Join us for the inaugural Rise Together Retreat, a one-day experience designed to inspire, connect, and celebrate women across the accounting and finance profession.
Set against the beautiful waterfront views of the South River in Edgewater, Maryland, this is more than a conference—it's an opportunity to step away from your day-to-day, invest in yourself, and connect with an incredible community of women leaders.
Your Retreat Experience Includes
The Rise Together Library - Books that Built Us
Bring a favorite leadership, business, or personal growth book that has inspired you. During the retreat, we'll provide a note card for you to share why you chose the book, what you learned from it, and why you hope it inspires someone else.
You can leave with a different book - and begin your next chapter with a little piece of someone else's leadership journey.
A View to Remember
We’re delighted to welcome plein air artist Pamela Chase to Rise Together! Pamela will capture the beautiful river view from our venue in watercolor as the day unfolds — and one lucky attendee will take home the finished original painting in a special drawing. Follow her work on Instagram at @watercolorsbypamelachase.
Help Someone Else Rise
Want to make an even bigger impact? Consider making a contribution to help a student, CPA candidate, emerging leader, or fellow member attend the retreat at a reduced rate—or even at no cost. Your generosity can help open the door to new opportunities, meaningful connections, and lasting inspiration. If you are able, please use the form below.
We can't wait to welcome you for a day of reflection, conversation, celebration, and community on Maryland's beautiful waterfront.
Looking to sponsor this event? View our sponsorship guide here!
Women in accounting and finance at all career stages—from emerging professionals to senior executives and firm leaders.
Rebekah (Brown) Olson, CPA, is the CEO of the Maryland Association of CPAs and an influential figure in the accounting profession, recognized as one of Accounting Today's Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting for 2022.
Joining the MACPA in 2012, Rebekah assumed the position of Manager of Membership Development and Engagement in 2014. In 2018, she was appointed Director of Development, where she served on the leadership team steering the association through the complex challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and the departure of longstanding CEO Tom Hood.
Passionate about the future of the accounting profession, Rebekah is a sought-after speaker who frequently shares her insights on professional trends and opportunities. As a certified facilitator, she has guided numerous organizations, both in the United States and Canada, in the strategic planning process.
Rebekah's contributions have garnered recognition from various prestigious entities. CPA Practice Advisor recognized her as a top thought leader under 40 in the CPA profession in 2017, 2019, and 2020. In 2019, she was honored with the President's Award by the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) Baltimore Chapter for her community service. Additionally, Rebekah was named a Maryland Daily Record Leading Women Honoree in 2020.
Rebekah holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, dual specializing in Accounting and Sports Management, from The Max M. Fisher School of Business at The Ohio State University, which she earned in 2009. She obtained her CPA designation in 2011. After gaining invaluable experience at a Top 100 firm, Rebekah decided to leave public accounting and leverage her talents and experiences to work on behalf of the profession at the Maryland Association of CPAs.
Savedra N. Scott, CPA, CGMA, CrFA, is the founder and president of Savvy Financial Solutions, a CPA-led firm specializing in accounting and financial services for nonprofits, business owners, and service-based organizations. She is passionate about helping clients better understand their financials, streamline their accounting processes, and make informed business decisions with confidence.
Savedra’s experience includes transitioning organizations from manual to digital accounting systems, automating accounting transactions and processes, identifying and correcting financial errors, and providing accounting education and support. She is also a QuickBooks® ProAdvisor and holds a Forensic Accounting Certificate.
Savedra earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from American University, a Master of Science in Accounting from George Washington University, and an MBA from Frostburg State University. She is actively involved in the accounting profession and has served in leadership with the Maryland Association of CPAs.
Begin the day with intention as we pause, reflect, and celebrate the remarkable women who are making an impact across the accounting and finance profession.
Kimberly Ellison-Taylor is a Global Technology and Finance leader with over 29 years of career achievements. She is the Chief Executive Officer of KET Solutions, LLC, a consulting firm focused on business growth, innovation, strategy, transformation and inclusive leadership. Ellison-Taylor is a sought after keynote speaker and has received many awards and recognitions for her expertise and leadership including Accounting Today’s Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting and CPA Practice Advisor’s 25 Most Powerful Women in Accounting.
