie-watching, scrapbooking and gardening.  She loves Disneyland and goes every year with her family.

May 2011- Spotlight on Wendy Swartz

Wendy Swartz is the Associate Comptroller for Financial Controls at Northern Arizona University.  She has been at NAU for almost 6 years. In Financial Controls, it is their job to help protect university assets and they do this in various ways. They provide education on proper internal controls and business processes, assist departments through consultation on particular issues, conduct compliance reviews, and also occasionally investigate concerns of wrongdoing.

Wendy graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a concentration in Accounting from the University of Dayton.  She spent seven years at Harvard University where she served as the Product Manager for Purchase to Payment applications as well as the Assistant Manager of Accounts Payable.  She has also held accounting positions with various manufacturing companies such as Coca Cola Enterprises, Michelin and Tenneco.

Wendy is currently the President Elect of our Flagstaff Chapter of ASWA.  She first became involved with ASWA about 4 years ago when Cheryl Heitz invited her to be a guest speaker at a chapter meeting and she has been involved ever since!

She married her husband, Matt, right before they moved to Flagstaff in 2005 all the way from Boston, MA. They have a sassy three year old daughter, Piper, who she adores for her independent thought and creative streak. They also have a 110 pound dog named Ivan who she says thinks he should be a lap dog.  Wendy is currently working on her Master’s of Administration degree from Northern Arizona University and she is thrilled to say that she is almost done.  She says “I don’t have much time for my hobbies right now – but if I did, I would be knitting and doing blackwork.”

Wendy said “I’m lucky.  I just find myself in the right place at the right time a lot.  For instance, I have bowled a frame in the White House bowling alley.  I just happened to be in the right tour line at the right place to start chatting with the right person – and next thing you know; there I am with a bowling ball in my hand!”

 

March 2011- Spotlight on Karen Durazo 

 

Karen Durazo is the VP of accounting and finance for Coast & Mountain Properties here in Flagstaff, a business she has run for twenty years now.  Previously she was an auditor for Deloitte, Haskins & Sells back when they were considered one of the “Big 8″ accounting firms.  Karen joined the Flagstaff Chapter of ASWA back in 2008.

Karen has been married to her highschool sweetheart, Felix, for 33 years and they have two daughters, Rachel (21 yrs. old) and Rebecca (19 yrs. old).  She believes her greatest accomplishment is raising her two girls.  She grew up in Douglas, Arizona and graduated with a degree in merchandising and fashion promotion from U of A and became a buyer for women’s hosiery before her CPA life began.  She stepped into her next career by obtaining a second degree in accounting from ASU.  Karen has lived in Flagstaff for three different periods of time, once to attend NAU for two and a half years, then again from 1990-1995, and back from 1999-present and she says she’s not leaving again.

 

 

 

February 2011- Spotlight on Kathe Shinham 

Kathe Shinham is currently a professor of Practice, Accounting at Northern Arizona University.  She has been teaching in the W.A.Franke College of Business for 2 years and teaches Principles of Accounting- Financial, Principles of Accounting- Managerial, and Governmental, Nonprofit and Non-Corporate Accounting.  Previously, Kathe was an auditor with KPMG for almost 7 years and worked in public university administration for 26 years.  Kay Pitt introduced Kathe to ASWA and she joined in 2009.

Kathe was born and raised in suburban Philadelphia (Pennsylvania).   She graduated college from Mount Holyoke College, a liberal arts college for women, in 1974 and majored in German. She received her MBA from Northwestern University in 1976 and received her Ed.D. in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania in 2004.

Kathe has been married to Bob Shinham for 27 years and he brought 4 children, all adults now, to the marriage. When not teaching, she really enjoys enjoy hiking, flat water canoeing and swimming. In fact she has hiked over 850 continuous miles on the Appalachian Trail.  She has lived in Flagstaff for almost five years and says “I have enjoyed each and every day!”

 

November 2010 – Spotlight on Erin Chadwick   

 

Erin Chadwick is the Accounting Manager at NARBHA (Northern Arizona Regional Behavioral and Health Authority) and is also a co-owner of Precise Network Services, a computer network consulting company.  Erin has been with NARBHA for the last three years and prepares financial statements and oversees payroll and accounts payable.  In addition, she monitors the books for Precise Network Services.  Previously, Erin was the Regional Controller for the SCA North America Tissue Division and prior to that was a Senior Accountant for Peabody Coal Company and an Accountant for the City of Flagstaff.

