3 Questions with New MACPA President and CEO Rebekah Brown

A 10-year veteran of the Maryland Association of CPAs and a two-time CPA Practice Advisor “40 Under 40” honoree is a couple weeks away from taking over the reins of MACPA, one of the largest and most active state associations in the accounting profession.

Rebekah Brown, CPA, most recently MACPA’s director of development, will succeed longtime association employee—and Rebekah’s mom—Jackie Brown as president and CEO when Jackie retires on June 30.

After working as a senior auditor for three years at Sparks, Md.-based management consulting, tax, and audit firm SC&H Group, Rebekah joined the MACPA staff in 2012, and in 2014 was named the association’s manager of membership development and engagement. Rebekah was promoted to director of development in 2018, and she is credited with helping to lead MACPA through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the departure of longtime CEO Tom Hood, and the sale of the Business Learning Institute to the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants.

Rebekah took time out of her busy day yesterday to have a quick chat with CPA Practice Advisor, which asked her about where this promotion ranks among her career accomplishments, succeeding her mom as MACPA president and CEO, and her vision for the association’s future.

CPA Practice Advisor: Where does being named MACPA president and CEO rank among your career achievements?

Rebekah Brown: It is definitely near the top! But, as hopefully those who I have had the privilege to work alongside know, my greatest joy is in helping others achieve their career goals. So while this personal achievement is amazing, it ranks up there alongside watching students and young CPAs I have mentored achieve their goals.

CPAPA: Is there any more significance to you personally because you are succeeding your mom as MACPA president and CEO?

Brown: I would not be a CPA if it wasn’t for my mom. Being exposed to this great profession from a young age encouraged me to seek it out in college as a rewarding career path. And although not a CPA herself, watching her develop a passion for this profession, and especially its people over her 42-year career at MACPA, developed a passion in me. As I have said to many over the last several days, I am embarrassingly blessed by the CPA community of leaders and mentors who have invested in me. I am a proud product of all those people and look forward to continuing to invest in others in the same way.

CPAPA: Have you set any short-term and/or long-term goals for MACPA during your tenure as president and CEO?

Brown: The last two years have been turbulent for the entire world, and it has been a unique time of “scarciting” (scary and exciting) transition at MACPA. Our team looks forward to continuing the march toward our 2024 MACPA 3.0 Vision and Member Promise that was co-created with our board last year. Our purpose and values are the unchanging why of MACPA. How we consistently and continuingly make good on our promise to members in a rapidly changing environment is a challenge that I am excited to lead. Long term, the focus will be on growing the CPA community in Maryland, ensuring an even more diverse, inclusive, and future-ready profession. Rebekah made CPA Practice Advisor’s “40 Under 40” list in 2019 and 2020.