NASBA, NABA and ALPFA

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One of the long-term strategies for NASBA’s Diversity Committee is forming partnerships with the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) and the Association of Latino Professionals For America (ALPFA), NASBA Diversity Committee Chair Maria E. Caldwell (FL) told the Regional Meetings. The Committee will also be reaching out to state CPA societies and the major firms to partner on efforts for including more minorities in the profession, and moving them up into its leadership, including NASBA’s Board of Directors. One of the Committee’s efforts has been the distribution of a survey to determine the current composition of the State Boards.

“We are helping people place ALPFA members,” Damaris Garcia-Schneider, ALPFA Board member told the Eastern Regional Meeting. “Maybe bring some of your Board members to our next conference.” She commented, “Diversity is asking someone to the dance: Inclusion is actually asking them to dance.”

There is a need to develop an interest in what the opportunities are for CPAs, Jose Campos (CA) stated at the Western Regional. He suggested that more needs to be generally known about the role of the State Board in order to get Latinos involved.

“As a profession, we have to change the way we market,” NABA Secretary Ryan Galloway told the Western Regional. NABA is conducting an Accounting Careers Awareness Program. NABA Chairman Steven Harris, at the Eastern Regional, pointed out, “The other piece is financial support – paying for that fifth year. We are trying to make sure students don’t cheat themselves by not going on for the fifth year.”