Erin grew up in Hawaii and graduated from the University of Hawaii.  She has lived in Flagstaff now for 20 years and is married to John.  They have three cats and when she’s not wearing her accountant hat, Erin enjoys reading, playing computer games, watching TV, and shopping.

Erin joined ASWA in 2000 and has served as Treasurer and Vice President on the Board.

 

 

 

 October 2010 – Spotlight on Roberta Motter  

Roberta Motter has been a sole proprietor and owner of the local CPA firm – Roberta Motter, CPA, PLLC since 1999.  She prepares individual and exempt organization returns and does bookkeeping for small businesses.

At age 18 she started working for Crocker Bank at a branch at North Lake Tahoe, California.  After 3 years she left banking to become a Grand Canyon River Guide.  Ten years later she became a stay-at-home Mom and then ran a start-up company called “Chums” (eyeglass retainers).  After that she started a gift basket business in Flagstaff where she became interested in the bookkeeping side of things, which led to accounting classes.  After graduating from NAU in 1996 she went to work for Deloitte & Touche in Phoenix.  After deciding to return home to Flagstaff she started her own practice.  Roberta said, “I’ve had an unconventional career path but I love where I am now with a great balance of work and family.”   Roberta joined ASWA around 2001 and has been an involved board member holding positions such as President and Membership Chair.

Roberta and her husband Alan now have an empty nest after 30 years of raising 2 daughters and a son.  Emily Perry is married to Scott and studying for her midwife license.  Ann-Marie Bringhurst is married to Adam and they have a new baby son.  Both of her daughters live in Flagstaff and her son Max is away for his first year of college at Westminster in Salt Lake City and is studying snowboarding.

Roberta’s extra-curricular activities include hiking, river running, jogging and ice skating, but her new favorite hobby is holding her grandson.  She also practices yoga and loves to cook and bake.

 September 2010 – Spotlight on Emily Green

Emily Green has been the bookkeeper for Indian Bible College for the past three years.  She handles the general accounting affairs of the school including donations, AP, student accounts, and payroll.  After graduating from NAU in 2005, Emily worked in two different public accounting offices and for the NAU Foundation.  She also joined ASWA in 2005 and is currently serving her second term as treasurer of our local ASWA chapter.

Emily grew up in Tempe and moved to Flagstaff in 2001 to attend college at NAU.  Emily and her husband Jeremy have a one-year old son named Jack, who has been her main hobby over the last year.

  

 

 

 

 

August 2010 – Spotlight on Diana Sickels

Diana is an accountant with the firm Guest, Schutte, Cosper & Ledbetter CPAs and has been with them since November 2005.  She joined the firm shortly after moving to Flagstaff from California in July of that year.   She has her California CPA license and Enrolled Agents License.  Altogether, Diana has worked for public CPA firms for over 20 years including Elliott, Lewis, Lieber & Stumpf, Duncan & Duncan, CPAs, Mike Congdon, CPA and Vern Onstine, CPA, all of which were located in California.  She has a wide range of tax and accounting expertise and prepares individual, business and non-profit tax returns as well as compiled, reviewed & audited financial statements.  Diana joined ASWA on 12/1/06 after attending a meeting as a guest of Angie Ledbetter.

Diana has been married for almost 28 years to Phil, who currently works for the Arizona Department of Health Services.  They have three children:  Jason is 34 years old; Nathan is 20 years old – graduated from Sinagua HS in June 2009; Briana is 10 years old – attends Knoles Elementary School.

They have one dog – a 2 year old Jack Russell Terrier named Tessa and two black & white cats, a brother & sister from the same litter, named Sonny & Honey.  They have one bird – a lovebird that they call Bird.  Diana said that for a lovebird – she is very mean and bites – but she sings real pretty.

Before deciding to become an accountant, Diana had an upbringing that brought her to many parts of the country and she was in a profession that was quite different from today.  Diana was born in Chicago and grew up in Illinois, Wisconsin & New Mexico.   Her elementary schools were all in Illinois, her middle schools were in Illinois & Wisconsin, and her high schools were in Wisconsin & New Mexico.  She attended a total of 15 schools by the time she graduated high school.  After high school she joined the Air Force.  She attended tech school in Denver where she met her husband who was also in the Air Force.  She was stationed at Pease Air Force Base in New Hampshire where she was an avionics technician and fixed the radar systems of the FB-111A.  She then served 2 years in the Air National Guard – stationed at Kirkland AFB in Albuquerque, NM.

