Women Making Their Mark

Women Making Their Mark

Cara Nicoletti, CPA, Senior Manager

Office location: Pittsburgh
Graduate of: Grove City College

In your free time what do you like to do? Outside of work, I love spending time with my family.

Cara began her public accounting career in 2011 as an Intern with Maher Duessel and is now a Senior Manager at the firm. She oversees a wide range of governmental and non-profit audit engagements.

1. As a working mother, how do you balance work with home life?

The flexibility and the culture at Maher Duessel are what makes balancing work and home life possible. Having flexibility is important because I can take the time I need to spend with my children during the work day if necessary and can catch up on work at a later time without any issues. The culture goes hand-in-hand with the flexibility.

2. Describe the mentoring you provide to other women working at the firm?

I am able to provide mentoring to other women at the firm formally through our career coaching program. I have had a number of mentees over the years that I have met with to discuss various topics, such as career goals, managing workload, and feedback. My mentees are able to come to me for advice or to answer any questions they might have, and I have always made it known that I am someone they can confide in and go to without judgement.

3. You have been with Maher Duessel for nearly a decade working in public accounting – what do you ascribe to your longevity in the profession and the firm?

Over the years I have created strong relationships with both the employees at Maher Duessel and our clients. I enjoy and am proud of the work that we do to help our clients. It has also been great seeing Maher Duessel grow and continue to create an environment that its employees enjoy being a part of throughout the time I have been working for the firm.

4. Women make up a significant portion of the management team at Maher Duessel, an attribute that is not typical of many public accounting firms. Why do you think Maher Duessel bucks the trend?

The culture at Maher Duessel is something that is very important to the firm and its partners. We have eight core values, which are discussed at the beginning of every firm meeting. All eight of the core values are important, but a few of them that I believe have a significant impact on the culture of the firm are Work-Life Balance, Open Door Philosophy, and Welcoming & Inclusive. This type of environment was created by the founding Partners when the firm first started. It has been carried through to the current Partners and is a very integral part of the way we are today.