ROSELAND, N.J. – The New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants (NJCPA) congratulates NJCPA members Sofia Cordero Alves, CPA, a partner at Mazars USA, LLP, and Jenna Sanfilippo, CPA, MSA, a senior tax accountant at WilkinGuttenplan, on being selected to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ (AICPA) 2023 Leadership Academy. They are among 36 chosen nationally to be included in the Academy’s 15th graduating class. The program takes place Dec. 11-14 in Durham, North Carolina.
Alves has been an active member of the NJCPA since 2016. She has shown exemplary leadership in its Emerging Leaders Interest Group, Student Programs and & Scholarship Committee and Monmouth/Ocean Chapter Board of Directors. Alves was also an appointed member of its Emerging Leaders Council. At Mazars, she specializes in accounting and auditing for transportation and logistics.
A member of the NJCPA since 2016, Sanfilippo is an appointed member of its Emerging Leaders Council, a director of the Atlantic/Cape May Chapter and a member of the Content Advisory Board. At WilkinGuttenplan, she focuses on the real estate industry and high-net-worth individuals. Sanfilippo is also a member of its WeGive committee, which focuses on various community service initiatives.
“I believe the foundation to becoming a successful leader is to have a personal network, build relationships and, more importantly, to know how to grow those relationships over time. To be part of this select group of next-generation leaders is an honor, a huge accomplishment. It is an opportunity to continue expanding my network and building lifetime connections with those who are also committed to leading this great profession,” said Alves.
“The ability to grow into a strong CPA is something that I have valued heavily in both my professional and personal endeavors. Attending the Leadership Academy will allow me to pay it forward to the next generation by developing skills in motivating and inspiring others, along with helping them develop their own leadership skills,” added Sanfilippo.
“We could not be prouder of these two emerging leaders. The AICPA Leadership Academy is a wonderful program that will further develop these talented leaders. Their energy and drive for the accounting profession is something we support and want to highlight at the NJCPA, ” said Aiysha (AJ) Johnson, MA, IOM, CEO and executive director at the NJCPA. ,” said Aiysha (AJ) Johnson, MA, IOM, CEO and executive director at the NJCPA.
The AICPA Leadership Academy was designed to strengthen and expand the leadership skills of promising young professionals while they network with a peer group of talented and motivated CPAs. It features career-development workshops and sessions with some of the accounting profession’s most prominent influencers. Participants were selected from public accounting firms of all sizes, business and industry, government and consulting firms.
Attendees were recommended by their employers, state CPA societies and/or volunteer organizations. To date, more than 480 CPAs have participated in the AICPA Leadership Academy, many of whom have gone on to take on leadership positions in their firms, businesses and volunteer organizations.
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The New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants, with more than 13,000 members, represents the interests of the accounting profession and advances the financial well-being of the people of New Jersey. The NJCPA plays a leadership role in supporting the profession by providing members with educational resources, access to shared knowledge and a continuing effort to create and expand professional opportunities. Visit njcpa.org.