  July 2010 – Spotlight on Angela Uyeno

Angela is currently the Internal Controls Analyst at Northern Arizona University.  She has lived in Flagstaff and has held this position with NAU for the last three years and performs audits of, and consults with, departments to ensure compliance with policies, procedures, external regulations, and to promote good business practices.  Previously, Angela spent 6 years as a Goods and Services Sales Tax Auditor at Revenue Canada; then moved to North Carolina where she spent 2 years as the accountant for the Dental Foundation of North Carolina and the UNC Dental Alumni Association; then 1 year as the Accounting Manager at the Orange County Partnership for Young Children before moving to Flagstaff.

 Angela grew up in Calgary Canada and graduated from the University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Accounting.  She became a member of our Flagstaff chapter of ASWA after attending a 2008 conference with fellow member Wendy Swartz.  She has been married to her husband Ted for over 11 years and their family includes their 9-month-old son Gabe, an 18-year old leopard gecko, and a 2-year old puppy.

Angela calls herself an “unabashed coupon clipper” and lists her favorite hobbies as traveling and assisting with her husband’s diverse and ever-changing hobbies. Most recently he’s taken up jewelry making, so they’ve mined various precious and semi-precious metals, stones, and gems, and attended gem shows around Arizona.

 May 2010 - Spotlight on Jessica Fitchett 

Jessica has been the Fiscal Operation Manager for the College of Health & Human Services at NAU for the last two years and provides financial oversight for the college and units within, prepares accounting and payroll transactions, and provides budgetary support for various fund types.  She has been with NAU for over 17 years and prior to working in the Health & Human Services department she was in the University Budget Office as well as the Physics and Astronomy department.   She graduated NAU in 2005 and is currently in the Master of Public Administration program and hopes to finish by 2013.

 Jessica and her husband Larry have been married for 16 years and they have a 14 year-old son, Jack, and a 12 year-old daughter, Nina….the lights of her life.  She believes that being a parent to her children is a privilege and the single greatest challenge she will ever be faced with, but says that “the rewards are SO worth it!”  They have two pound puppies named Curly and Lucky and they also have a Floridian soft-shelled turtle named Turdie.

Jessica’s hobbies include watching her kids play soccer and traveling with her family.  She is a huge fan of national parks, with her favorite being the Acadia In Maine.  Her long-term goal is to visit every single national park and her short-term goal is to hike the AZ Trail with her kids before they head off to college.

Jessica has been a member of ASWA since 2007 and said “I have very much enjoyed being a part of the Flagstaff Chapter of ASWA.  The best part for me is being able consult with this wonderful group of ladies while building individual connections.  I’ve learned a ton and had fun at the same time. ”

April 2010 - Spotlight on Sherra Lyon        

Sherra Lyon is a Commercial Banker and Vice President of the Flagstaff Branch of National Bank of Arizona.  She has spent the last six yeras with National Bank of Arizona serving the commercial banking clientele of Northern Arizona and she was recently promoted to Team Lead of their commercial banking team.  Sherra graduated from NAU and served as an intern/public accountant for RSM McGladrey & Pullen CPA Firm.

Sherra’s family was Air Force, so she has lived in several parts of the country and world including Texas, Illinois, and the Philippines.  She has lived in Northern Arizona now for eleven years.  Her wonderful family includes a 13 year-old daughter, two big dogs, a cat and two guinea pigs.  Her favorite hobbies surround enjoying the outdoors including hiking, boating, snowmobiling, taking the quads out in the forest, bike rides, walking the dogs, “attempting” to garden, and she just enjoys hanging out with her daugher, family & friends.

Kay Pitt encouraged Sherra to become an ASWA member when she was still working out of her home eight years ago.  She is glad she did and says that Kay was right, “These ladies are a lot of fun and provide a wonderful service to Northern Arizona through this organization.”           

 

Addie Devine is an accountant at the firm Guest, Schutte, Cosper, & Ledbetter CPAs.  She completed a year-long internship with this firm and joined the professional staff after graduating from NAU in May of 2009.  Addie hails from Incline Village near Lake Tahoe and has lived in Flagstaff for the last five years.  She is an avid runner, snow boarder and dog lover.  She ran cross country and track for NAU all while studying to obtain her Bachelor of Science in Accountancy.  She has three dogs….Calvin, Tony & Aki.

Addie became a member of ASWA in January of 2008.