For almost 17 years, Ellison-Taylor served in global leadership roles for Oracle Corporation. Kimberly advised C-Suite Executives on cloud solutions that innovate and transform business. Ellison-Taylor is also an adjunct professor for Carnegie Mellon University’s Chief Information Officer Certificate program teaching Emerging Technologies & Innovation. She is also an independent board director for Mutual of Omaha (Audit and Risk Committees) and US Bancorp (Audit and Public Responsibility Committees).
Other professional achievements include tenure at Prince George’s County Government, KPMG, Motorola, and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Ellison-Taylor has an undergraduate degree in Information Systems from the University of Maryland Baltimore County, a MBA from Loyola University, an Accounting Certificate from Baltimore County Community College and a Master of Science from Carnegie Mellon University in Information Technology Management as well as a Chief Information Officer certificate. She is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Global Management Accountant, and Certified Information Systems Auditor.
Kimberly has volunteered in the profession for over 20 years including leadership positions as Chairman of the American Institute of CPAs, Chairman of the Association of Certified Professional Accountants, and Chairman of the Maryland Association of CPAs. Kimberly is also the Chair for the AICPA’s National Commission on Diversity and Inclusion and is also the incoming President-elect for Beta Alpha Psi. Ellison-Taylor is also the Chairman of the Maryland Association of CPAs Education Foundation.
In her personal life, Kimberly is also committed to volunteerism and has served in various leadership positions, including as a President for her local chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., a community service organization that serves women, youth, and families, seniors and the military. She is a Life Member of Sigma Gamma Rho and also a Life time member of the National Association of Black Accountants–Kimberly is in the Baltimore Chapter.
Her personal reflection is To Whom Much is Given, Much is Required.
Ellison-Taylor is married to her college sweetheart, Darius Sr and they have two sons Dominic, a high school senior and Darius II, a college sophomore.
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A partner in the audit services department at GRF, Ms. Colladay has served as the lead partner on the audits of trade associations, professional membership societies, arts and humanities nonprofits, advocacy organizations, and grant-making foundations. With more than 30 years working in the nonprofit industry and more than 25 years in public accounting, her depth of nonprofit experience includes audits of federal award programs and employee benefit plans, integrated audits of internal control and financial statements, and agreed-upon procedures engagements. During her career, Ms. Colladay has led a team that provided outsourced internal audit services to nonprofits and applied her knowledge of tax-exempt organizations to various consulting engagements such as finance and accounting process reviews and enterprise risk management.Prior to working in public accounting, Ms. Colladay worked in the accounting department at the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) where she had the opportunity to travel to Bangkok, Thailand, and Lisbon, Portugal for ASTA’s international meetings. While working in public accounting, Susan had the opportunity to audit a nonprofit client that had operations in Taiwan and traveled to Taipei several times to lead the onsite team.A member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), and the Greater Washington Association of Certified Public Accountants (GWSCPA), Ms. Colladay was recently appointed to the AICPA Joint Trial Board for a 3-year term. She received the MACPA’s Women to Watch – Experienced Leader Award in 2025, was recognized by GWSCPA as a Woman to Watch in the Experienced Leader category in 2015, and has been featured on the Forbes 2026 Best-In-State CPAs list. She is also a charter member of the Maryland Delta Chapter of Pi Mu Epsilon, the National Mathematics Honor Society, and currently serves on the board of directors of Mindful Memorial Foundation as a member of the Finance Committee.
Sarah Glynn is a Senior Manager in GRF’s Nonprofit Audit department with over 25 years of public accounting experience. She works with various nonprofit organizations, including trade and professional associations, charitable and educational organizations, as well as political action committees. Sarah also has significant expertise in employee benefit plan audits, internal control testing, and single audits of federal award programs, ensuring efficient and accurate project completion.
Sarah possesses comprehensive experience across all stages of the audit process. She offers guidance to both staff members and client management, delivers audit findings to governing boards and committees, and research complex accounting issues to support informed decision-making. Her duties also encompass mentoring, training, and supervising team members to foster their professional growth, as well as sharing her expertise with the audit staff to enhance overall team capability.
What does leadership really look like behind the accomplishments? Hear candid stories, lessons learned, pivotal moments, and hard-earned wisdom from past Women to Watch honorees as they reflect on the experiences that shaped their careers.
