A recent article by WSCPA Board Chair Tom Donaghy challenged members to ask themselves one question (you’ll have to read the article to find out what the question is). In the same article, Mr. Donaghy wrote, “No matter what stage in life we are, from college student to retiree, there are plenty of opportunities to give back to the community where we live and work.”

That quote reminded me of this post as Brett Jordan shares how being involved in WSCPA advocacy has a wider impact on more than just his career and the CPA profession but the community as well.

There are many opportunities in WSCPA advocacy where you can make a difference, too. If you want to get involved or are interested in learning more, visit Become an Advocate or contact me at akittrell@wscpa.org.

How did you get involved in WSCPA advocacy?

I got involved in the society through the new professionals group and started realizing it’s not just tax and audit professionals that we advocate for, but it’s the CPA profession. And the impact that legislators and legislation have on the profession was of interest to me. So I thought I’d get involved in WSCPA advocacy largely through just being interested in my community and my profession.

What’s an advocacy initiative that you’ve participated in?

I was given the opportunity as a trustee of the Washington CPA Foundation to testify in front of the Senate Higher Education Committee and tell my personal story of being reliant on scholarships, student loans, and the burden that was on me at the time, and how much better the educational experience is when you don’t have to worry about your next tuition bill coming up or what textbooks you’ll be buying the next quarter or semester.

So that whole experience was really personal for me and enabled me to really be a strong advocate or feel as though my advocacy work made a positive impact.

Why should your fellow members be active in advocacy?

I would hope that CPAs realize that the true impact is through developing those personal connections with their legislator and meeting with them, going out to coffee with them, going to lunch with them, and informing them about issues that are important to them, not just personally but through their profession and how they make a living.

How has being involved in advocacy benefited your own professional development?

Being involved in WSCPA advocacy has broadened my perspective on the profession and increased my network. So I’m not telling personal stories about my work life to CPAs or aspiring CPAs, I get to broaden my audience to the public, to the community, and other individuals that can have an impact on the profession.