Joye Smith Sistrunk is currently the Principal/Founder of Premier Group Services (PGSI), a Certified Public Accounting and Management Consulting firm. Always having a passion for problem solving and a desire to help others, Joye decided at a very early age that she wished to be Certified Public Accountant.
After graduating with an accounting degree from Loyola College in 1998, she desired to learn more about accounting business worldwide and obtained her Master’s Degree in International Business from the University of Baltimore in 2005.
Joye also had a desire to be an asset to her country and served as a member of the United States Air Force Reserves. She attributes the discipline and loyalty that she gleaned from her experiences with the US Air Force, to that of her work ethics that she applies with each and every one of her clients.
Building PGSI, from the ground up since 2005, it has expanded from one staff member to now more than 10 employees and consultants. The mission of PGSI is to offer both individuals and businesses personalized accounting and financial management services by “Accounting for your Success”.
Janice Stucke, CPA comes to CREW Network with over 15-years of expertise in accounting, transforming financial systems, and strategic financial management. Most recently she worked as CFO at Achieving the Dream, Inc., a prominent 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to enhancing the community college network, in which she spearheaded their digital financial transformation.
As a lifelong innovator, Janice has led numerous digital transformations in order to improve financial reporting timelines, internal controls management, and overall data management capabilities. In her current role she leads accounting and finance and will be focusing on improving financial management systems and bettering strategic insights.
Prior to becoming an accountant, Janice spent 10-years managing refugee programs in the U.S. and abroad, which included living in East Africa, East Asia, and Southeast Asia. Janice is on numerous boards including the AICPA's CFO Planning Committee, the Maryland CPA Society (MACPA) and, also Co-chairs the Advisory Board for CFOLC-Baltimore. When not working or serving her profession, Janice is a competitive triathlete in Ironman competitions.
Make meaningful connections in a fresh, fast-moving mentoring experience. Share ideas, ask questions, exchange perspectives, and tap into the collective wisdom in the room, because sometimes one conversation can change your direction.
Tricia Katebini has spent her career in public accounting, specializing in the nonprofit sector since 2007. As an audit partner, she is in charge of and responsible for the planning and managing of financial statement audits and Single Audits, when applicable. Ms. Katebini has served a range of nonprofit clients including charities, foundations, private schools, and associations, and has presented results to management and the board of directors. Ms. Katebini also advises organizations on internal control best practices, as well as other accounting and operational areas critical to the organization’s financial health.
A seasoned speaker on technical accounting and tax topics affecting nonprofits, Ms. Katebini has presented at AICPA, MACPA, GWSCPA, and other accounting and nonprofit industry conferences. She has built a strong reputation for serving as a key advisor to nonprofit organizations in the Greater Washington, D.C. and Baltimore areas. Her nonprofit audit experience includes proficiency in technical accounting issues and the requirements of Uniform Guidance. She also provides valued guidance to clients on new accounting pronouncements. In addition to audit and assurance, Ms. Katebini’s background also includes knowledge of technical tax issues for nonprofit organizations including unrelated business income and state nexus issues. Her work across a wide range of accounting, tax, and compliance concerns allows Ms. Katebini to bring clients a holistic view of their operations.
Ms. Katebini currently serves on the AICPA’s Joint Trial Board, a well-respected position within the CPA community. She was also named a 2021 Woman to Watch and received the Maryland Association of CPAs’ 2022 Max Teichmann Award. Ms. Katebini is a proud member of GRF’s Women on theMove, the firm’s women’s leadership initiative.
Lexy Kessler is a Partner in Aprio’s Assurance Services Practice and is a trusted advisor to business leaders and changemakers in the Mid-Atlantic region. She previously served on the Aprio Board of Directors and led the firm’s Government Contracting segment. Throughout her career, Lexy has helped clients balance the challenges and opportunities inherent to operating successfully and mentored young professionals to create a positive impact in the profession. She is constantly seeking new ways to reinvent and improve upon the way her team serves clients.
With 40 years of experience in the public accounting industry and extensive experience in assurance, tax, and consulting, Lexy is passionate about helping clients adapt to an ever-changing market, transforming challenges into opportunities. She achieves this by taking a proactive role in helping her team address clients’ needs, develop strategies for their long-term business needs, and rethink their approach to doing business. Lexy also collaborates with regional leaders in the business community to discuss new ideas for strengthening the Mid-Atlantic business ecosystem.
Lexy has earned several accolades over the years, including AICPA’s “Most Powerful Women in Accounting” for three consecutive years, “Maryland’s Top 100 Women” which led to her induction as a “Circle of Excellence” member, MACPA’s “Women to Watch,” and the Washington Business Journal’s “Women Who Mean Business.” Most recently, she has been named in Accounting Today’s list of “Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting” and Forbes’ 2025 list of “America’s Best-in-State CPA’s.”
Lexy earned her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Maryland. She serves on numerous boards, including serving as Chairman of the Board for the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants. She is also a Board of Trustee Member of Marymount University. Moreover, she is Treasurer of the Professional Services Council (PSC). Lexy is a former Chairman of the Board of the Maryland Association of CPAs (MACPA) and the Choral Arts Society of D.C. She also previously served as the Chairman of the National Pipeline Advisory Group, focusing on the development of an inclusive national pipeline strategy for the accounting profession and the modernization of the licensure for CPAs. These roles have allowed her to contribute to the growth and development of the accounting profession and the community.
Senior Director of Financial Reporting, University of Maryland
Amy M. Myers is Senior Director of Financial Reporting at University of Maryland Medical System located in Baltimore, Maryland. As a leader in the UMMS Finance Shared Services Center, Amy is responsible for the accounting, financial reporting, and treasury operations of the Medical System and its member hospitals. Ms. Myers joined UMMS in January 2003 as a Supervising Senior Accountant, when the Medical System was comprised of six hospitals. Since that time, the Shared Services Center was established to streamline finance functions, and six more hospitals have been added to the Medical System’s scale. Amy’s team consists of 40 managers and staff who provide financial statements as well as analytics and other decision-making support to Finance Executive Leadership.
Ms. Myers began her professional career with KPMG LLP, serving in the State and Local Tax Consulting group for three years, and subsequently in Audit/Assurance for three years, before joining UMMS. While in Audit/Assurance, Amy’s clients consisted primarily of healthcare organizations and hospital systems. Ms. Myers is a 1998 graduate (summa cum laude) of the Sellinger School of Business and Management, Loyola University Maryland.
Amy’s professional and community associations include:
Different generations. Different career journeys. Plenty to learn from one another. Hear women across career stages share their perspectives on leadership, growth, workplace change, and what the next generation of the profession can learn from those who came before, and vice versa.
Rebekah (Brown) Olson, CPA, is the CEO of the Maryland Association of CPAs and an influential figure in the accounting profession, recognized as one of Accounting Today's Top 100 Most Influential People in Accounting for 2022.
Joining the MACPA in 2012, Rebekah assumed the position of Manager of Membership Development and Engagement in 2014. In 2018, she was appointed Director of Development, where she served on the leadership team steering the association through the complex challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and the departure of longstanding CEO Tom Hood.
Passionate about the future of the accounting profession, Rebekah is a sought-after speaker who frequently shares her insights on professional trends and opportunities. As a certified facilitator, she has guided numerous organizations, both in the United States and Canada, in the strategic planning process.
Rebekah's contributions have garnered recognition from various prestigious entities. CPA Practice Advisor recognized her as a top thought leader under 40 in the CPA profession in 2017, 2019, and 2020. In 2019, she was honored with the President's Award by the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) Baltimore Chapter for her community service. Additionally, Rebekah was named a Maryland Daily Record Leading Women Honoree in 2020.
Rebekah holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, dual specializing in Accounting and Sports Management, from The Max M. Fisher School of Business at The Ohio State University, which she earned in 2009. She obtained her CPA designation in 2011. After gaining invaluable experience at a Top 100 firm, Rebekah decided to leave public accounting and leverage her talents and experiences to work on behalf of the profession at the Maryland Association of CPAs.
Close the day by celebrating connection, leadership, and the women who inspire us to keep rising. We’ll reflect on the day’s takeaways and recognize this year’s Women to Watch honorees and the impact they are making on the profession and those around them.
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